Author: Karen Bird
Date: September 2010
Publication: Canadian First Nations Business Directory 2011
‘Duck and dive’ is an Aboriginal men’s traditional style of dance that simulates warriors being attacked by the enemy and how they move to avoid being shot. One could argue that the survival of our people has depended on our ability to adapt and change. Let us now apply this philosophy to the marriage of traditional Aboriginal culture and non-aboriginal management systems.
Core values: Wisdom, love, respect, courage, honesty, humility and truth are the Seven Grandfather teachings that guide Anishnaabe people.
Traditionally, the thread that bound the community was survival ― physical survival through equity and sharing, and social survival through spiritual connection and true leadership. Today, survival is complicated and riddled with imposed systems and structures. These non-traditional avenues could be effective if they were injected with Aboriginal core values. If the basis for every decision is the health and well-being of the seventh generation, then the true vision of leadership will return to us.
Sovereignty: Sovereignty starts from within, as each person must be accountable for their own contribution to the community.
Traditionally, duties were assigned by capability. Skilled hunters provided food, skilled sewers provided clothing, and articulate visionaries were leaders. Today, this is called ‘human resource management.’ Skills have changed but the goal is the same. Do we know the skills within our communities? Are we using the capability of our members to its fullest potential? Do we celebrate and encourage those that strive to succeed?
Capacity building: Simply, this is a transfer of knowledge and skill.
Traditionally, from an early age, our young were taught to survive. Grandparents, elders and extended family were consistently teaching in everything that they did. Today, we still value and learn from our elders, but primarily rely on schools to transfer knowledge or ‘education,’ as we now know it. Take advantage of this kind of education and use it to be the skilled manager, computer technician or architect.
What if we approached management systems like a path that has flooded after a thunderstorm? Our way has temporarily been obstructed, but we can work together to build a new path that is parallel to the old ― different, but the same. Now, we can continue on to our destination, unhindered and stronger.
How will we define what our duck and dive looks like today? The way we live has changed; who we are has not.
Karen Bird is a consultant in Aboriginal Advisory Services with BDO in Sault Ste. Marie. She has a BA in Native Studies, a Project Management Professional designation, and is currently pursuing a Certified Management Accountant designation. Karen can be reached at (705) 945-0990 or kbird@bdo.ca. BDO is a national accounting and advisory firm that works with not-for-profit organizations, independent businesses, corporations, local governments, credit unions and aboriginal sector clients. Our Sault Ste. Marie office is located at 747 Queen Street E.
