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~ Gathering
Voices ~
Welcome
to our website!
The Committee for the Advancement of
Aboriginal Women (CAAW) has created this site to provide information
on our "Gathering Voices" process. In the past, any
research with respect to Aboriginal women has tended to focus
on what wasn't working and what our "problems" were.
Although it is important for us to know our challenges, CAAW
wanted to turn this thinking around and put the emphasis on the
strengths and gifts that we all carry and share.
Specifically, the purpose of our process
is to identify what has worked for us as Wabanaki and Aboriginal
women over the years to maintain the cohesion of our families
and communities. As Wabanaki women (the women of the Maliseet,
Mi'kmaq, Passamaquoddy, Penobscot and Abenaki nations), and with
our Aboriginal sisters from other nations who now call this territory
home, we tried to answer the question "How have we been
able to survive, and in many cases thrive, in the face of often
immense challenges?"
We will share the story, our journey
and what we have learned so far from the voices and stories the
women of this territory have shared with us. We also want to
inform women about the gatherings (past conferences) that we
have carried out to help Wabanaki and Aboriginal women to network
and reconnect. We hope that you will also share your voice with
others through this website.
CAAW recognizes that it is time to rise
to the challenges and opportunities before us as Wabanaki and
Aboriginal women to reunite the threads of the web of relationships
that tie us to our families, communities, nations, generations
and to the land that sustains us. As we proceed to walk forward
to rebuild our nations and to resume our responsibilities as
Wabanaki and Aboriginal women, we must honour those who came
before us and remember their sacrifices. We must remember the
teachings and the values that hold us and all of Creation together.
As Wabanaki, we must rise with the sun, pick up our tools and
teachings and do the work that is necessary to make a better
day for our children and future generations.
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