Were we not all created equal?

“The old man said, to have been born imperfect was a sign of specialness…The old man explained carefully that in the old days, if a child came with a hare-shorn lip, it wasn’t a terrible thing or a hurtful thing; it meant the child’s soul was still in touch with the Spirit World” (Johnson & Wiebe, 1996).

The above quote is just one example of how spiritual and accepting our Aboriginal culture is. When it comes to physical disability, society can be extremely judgmental and uncomfortable; many feel sorry for people with disabilities and often pity them. Graham, Swift and Delaney define disability as “any limitation in ability to perform functions considered ‘normal’ for a human being or required for a social role or occupation” (2009, p. 139).  People usually only focus on the disability rather than the individual.  The idea of wholeness is vital in understanding the Indigenous perception of disability.  By reducing the importance on the physical aspect, a greater sense of connection with the whole is created, which is the ultimate source of strength.

While many cultures reject people with disabilities, Aboriginal people honor and respect them. They believe that “a person weak in body is often blessed by the Creator as being especially strong in mind and spirit” (Johnston).  Because we are a melting pot of different cultures, it is hard for each one of us to understand how a physical disability is not a detriment. This belief can be better understood in a “reserve setting” of people of the same culture, but only because our society is ignorant of their unique beliefs.  A more helpful approach, is to see everyone as “able”, and instead of focusing on the disability, the emphasis should be put on the individual themselves.  It is only through courses like this, advocacy, school and employment integration and awareness of government and social policies that we can continue to change society as a whole.

When looking at disability, it is easy to see how people with disabilities might become stigmatized as "lacking" or "devalued”.  Mullaly states that Aboriginal people experience the highest levels of social inequality (Mullaly, 2007, p.274).  Aboriginal people have been fighting for equal rights for many years and even to this day they are still fighting for the respect they deserve.  When you combine these two things, physical disability and Aboriginal people, it becomes even more complicated and more stigmatized.  The Indigenous perspective would disagree with the many stereotypes given to people with disabilities because they call attention to the quality of life; they sometimes do this by holding very unique healing ceremonies which “cure” both the mind and body.

There is minimal research on the topic of Aboriginal people and physical disability; one reason for that may be the fact that in some Aboriginal languages there is actually no specific word for “disability” therefore they never feel separate from the rest of their community.  The Aboriginal perspective challenges the view of disability that most members of society have and it forces us to recognize the importance of diversity.  Morrissette explains that an Aboriginal perspective on human nature differs from a Western perspective in that Aboriginals see all people as inherently good and spiritual (2006, p.175), and believe strongly that each human has a specific role in which to contribute to society.  Rather than focus on their physical limitations, we should focus on the “whole” individual and view them as essential members of society. 

I volunteered in the Exchange District as a foot patrol for four years and I worked predominantly with the Aboriginal population.  I encountered a number of aboriginal people living with a physical disability and I am still amazed to this day at how peaceful they were within themselves and how kindly they spoke of others.  Many of these individuals were living on the streets, some had been born with a disability and others had their limbs amputated due to complications from diabetes.  It is inexcusable that members of our community judge these individuals as being “worthless” or “undeserving”.

We all know that life can be a real challenge for people with disabilities, complicated by the type and level of disability.  Many people with disabilities have been fighting for equal opportunities and equal treatment, and although progress has been made over the years, we still have many hurdles to cross.  People with disabilities should not have to hit anymore walls, they should break through them.  I’d like to believe that people have more understanding and compassion towards all people regardless of their disability.  After all, were we not all created equal?

References

Graham, J. R., Swift, K. J., & Delaney, R. (2009). Diversity and social policy (Chapter 6). Canadian social policy: An introduction (3rd Ed., p.139). Toronto: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Johnson, Y. & Wiebe, R. (1998). Stolen Life: The Journey of a Cree Woman. Journal 9, p. 423. Toronto: A. A. Knopf Canada

Johnston, L. Indigenous Healing. http://www.sci-therapies.info/Indigenous.htm

Morrissette, V. (2006). Towards an Aboriginal perspective that addresses ideological domination in social policy analysis. Chapter 5: Implications for Social Work p.162-189).  Unpublished master’s thesis, University of Manitoba.

 

Mullaly, B. (2007). The New Structural Social Work (3^rd ed.). Canada: Oxford University Press.

-Shauna Richardson-