On Common GroundAn idea was born...
The sustainability of coastal communities and the resources on which they rely is the main focus of the Coastal Communities Network . In 1992, in the wake of the Atlantic groundfish crisis, CCN was founded, bringing together representatives from community economic development agencies, municipal leaders, church and community organizations, resource harvesters and processors, unions, and universities. The mission statement of this volunteer association of organizations is to provide a forum to encourage dialogue, share information, create strategies and undertake action that promotes the survival and development of Nova Scotia coastal and other rural communities. On Sept. 17, 1999 the Supreme Court of Canada handed down a pivotal decision on the so-called Marshall Case, upholding the fishing rights of Mi'Kmaq people. Tensions mounted in some fishing communities between Native and non-Native fishers. Fears and uncertainty took hold as both groups wondered how this decision would affect the future of their livelihood. CCN Chairman Arthur Bull remembers what he calls "a defining moment" in Nova Scotia's history, when, on October 22, 1999, just five weeks after the Court's decision, 1,000 non-Native fishermen gave a standing ovation to Acadia Band Chief Deborah Robinson as she outlined an agreement that had been reached regarding fishing in a particular lobster area. The significance of this moment lies in the fact that the agreement between Native and non-Native fishers was reached not through government representatives, lawyers, and corporate leaders, but rather through direct negotiation and open discussion between elected leaders of non-Native and Mi'Kmaq communities. This defining moment has helped to underscore an important truth in the governance of sustainable communities: that the people who live and work in a community are those best able and suited to make decisions regarding that community and its resources. And that all members of that community must be involved equally in decision-making. Only by working together towards common goals will our rural communities survive and thrive. In light of this philosophy, Heritage Canada approached Coastal Communities Network about a project that would begin a process of facilitating open, face-to-face dialogue among the cultural communities in the province. Nova Scotia is rich in cultural heritage from many communities - Blacks, Natives, Acadians, and Europeans. But for too long, these communities have had little communication, and indeed, have often worked against each other. Communities are beginning to realize that they have more in common with each other - hopes, concerns, determination - than they ever realized, and that by sharing ideas, all stand to benefit. With funding from both Heritage Canada and Canadian Rural Partnership, CCN launched a series of events, described in this book, aimed at drawing together the three key elements of our communities: our relationship with nature, our relationship with each other, and our relationship with the Spirit. These three strands of community life are beginning to twine together as events continue, and the people of rural Nova Scotia continually find themselves On Common Ground . We wanted people to share their ideas...
Coastal Communities Network has been promoting community-based management (CBM) since its inception in 1992. This way of governing our natural resources, especially the fishing industry, is seen as the only way to ensure long-term sustainability, both of the resources and the communities that depend on them. Community-based management allows resource harvesters and communities to have primary stewardship over those resources, in a democratic decision-making process. It is based on an ecosystem approach, recognizing the interaction among species, habitat and the population. With Nova Scotia's population historically segmented into cultural groups, bringing areas of the province together to work in a co-operative effort towards community-based management has never seemed like a real possibility. Mi'Kmaq, Black, Acadian and other European cultures within the province have all struggled to reach their aspirations and survive to build healthy communities. Each has also been forced to cope with stifling government regulations that seem to work towards the benefit of no one, regulations that do not have the sustainable future of the resources at heart. In light of this situation, CCN decided to host a series of forums to discuss community-based management, focusing on how all cultures and rural communities can somehow come together to work towards the goal of widespread CBM of our resources. CCN has traditionally included and encouraged membership from all cultures, and wanted to ensure that members of all four communities felt welcome and necessary to the project. Three forums focusing on CBM were held over a four-month period. At the first event, held in November of 1999, organizers recognized