Acknowledging the fact that homelessness as the Niitsitapi conceptualize it (i.e., lacking shelter) did not exist prior to colonial settlement, and that many would argue that it could not exist due to the fact that in Creation one is... more
Acknowledging the fact that homelessness as the Niitsitapi conceptualize it (i.e., lacking shelter) did not exist prior to colonial settlement, and that many would argue that it could not exist due to the fact that in Creation one is never alone, the project in question sought to understand modern Blackfoot homelessness in a particular context, specifically that of being homeless in one’s homeland. This chapter expands on these findings and explores: (1) how being and becoming homeless informs one’s connection to the land; and, (2) whether this connection to a homeland obliges individuals to remain homeless in traditional territories rather than seeking shelter in foreign territories.
Location: Vancouver, B.C.
Event Date: Nov 5, 2014
Organization: Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness Conference
Homelessness as we conceptualize it (i.e., lacking shelter) did not exist prior to colonial settlement, and many would argue that it could not exist due to the fact that in Creation one is never alone. This chapter seeks to provide... more
Homelessness as we conceptualize it (i.e., lacking shelter) did not exist prior to colonial settlement, and many would argue that it could not exist due to the fact that in Creation one is never alone. This chapter seeks to provide context to better understand modern Niitsitapi homelessness in a particular context, specifically that of being homeless in one’s homeland. This chapter explores: (1) how being and becoming homeless informs one’s connection to the land; and, (2) whether this connection to a homeland obliges individuals to remain homeless in traditional territories rather than seeking shelter in foreign territories.
Publication Name: In Evelyn J. Peters & Julia Christensen (eds.). Indigenous Homelessness: Perspectives from Canada, Australia and New Zealand. pp. 161-184. Winnipeg: University of Manitoba Press, 2016. Co-authored with Gabrielle Lindstrom.
