CTRI ACHIEVE
Trauma

Two-Eyed Seeing – Decolonization and Reconciliation

This blog is written collaboratively by Mel Bazin and Nathan Gerbrandt. Mel is a Métis mother, a helper from the community of St. Malo, MB, and CTRI’s Director of Indigenous Services. Nathan is a father, social worker, CTRI’s Managing Director, and 4th generation immigrant to Southern Manitoba. It is their second blog together related to two-eyed seeing. These pictures were taken by Melanie Bazin in Winnipeg, on Indigenous ancestral land in treaty 1 territory, on the banks of the Red River. This historical land was a hub for fur trade commerce. Imagine the history that these trees hold.

Reflections on Two-Eyed Seeing, Decolonization, and Reconciliation

At CTRI, we are entering our second year of using a two-eyed seeing perspective to guide our operations and reconciliation journey. We have attempted to apply this concept to how we develop our learning resources, how staff are trained, our approach to reconciliation, and the future of our organization. This journey has been exciting, as it expands our mindset, deepens relationships, and focuses on reconciliation, but it has also brought moments of discomfort.

An Alignment of Values – A Curious Approach

We have found the curious and continuous learning mindset of two-eyed seeing to be invigorating and humbling, and it aligns deeply with CTRI’s vision of a trauma-informed world. In this way of seeing the world, knowledge has no hierarchy and each person’s experiences and wisdom are valued. According to Albert Marshall, the Elder who coined the term, taking a two-eyed seeing approach means “You are always fine tuning your mind into different places at once, you are always looking for another perspective and better way of doing things.”

At CTRI, we are committed to the journey and responsibility of being influenced by and drawing from the strengths of different perspectives. As a trauma-informed organization, we understand that trauma is widespread and can significantly impact how people respond to various situations, often making them feel more vulnerable. That is why it is essential to continuously adopt a mindset of curious empathy, so we can promote safety and connection in all our interactions. With this kind of approach, our biases recede, and healthy responses to trauma become our habit.

Common Indigenous practices often incorporate different forms of knowledge that are active, learned through experience, and based on relationships.
Seeing Two Perspectives at Once – Active Knowledge From the Natural World

Common Indigenous practices often incorporate different forms of knowledge that are active, learned through experience, and based on relationships. In other words, knowledge is gained in a variety of ways, through relationships, experiences, self-reflection, symbolism, dreams, etc. For instance, knowledge can be gained by learning from and giving back to the land, creating a balanced, reciprocal relationship.

I (Mel) recently saw a sandhill crane in my yard. This is a rare occurrence, as these cranes are not typically seen in my area. From my perspective, based on Indigenous ways of learning, I thanked the crane for coming to visit and began to learn about what this bird signifies. I looked for lessons from the crane’s visit. From a Western perspective, one could also appreciate the crane and wonder what made it appear in the area. Perhaps there would be some guessing as to where it came from, what could have precipitated its travel. Both perspectives have value. When we lean into two-eyed seeing, we allow ourselves to be open to learning from and appreciating these two eyes, gaining knowledge from different outlooks.

The Spiritual Element

Recently we held a Zoom meeting with trainers to discuss our Giwiidabindimin (Ojibwe for “we sit together”) Certificate Program. This five-day training is based on a two-eyed seeing perspective, where Indigenous and non-Indigenous trainers co-facilitate the exploration of Indigenous and Western ways of responding to grief, trauma, and vicarious trauma. We asked our Elder, Louise McKay, to open the meeting with a smudge and prayer.

From an Indigenous perspective, Spirit is connected to all things. This means we cannot interact with the world around us without incorporating Spirit.

There was discussion about whether beginning with a prayer was appropriate for a secular organization. From an Indigenous perspective, Spirit is connected to all things. This means we cannot interact with the world around us without incorporating Spirit. An Indigenous worldview sees everything as interconnected. Out of respect for the spiritual component of all activities, things, places, and people, we found it appropriate to begin our meeting in this way. A two-eyed seeing approach provides us with the space to consider this perspective. We continue to work on incorporating ceremony and Spirit in our work.  

We Live and Work in Discomfort

There are very personal realities to actively decolonizing our work, and even our identity.

