|
BCIFV home
> Newsletter > 1994
Archives > Summer 1994 articles
Professional Native Women's Association
In December 1979 a group of First Nations women met in Vancouver
to establish a network and support system for professional
First Nations women. As a result, the Professional Native
Women's Association (PNWA) was formed and incorporated as
a society in June 1981.
Over the years, the membership of the PNWA has grown and
its mandate has widened to encompass broader issues relating
to home, family, education, career opportunity, advocacy and
healing for First Nations people.
The association has sponsored many projects throughout the
past eight years, ie. "Our Elders Speak Wisdom Project," a
photographic tribute to elders by Karie Garnier; the "Chronicles
of Pride," a series of portraits of 36 respected role models
for aboriginal people by Pat Logie; and a Native Summit Meeting,
resulting in the birth of U.R.B.A.N. Society, established
in 1990.
We also co-sponsored a Youth Conference with NIYAS and a
National Native Adult Children of Alcoholics Conference with
U.B.C. (over 800 in attendance). On behalf of the association,
Gloria Nicolson, the Executive Director of PNWA, has been
involved in the establishment of the Native Store Front Project,
Vancouver Police Native Liaison Society and Helping Spirit
Lodge Society (a transition house for aboriginal women).
For the past two years we have concentrated on a series
of training workshops. The workshop "Healing Ourselves and
Our Communities" provides experiential training for First
Nations people to become healing facilitators, thus increasing
the number of our people who are on their healing path.
We would like to share our vision statement:
"Our vision is to live on Mother Earth under the guidance
of the creator in peace, harmony, balance and unity and that
all things be honoured, respected and loved."
The importance of the healing process for our people cannot
be emphasized enough, for the results of generations of oppression
meets us wherever we turn, ie. through alcohol and drugs,
substance abuse, family violence in many forms, and lack of
trust in our own people, especially in our leadership.
Our healing needs to be wholistic and go hand in hand with
the regaining of our traditional teachings and values.
Currently the Professional Native Women's Association is
working on two projects:
- A 24-hour Crisis Line/Counselling Service. Our target
date of operation is July 1, 1994. For further information,
contact Patti Pettigrew at PNWA.
- Pat Forrest is the development co-ordinator for the Healing
Centre. Please contact her at PNWA.
West Coast Professional Native Women's Association
Suite 1 - 245 East Broadway
Vancouver, B.C. V5T 1W4
Phone: (604) 873-1833 or 873-1585
Fax: (604) 872-1845
|