the necessity of allowing participants to decide what the priority of topics would be. To the surprise of the many, the session quickly became an emotional and powerful discussion of the effects on cultural groups of exclusion from natural resources and racism issues. Instead of communities wanting to deal with natural resources issues, they needed to deal with each other first. Participants spoke at length of the need for any positive action to include a tie to the Spirit, or Creator. Original values traditionally placed on nature by the Mi'Kmaq ensured that harvesting was done in a sustainable manner, respecting The Creator and helping to replenish nature's gifts. A return to the ancient ways and values would benefit all. Only by communities understanding that three essential connections must be made - with each other, with nature, and with the Spirit - can true co-operation happen. One participant talked of how it takes a multi-national forestry company five seconds to cut a tree by today's standard clear-cutting methods. One hundred years ago, a hundred men with horses would do selective cutting, and the process could be repeated in 100 years as the forest regrew. "If you look after the forest, it will look after you," he commented. Participants in that first CBM forum agreed that they must first acknowledge that racist attitudes exist in our society today, in order to get past those attitudes to work together toward common goals. One man commented that occasionally non-Native fishermen get a glimpse of what it's like to be disempowered by stereotypes, when they are labeled and discredited by people as being "stupid fishermen." This launched a discussion on the types and levels of racism and discrimination that are pervasive in our society today. At the end of the day, many participants said they felt this was the first time other cultures have openly acknowledged some racism issues and dealt with each others' concerns. The idea of "You can't eat money" was an important one, with participants feeling that the objectives of resource-based communities must re-focus away from profits, towards the goal of ensuring our resources will still be viable and provide for our grandchildren. At the end of the first meeting, it was agreed that one priority was to ensure that the information discussed around the table be distributed as widely as possible. Another was that a number of groups not represented at the first forum, be encouraged to attend the next two. Those groups included youth, more Native groups, and a number of resource co-operatives already in operation around the province. At the second and third CBM forums, emphasis was placed on discussing ways of translating the idea of community-based management into reality. It was decided that presentations would be made at the third event by people currently working under a CBM system. The sharing of information on how to set up and effectively run a CBM project is an invaluable tool to other communities wanting to do the same. One guest speaker at the final CBM forum spoke of the impact the Marshall decision may have on the community-based management movement in Nova Scotia. He noted that following the decision, which gives back traditional fishing rights to Native groups, Mi'Kmaq and non-Native fishing representatives have met successfully face-to-face to work out the division of quotas. First Nations people are also currently making efforts to re-introduce traditional management practices in their resource harvesting, and these traditions can be shared with non-Natives across the province. Natives are trying to convince the government to allow them to return to self-government, because who better than Natives know what that community needs to sustain itself? A speaker from the Acadian community told of a successful venture by local woodlot owners to compensate for a decline in demand from the local pulp mill. Working together, owners established a joint venture marketing company, and an investment co-op to generate financing. Owners want to manage their woodlots so they can leave something to their children. They have been working co-operatively with the province and local saw mills to implement sustainable management practices. A member of the Black community spoke up, telling the group that "We have been practicing CBM for generations - we just call it survival." He said the Black community has historically seen the assets of the community as belonging to all members of that community. At the end of the forum process, it was agreed that a new grassroots coalition for CBM would be established, to form a work plan. The coalition would provide a united voice for the CBM movement. A steering committee, comprising all cultures and interest groups, was set up to carry on the momentum to push the CBM movement forward and communicate with other groups on the importance of this movement. More workshops and meetings are expected to be held toward this goal.
...and share their cultures...