Whether I like it or not, I (Nathan) am a part of the harm brought about by our colonial system and the dominance of Western practices – this makes the process of reconciliation both personal and collective. Growing up, my family emphasized the strong ties we have to our history – to our ancestors, how they lived, and what they believed. “Remember who you are!” was the mantra my father instilled in me. I personally carry forward this appreciation for the role history plays in my identity, knowing that it is inextricably tied to my family’s story. This is both an honour, as I’m filled with pride for my ancestors’ achievements and values, and feel a responsibility to carry these things forward for my children. However, as I have come to understand through two-eyed seeing, there is another side to this story. While my family benefited from the system of colonization, I also need to acknowledge the deeper truths of the land and people affected by it.

Viewing my story through both eyes and valuing both Indigenous and Western perspectives, I can see difficult lessons about the harm colonization has caused and how my ancestors and I have been part of that legacy. The privileges I enjoy, shaped by cultural biases, must now be examined through this dual lens to avoid perpetuating the imbalances rooted in colonial history. This is true for many of us – the injustices of colonization weave through our shared experiences today, and two-eyed seeing challenges us to acknowledge this complexity and work towards healing.

The injustices of colonization weave through our shared experiences today, and two-eyed seeing challenges us to acknowledge this complexity and work towards healing.

As a Métis person, my (Mel’s) family history includes hiding our identity. My ancestors felt they needed to hide who they were in order to feel safe and survive in a colonial system. This has led to generations of attempts to blend into a colonized world, a devaluing of our own culture and loss of identity. Due to the history of colonization, the residential school system, and oppressive policies, many Indigenous people have had this generational experience of culture and identity displacement.

Through resurgence, the shared knowledge of many knowledge holders and Elders, as well as opportunities to listen and learn from blood memory, many of us are reconnecting to our identity and culture. I continue to learn about my culture, about Indigenous practices and knowledge. I also actively work to undo the hiding. I work to unlearn the urge to blend and hide, and instead take up more space, share my perspective, and help make room for Indigenous voices in all spaces.

A Trepidatious Journey

Our relationship with two-eyed seeing is permeating everything we are doing at CTRI. It is invigorating and exciting, but it also feels as though there is a microscope on us. It doesn’t matter how good our intentions are, the reality is that what we say and how we say it can miss the mark for some.

We are a national organization and are very aware of the concerns present in offering pan-Indigenous approaches. This leads us to sometimes want to slow down or even halt our process or work, to make sure we get everything perfect, but this isn’t how we learn. We continue to seek council from respected Indigenous leaders and Elders, whose voices tell us that mistakes and obstacles are an expected and even important part of life.

Decolonizing traumatic spaces is messy. It would be a disservice to the conversation to shy away from it. We take this to heart, and we forge ahead. We learn to embrace the uncomfortable, entering these spaces with courage, humility, honesty, respect, truth, wisdom, and love.

Conclusion

Our active dialogue and reflection on two-eyed seeing has brought us to the realization that an essential element of working towards reconciliation is to value and seek out both Indigenous and Western ways of being, learning, and seeing the world. At its heart, it is a journey of relationship and togetherness, where we must anticipate discomfort and uncertainty along the way. It will take repeated offerings of safety and trust, and require us to call out systems that continue colonial practices. But by humbly walking together and persistently seeking creative ways of relating, mutually respectful relationships can be formed.

What We’ve Learned So Far

There are many layers:
  • -The layers of colonization and oppression
  • -Decolonization in a colonized Western world
  • -It is an active, consistent process to reconcile culture and Spirit while working in Western settings
  • -The importance of resurging Indigenous ways of being and doing
We have to change the status quo:
  • -Question things
  • -Change our perspective
  • -Allow safe spaces for all perspectives and knowledge bases
  • -Finding our place together
Reaching our destination can only be done through relationship:
  • -Reciprocal, respectful relationships are imperative to successful reconciliation
  • -Valuing and honouring each other’s perspectives is essential
  • -As part of our ongoing reconciliation journey and leaning into a two-eyed seeing perspective, we are creating resources around reconciliation, decolonization, and the history of colonization in order to acknowledge trauma from colonization
  • -We are working to incorporate ceremony into our processes

Author

Melanie Bazin, MSW, RSW

Director of Indigenous Services

Nathan Gerbrandt, MSW, RSW

Managing Director

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© CTRI Crisis & Trauma Resource Institute (www.ctrinstitute.com)
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