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10 Apr 2021 
Claude 
Cultural identity is central to a person’s sense of self and self-concept. Without culture, it is difficult to build an appropriate self-identity. Unclear sense of self and lack of clarity regarding cultural identity will have problematic outcomes. When it comes to indigenous people of Canada, direct attacks on culture and cultural identity have compromised cultural identity clarity and this low cultural identity clarity is associated with low self-esteem and low mental well-being. Individuals display higher levels of success and well-being when they feel connected meaningfully to their indigenous culture. On the other hand, lack of cultural identity and guidance oftentimes leads to getting involved in criminal activities, substance abuse, addiction and mental health problems which eventually results in their imprisonment.
To help facilitate the healing of these individuals while incarcerated, prison systems introduce cultural healing programs which are a combination of cultural practices and learning of the history of colonization. This way indigenous individuals can reconnect with their culture by engaging in group therapy sessions with peers and other indigenous individuals with incarceration experiences, as well as providing them with access to Elders, who are respected for their spiritual strength and wisdom, where they can perform ceremonies and exercise their religion. Elders play a key role in the cultural healing practices. They help individuals reconnect with their cultural identities by presenting cultural histories and traditional teaching. “In prisons, Elders are the gateway to spiritual ceremonies, such as sweat lodges, pipe ceremonies, or sun dances” (Nielsen, 2003).
Furthermore, Elders play a huge part in providing guidance on ways to prepare for these cultural ceremonies as well as an overview of what will happen during the ceremonies and their purposes. In
In her book Arresting Hope: Women Taking Action in Prison Health Inside Out, Dr. Martin also emphasizes the importance of creating the right environment for the personal growth of incarcerated individuals. Introducing uniques programs that will empower individuals to focus on their own development while in incarceration is very beneficial. The importance of individuals growth is also mentioned in Along the Red Road, from Justice Behind the Walls: Human Rights in Canadian Prisons, a book by Micheal Jackson. “Practicing culturally relevant ceremonies directed to healing was more appropriate in [individuals’] journey towards rehabilitation and reintegration into the community than programs that lacked Aboriginal cultural or spiritual content.” (Jackson, 2002) He also mentions that “a sense of community emerges, based not on the common element of criminality or membership in a gang but rather on the search for spiritual truth.” (Jackson, 2002) which highlights the importance of spiritual practices.
Having programs involving indigenous Elders drawn from outside the prison, who have special knowledge and experience with the culture and spiritual practices, will make sure that aboriginal people have the right tools and resources for successful rehabilitation. The horrific experiences that indigenous individuals have gone through at residential schools and the trauma they have endured from the destruction of their culture are the main reasons why indigenous people are more likely to end up in prisons in the first place.
At residential schools, indigenous individuals were stripped from their identity and forcibly removed from their families and communities. It is often very difficult for many indigenous people to connect and learn more about their culture given their historical context and relations to colonialism and thus there is often a lack of cultural continuity and sense of self for many of these people. These generational traumas are passed down and result in loss of self-identity which leads to adverse health outcomes and increased crime and incarceration rates.
It is also important to note that prison systems shouldn’t focus on encouraging indigenous populations to forget about their ordeals, since addressing these traumas are the first step towards cultural healing. Without the recognition of why culture was stripped away from these people and an understanding of its negative impact today, healing and reduced recidivism cannot occur. It is simply not possible because injustice towards the indigenous population is not just historical. It is an issue that is still going on today. Violence towards indigenous people still exists at every level from personal to institutional to government levels. The trauma these individuals go through is an important part of their experience and history within this country and we cannot help these individuals without addressing the trauma and violence. To support these individuals, the prison systems must find ways to build trust and allow them to feel safe so they can cope with their experiences and accept the support that is being offered to them so that they can discover back their sense of identity, self-worth, and community.
Having said that, serving in prison can deteriorate one’s mental health sharply, regardless of cultural identity that is associated with self-identity. Being away from family and loved ones can put a huge toll on one’s mental health and emotional well-being. Several other issues such as boredom and loss of purpose can negatively impact an incarcerated individual’s mental health. Therefore people in prison are already quiet vulnerable and are exposed to various stressors that constantly affect their well-being. Adding the extreme trauma that the indigenous individuals have experiences in the past and keep experiencing has only damaged their health further. Therefore much greater funding to provide proper cultural services across the country and access to mental health resources are needed and crucial for the well-being and reintegration back into the society for the indigenous population. The environment of the prison should give a clear message to all incarcerated individuals that the prison system has positive expectations and respect for them. On the other hand, an untended and neglected environment for this population lowers their self-esteem even further and deepens their mental health struggles.
In conclusion, healing through reconnecting with one’s culture is a great step towards rediscovering self-identity and recovering from adverse effects of intergenerational trauma that could include poor mental health, loss of cultural identity, loss of hope and pride, abuse, addiction, etc. While Canadian prisons are improving and are making an effort to provide individuals in incarceration with means to connect with their culture, more needs to be done for the healing of the aboriginal population in prisons. The current system does not directly address the issues surrounding colonization and oppression. These programs should focus more directly on addressing the negative impacts of colonization since it’s a crucial step for these individuals’ healing. Having Elders provide insight into the history of colonization should be a required part of cultural healing programs offered to indigenous individuals in prison.
In addition, cultural healing programs should come exclusively from the Aboriginal perspective and not from the government’s viewpoint on indigenous culture. It is also important to make sure that the programs and ceremonies offered in prisons are relevant to all aboriginal peoples’ cultures. There are practices that are commonly part of some aboriginal cultures, while they are absent from others. Therefore, these programs can sometimes be described as “an oversimplified, over-generalized version of Aboriginal identity and it imposes it on its Aboriginal populations” (Martel, 2008). After all, there is a great diversity of cultures, languages, and ways of life among various groups of aboriginal people. They each have their own distinct cultures and prison systems should recognize this and provide programs that are appropriate and enjoyable for all indigenous people in prisons.