In Digby and Annapolis counties, we find likely the richest mix of Nova Scotia's prevalent four cultures. It was in this area that CCN chose to host a series of events that would hopefully bring together members of each cultural community for an afternoon of communication and sharing. A coordinator was hired, a person who had previously established contacts in each community. This was critical, because cross-cultural events like this had never taken place before, and there was likely to be some hesitation and skepticism on the part of some participants. The initial calls to each community involved an invitation to meet casually to discuss the idea. At those first tentative meetings, CCN was introduced, and the coordinator put forward the philosophy behind the project: that we should acknowledge and celebrate our cultural differences, and form new alliances to work together on the issues that affect all rural Nova Scotians. It took some time, but eventually all four communities agreed to participate in the cross-cultural meetings. Although there was some degree of trepidation, many saw this as an exciting opportunity to look outside their own community and learn, for the first time, about three other neighboring cultural communities. Two representatives from each cultural group met to form a steering committee to start organizing the "where's, how's and when's" of the events. That organizational meeting was a powerful event in itself, when representatives from each community realized that the opportunity for real cultural exchange was possible. This would be an historic "first" for the area, creating the possibility for face-to-face, personal dialogue among cultures. The idea was put forward of having a dinner, in the hopes that sitting around a table sharing food would help foster an atmosphere of camaraderie and friendship. The First Nations Reserve at Bear River offered to host the first event. The dinner was held in March of 2000, when 43 participants were welcomed by the Chief and a Band Councillor. The simple act of attending an event at the Reserve was a major milestone for some participants because, although they had lived in the area all their lives, they believed they weren't permitted on First Nations land. One participant commented later that she was surprised by the people in attendance - not community or business leaders, but just community members. She said it was exactly this fact that made it possible for the frank and open discussion that followed. It was because people were there representing THEMSELVES rather than speaking on behalf of a group, that everyone was able to speak from the heart. Very open and emotional discussion dominated the afternoon of that first dinner. Each took a turn sharing stories of difficulties they had experienced over the years, frankly talking about living with prejudice and injustice. All agreed that while it was important to acknowledge the past, the time has come to move forward and face tomorrow together. The idea of holding a series of dinners, similar to the first event, was agreed upon. Each cultural community would host an event, and have the opportunity to showcase their traditions and culture in the form of food and entertainment. The events became dubbed Dialogue Dinners. The second dinner was held two months later, hosted by the Acadian community. The 23 participants enjoyed traditional Acadian cuisine and entertainment. It was ironic that, although the dancers who performed at the dialogue dinner are internationally renowned, most in attendance at the dinner had never seen the performers, despite living within the same small region of the province. This is typical of the lack of communication and sharing among cultures in Nova Scotia. The third and fourth dinners were hosted by the Black and European descendant communities respectively. The tone of the last three meetings was more down to business, with discussions centering around problems that are shared by all four cultures. The spirit of being able to work together to solve common problems toward common goals was beginning to grow among the communities. An example of the kind of idea that grew from these sessions came from the Black community, which would like to develop cultural heritage tourism projects, which would benefit all communities while celebrating each culture. One participant noted, "We may look or speak differently, but we're really all the same. We may have been born and brought up to stay separate, but this division through ancestry isn't necessary." A key theme throughout the Dialogue Dinner project was the desire to keep the process alive - that it wouldn't end after the fourth dinner. Talks have been ongoing to create working committees and plan future cultural events. As one participant put it, "I am thankful for the healing and seeing cultures under one roof, working together and looking beyond color and facial features. I am 47 years old, and have learned more about others in these meetings than ever before in my life."
