With an eye towards the upcoming year, the Cascadia Illahee Department of Indigenous Sovereignty is creating a compendium called Indigenous Voices of Cascadia.
This is a project that we are opening up for any person who is passionate about indigenous sovereignty, and have created a standardized list of questions to guide and focus this project.
The following interview guide recognizes the diverse and varied experience, heritage and realities of First Nations, Tribes and Indigenous Groups across our bioregion and seeks to magnify their voices as we tackle the questions of decolonization and reconciliation.
Federal systems in both Canada and the United States too often take an authoritarian and catch all approach to addressing the issues that face the many perspectives on indigenous life in Cascadia both before and after European advent. The Department of Bioregion believes in confederation with the many nations within Cascadia, and of working with each to define and create these pathways and future realities. Through this process of collecting stories and perspectives we hope to create a fuller focus on how we can live together with greater understanding, equality and purpose.
Indigenous Voices of Cascadia Interview questions:
How do you identify (Tribe, First Nation, Indigenous group, etc)?
What is the name or demonyn of your Tribe, Nation, group?
What is your Native language?
What does de-colonization look like to you?
What are some pathways towards reconciliation?
What is the importance of watersheds to your people?
What is one story or principle that you’d like to share, which is not currently represented in Cascadian cultures?
Is there anything you’d like to share regarding your personal/family history as an Indigenous person of Cascadia?
Closing call to action: Q. In order to support the Indigenous People of Cascadia, Cascadians should do __(blank)__.
