Jocelyn Joe-Strack, Daqualama, is a member of the Wolf Clan of northwestern Canada’s Champagne and Aishihik First Nation. Jocelyn is an Indigenous scientist, philosopher and entrepreneur who strives to evolve tomorrow’s policies by blending yesterday’s ancestral lessons with today’s systematic knowledge. In August 2021, she presented during the monthly Arctic Youth Wellbeing Network session.
How did you first hear of the Arctic Youth Network?
I first heard of Arctic Youth Network when I was invited to present. I looked into it, and it sounds really amazing. I love working with youth – I find all of the hope and potential is held by the young people, and it’s such an invigorating and inspiring place to be holding them up. And also to be thinking about what it was like to be a young person myself and all of those struggles. I’m so grateful now to be in a place where I’m giving back.
Can you share what your work is about and how that’ll connect with what you’ll be talking about in the Arctic Wellbeing Network?
I’m the Indigenous Research Chair at Yukon University, so my job is essentially about setting up the new branch of Indigenous research here in the Yukon. We believe in the Indigenous ways of knowing, doing and being. I find that the western systems are very focused on the “knowing”, wanting to document and create data, which is very much what the academic institutions are about – they’re about knowledge. I’m very focused on being and doing. You know, the dominant society that we live in is very focused on the mind, and all of our educational systems are looking at intellectual development and analytical thinking. The Indigenous ways are so much more about the whole person so it’s not only the mind but also the heart and the spirit that plays a role in our everyday life and is deserving of our attention and priority.
A lot of my work is, especially working with young people, about rebalancing this overemphasis on the mind and creating space and validation for the heart and spirituality in our everyday lives. So a lot of what I’ll talk about is reconnecting to the heart and spirit.
Why do you think it’s important to be having discussions about Arctic Wellbeing?
I believe that our current state of inequity and crisis are in large part due to this overemphasis on the mind that has been perpetuated throughout our society. There is so much to disconnect us from heart and spirit, even characters like Santa Claus teach us to doubt the existence of something greater guiding us. The Indigenous teaching is to be very dependent on spiritual guidance, belief and that there is a role and space for emotions.
But today we are so disconnected from the role of spirit and heart in our everyday lives that we’re walking around like half people. We don’t have good control and understanding of our emotions so they sort of go off the rails. Instead of training ourselves, we’re numbing ourselves.
Forgetting the heart has led us to making these overly logical decisions based on numbers and fact rather than conscious and guidance. To me, that is why we’re in the place of climate change, housing crisis, inequity and so many more issues.
What was your experience growing up Indigenous in Canada?
We’re very fortunate here in the Yukon that I can call myself a leader that was raised by leaders. We have our own self governing government agreements, which covers modern land claims. In the Yukon I was quite privileged, despite still experiencing racism and oppression, although not near to the same degree as the nations that have remained under the Indian Act.
Our school system is taught predominantly in the western framework, and we’re just starting to think about ways to evolve the system based on Indigenous teachings and ways. This would mean more emphasis on the heart and spirit, and less prioritisation of knowledge and mind.
I grew up very much in a western school system, with a lot of non-Indigenous kids, and looking back now, I really reflect upon what that did for my identity. During my twenties, I had to go through an identity and belonging journey, reconnecting with myself. But I didn’t really regain confidence in my Indigenous grounding until I became a mother.
The Yukon are really quite well respected here, so I found myself quite determined for our rights, growing up here. Now I raise my own children and I have expectations to create a better tomorrow for them, so they can raise their children with the language, on the land and in deep connection with their community. I found a lot of purpose growing up Indigenous.
How do you implement Indigenous ways of doing into spaces?
So much of my work is about bringing Indigenous ways to the education system, our daily lives, governance and policy making. The way I try to do that is, I always start my spaces with prayer and song. Starting with a song is good to open up the heart and prayer is good for sending energy to spirit. I try to make safe spaces where people can practise exercising their heart and their spirit. I also like to bring youths and elders into decision making spaces, so that their voices can also be heard.
Check out Jocelyn on TikTok @auntyjocey
