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Prince Albert Daily Herald A University of Saskatchewan (USask) researcher, Dr. Holly Graham (PhD), has been awarded $2.5 million over five years by Public Safety Canada to implement a crime prevention program using culture as the intervention. According to Graham, the crime prevention project provides 10 to 19-year-old students and their families on both Little Pine and Poundmaker First Nations an opportunity to connect to their traditional Cree identity. This will include the use of traditional ways to manage conflict resolution. “It is returning to the Cree traditional worldviews and paradigms away from Western practices and policies to address community safety. Using the Cree culture to manage challenges faced by youth in these communities. So it is a return to Cree cultures, values and beliefs,” Graham, assistant professor in the College of Nursing and USask’s Indigenous Research Chair in Nursing, said.
She said the project was initiated by two Elders—Austin Tootoosis of Poundmaker Cree Nation and the late Jacob Pete from the Little Pine First Nation. They approached her to work with them and apply for the federal grant that would help address a pressing community problem. “I see it as a holistic wellness plan that includes reclaiming indigeneity—supporting the original family structure, bringing people together to create positive outcomes,” said Graham, assistant professor in the College of Nursing and USask’s Indigenous Research Chair in Nursing. “What’s so beautiful is that the request came from the communities, the project template was co-created with the leadership, kihte-ayak (person of many winters), and community members from these two First Nations, along with RCMP representation—Sergeant Karen Pelletier, Indigenous Policing Services. Chiefs Wayne Semaginis and Duane Antoine have been vital to nehiyaw wicihitwin (Cree helping Cree). Their commitment and leadership reflects the value of this project to their communities. This project is community-driven, which is the gold standard for all community-based research,” said Graham, a member of the Thunderchild First Nation whose mother attended residential school with Tootoosis and Pete.