...and learn from each others' traditions
With the ever-widening realization that cultural prejudices and distrust are barriers to communities being able to work together towards common goals, the idea of holding an intense weekend cultural workshop was developed. And with the Marshall Decision on Native fishing rights so key in the minds of many throughout the province, the logical place to hold this workshop was the Mi'Kmaq First Nations Reserve at Eskasoni. The Reserve is located in Cape Breton, and is our largest Mi'Kmaq community. Representatives from CCN, Eskasoni, and the Sacred Mountain Society, which is a non-profit organization directed and operated by Mi'Kmaq grassroots people, met to organize the May, 2000 event. They designed the weekend carefully to create a "rhythm of learning" to include not just discussions and guest speakers, but also traditional Mi'Kmaq ceremonies to help participants look into themselves to connect mind, body and spirit. Participants included non-Native fishermen and several other community group representatives from around the province. Speakers dealt with the topics of past political battles fought by First Nations people; what it was like growing up as a Native child in a white society; and First Nations traditional government and cultural protocols. For the Eskasoni organizers, hosting the workshop was a risk. What if the old prejudices and conflicts over fishing rights came to the fore? Would the non-Native participants respect the traditions and ceremonies they would be taking part in? But as one Native man put it, "it was time we had to take a chance. Some people see us almost as a secret society with our ceremonies. Perhaps it's time to include other people in our ceremonies." That man said, after the workshop, that his apprehension disappeared shortly after guests arrived. He could see the honesty and willingness to learn among the participants. "This allowed me to open my culture and share it with these people." This is something that wouldn't even have been considered a few years ago. The Mi'Kmaq are anxious to share their values regarding natural resources with others who need those resources to survive. And while the Marshall Decision has created an air of what has been described as "paranoia" about Natives somehow taking over the province's natural resources, First Nations people are confident that "once this time of paranoia has passed, people will see us as responsible harvesters of the resources, whether fishing or hunting." A non-Native fisherman who participated in the weekend said he has felt, as Natives have, that he has been painted in the media and by the public as a greedy harvester who will take the last fish to make a dollar. He says he wishes people could see that fishermen really do want to work towards sustainable management of the resource. But he says, when it comes to money, it's too easy for some to talk about conservation, but act towards profit. All participants in the cultural weekend agreed that the experience was a spiritual one that gave them a better understanding of the Mi'Kmaq culture, and should be carried on in future events encompassing other cultures. It is through this kind of learning that communities will be able to build the bridges that will enable them to work together, now and into the future. It is the foundation of respect and understanding among cultures that is necessary for the success of any co-operative agreements.
...and the process lives on
A popular comment from people who participated in any of the various On Common Ground events sponsored by CCN is that these events must continue, that the project hasn't concluded, but rather has served as the opening phase of a new level of among Nova Scotia's diverse cultural communities. One man commented, "Our voice was heard for the first time by other cultures around the table, and it was accepted. People felt safe to talk. We became a family, and as a family we can change the power system." Another said, "We got to explore other cultures, and found we could support one another because our issues were basically the same." It is important to note that the project has been successful largely because CCN didn't set the agenda - the participants did. CCN didn't MAKE the process happen, we ALLOWED it to unfold. At a wrap-up meeting for the project, held in April, it was agreed that although the first, and very tentative, steps have been taken towards healing old wounds and changing old habits of thinking, we have a long road ahead before the barriers of racism and prejudice are eliminated. When a Black man in his thirties remembers being closeted in a back room of the town barbershop for a haircut, instead of out front with the other customers; when a Native woman and her children are denied a room at a motel because "We don't serve your kind here;" or when fishermen are stereotyped as rich and stupid, it shows us just how far we have to go. Respect is the key to all of this. It is what can let us carry on towards the ideals of true community-based management of our resources, and a society free of racism. Respect must come in three strands: respect for each other; respect for nature; and respect for the Creator or Spirit. Think of a braided rope - each strand is strong, but when the three strands are intertwined, the braid is unbreakable. Even before the events discussed in this booklet were complete, plans were underway for future events. A steering committee is being set up to help communities organize their own community-based management projects; another Mi'Kmaq weekend workshop is in the works; cross-cultural events involving families are being planned in the Digby-Annapolis area. Coastal Communities Network is committed to this effort and will continue to be at the forefront of encouraging face-to-face dialogue among cultures and communities across the province. After all, it doesn't matter what your ancestry is - if the resources upon which your community relies are threatened, you need to be able to work with your neighbors to protect them. CCN gratefully acknowledges the help of all the groups and individuals who helped make these events a success - and who will continue to work with us in the future. We thank the Multiculturalism Program, Department of Canadian Heritage, Secretary of State (Multiculturalism) for their tremendous support and funding of a number of our events, as well as this booklet. We also thank the Rural Secretariat for their support of our efforts, and our two organizational partners, the St. Francis Xavier University Center for Community-Based Management and the Sacred Mountain Society. More information on Coastal Communities Network can be obtained by contacting CCN Executive Director Ishbel Munro at: RR#2
This publication and others are available by contacting the CCN at: |