Nenan Dane_Zaa Deh Zona

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Nenan Dane_Zaa Deh Zona

• Family Services Society

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Nenan Dane_Zaa Deh Zona
translation All of Us People working together
for our Families combines three Athapaskan
languages
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The name, selected by our 14 member Nenan Board
of Directors, has profound meaning as it is
inclusive of the Beaver, Slavey, Cree and English
dialects of the First Nation and Aboriginal
peoples of the Northeast. This symbolizes and
evidences our historic coming together in the
establishment of an Aboriginal Authority that
will enable us to reclaim our inherent right and
responsibility for decision making and service
provision for our Children, Families and
Communities.
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Nenan Dane_Zaa Deh Zona - Geographic Service Area
Treaty 8 Nations
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The Ministry of Children and Family Development
(MCFD) presently has the legal responsibility and
authority in regard to child protection and
support services to the First Nation and
Aboriginal peoples of the northeast. The
Ministry initiated a Transformation Agenda with
the introduction (circa 2006) of new Deputy
Minister, Lesley Du Toit, and identified as a
guiding Vision statement, "Aboriginal peoples
exercising their rights to jurisdiction over
their children's well-being, through
self-determination, have strong and healthy
children, youth and families."
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Nenan representatives met with Ms. Du Toit and
MCFD officials in the summer of 2007 to discuss
our historic and unique coming together as First
Nations and Aboriginal peoples and our unwavering
self-determination and unequivocal goal of
reclaiming jurisdiction and decision-making for
our children, families and communities
through our establishment of an Aboriginal
Authority for the northeast. 
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Nenan was successful in receiving support from
the Ministry for assuming all work associated
with establishing an Aboriginal Authority that
will enable us to reclaim our inherent right and
responsibility for our children and families in a
manner that respects and builds upon our
traditions and culture, and which also recognizes
and honours the diversity of our communities and
peoples.
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We will establish an unprecedented new level of
accountability with our peoples and communities
as we assume jurisdiction and the provision of
services. Our Board of Directors are from our
communities and have strong existing knowledge
and relationships with our peoples which will be
a strength in making informed decisions related
to the best interests of our children.
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Additional support was secured from Dr Phillip
Cook, William White, and Vanessa Currie of the
International Institute of Child Rights and
Development (IICRD). Nenan was introduced to
the Triple "A" Community Empowerment engagement
process and has received training in the
Pre-Assessment and Assessment phases from the
IICRD team
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Nenan's Board Of Director's and designates are
presently engaging the respective target groups
(i.e. Children, Youth, Parents, Elders, Key
Informants) in each of our communities in the
"Assessment" process phase. This is for the
purpose of identifying the cultural assets and
strengths existing in each of our distinct
communities. "Action Plans" will then be
developed that are informed and build upon our
community strengths."
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Nenan has embraced the Child Rights approach in
planning for the creation of a new child
protection response and support service delivery
model that builds upon the Convention On The
Rights Of the Child, notably, Article 30.
Nenan will empower and give agency to our
presently untapped resources and strengths which
are our culture, traditions, and the wisdom and
guidance of our esteemed Elders.
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Our governance and cultural and traditional
practice institutions enabled our peoples to
thrive on the landbase of the northeast for over
10,000 years (i.e. an archaeological site at
Charlie Lake, adjacent to Fort St John, has been
determined to be dated just over 10,000 years).
First contact with non-Indigenous peoples
occurred in 1793 when Alexander Mackenzie led an
expedition through our area en route to the
Pacific Ocean. This is only 215 years ago. 
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In 1899 seven of our Nations of the northeast
signed Treaty 8 with the governments of Canada.
At that time, our Peoples did not have any
children "in care, as our children were
protected and nurtured within the guiding context
of our respective cultural and familial
institutions.
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A sad and tragic history followed which witnessed
deleterious efforts perpetrated upon our peoples
including such actions as colonization and
displacement from our traditional lands,
disruption of our traditional ways of life,
residential schools, 1960's adoptions (aka "60's
scoop"), and coercive harmful policies and
legislation (Indian Act) intended to assimilate
our peoples.
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What Followed In Relation To Child Protection
There are currently 146 Children and Youth in
some form of Ministry care in the Northeast. 
115 are of First Nation and Aboriginal descent
which equates to approximately 71 of the
in-care population being from our peoples and
communities.  The Aboriginal 0 - 18 year ago
population is approximately 22 of the total
overall 0 18 population in the northeast (i.e.
4,139 of 18,262 total).
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Nenan believes in the agency of children and
youth to play a key role in helping to inform the
development of a new Child Protection response
and they are actively being engaged and empowered
via the Triple "A" Assessment process.
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Walking Tour activity with the children of the
West Moberly First Nation
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Youth Photo Framing Empowerment Assessment (Feb
20, 2008) Background Interview with
Louie Wokeley, Halfway First Nation Youth
Vanessa Currie "So, can you tell us about some
of the good things that make you feel good in
your life? Louie Wokeley "I love my gramma more
than anything. She makes me feel safe and she
means everything for me. She doesn't
drink." Allen Cummings "Does she live here in Ft
St John? Louie Wokeley "No, she lives in
Halfway. Vanessa Currie "Can you tell us about
some things you like to do? Louie Wokeley
"Soccer, and hunting. I love going hunting on
the weekend, for moose or mostly elk with my mom
(Sherry). This weekend we're going to go. I get
to cut, cook and eat. My gramma makes dry meat,
is good stuff!"    
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Grounding A New Child Protection Response In a
Cultural and Traditions Based Approach An Old
Path ... Back To The Future  
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We believe strongly in the child rights centered
approach where our children are supported
in enjoying and practicing their respective
culture and language which is integral to their
healthy development and our respective community
well-being.  We are intensively engaging our
Elders to learn and re-establish the agency
of our culture and community assets that served
our people so well in the past, so that we
can develop a new Child Protection system which
draws upon these strengths for our future.   
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"Klin-se-za" Also known as the "Twin Sisters,"
is a twin peaked mountain of profound spiritual
and cultural significance.  The mountains are
sacred for the peoples and are a place of
protection, sustenance and well-being in times of
challenge.  
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Nenan Dane_Zaa Deh Zona Family Services
Society Thank you for taking the time to view
this presentation.