New Indigenous Cultural Awareness Online Course
There are over 600 distinct indigenous cultures in Canada as of today, each with their own unique characteristics. It is important to understand the history of these cultures, as many of them are still present in everyday life around you. People of indigenous cultures may have different belief systems than yourself or your coworkers, but it is paramount that both parties work together on collaborating effectively in the workplace. As managers, it is important to ensure that a safe workplace exists for individuals where they can comfortably express themselves.
Indigenous cultures used storytelling in unique ways that gained the trust of their people and delivered effective communication. It is important to understand how these teachings were presented and delivered, as well as how they were received by their audiences. All communities, even ones of today can take these practices and apply pieces of them into their daily lives. The cultures of indigenous people may seem very different from the ones present in today’s society, but when we take a deeper dive into understanding, we find many similarities across cultures–often more similarities than less. Life was much different before the colonization of the lands of the indigenous people, and people who are not of the indigenous cultures need to understand that. Many cultures were affected directly or indirectly by the colonization of their lands, and many cultures had different experiences.
A great way to learn about the indigenous cultures in Canada is by taking indigenous culture training. This training is derived from first-hand stories and information provided by the people of the indigenous cultures. Indigenous culture training will help you learn about the many still present cultures in Canada, including how colonization affected them and what life was like before colonization for these indigenous cultures. Being able to understand and relate to differing peoples’ cultures creates inclusion in the workplace and provides a different perspective for you to relate to workers of these long standing cultures. It should never be assumed that someone is or is not specifically a member of an indigenous culture. It should be discussed on an individual basis with the person, and no assumptions should be made.
Taking training to learn about indigenous cultures will also help one to understand appropriate terms for indigenous people, as well as what may be inappropriate, and how to avoid these types of misunderstandings or miscommunications in the workplace. Training will also help to eliminate biases of people from indigenous cultures, as well as establish an understanding for their culture’s ways. There may be myths that we hear in society of old indigenous cultures, but those myths may not accurately reflect the culture’s truths and may be offensive to the people of the indigenous cultures. Stereotypes may be present amongst people of indigenous cultures when their coworkers don’t have training or the background knowledge of the culture’s ways. Being able to study indigenous cultures and its people, enables today’s workers to gain an understanding of the inner workings of these cultures and how to collaborate effectively. Understanding other cultures at the workplace provides a great benefit for all workers and increases effective communication. It limits barriers or confusion when collaborating on common goals.
