“It Makes My Heart Smile When I Hear Them Say, ‘Hi Grandpa, We’re Home!’”: Relationality, Alaska Native Wellbeing and Self Determination in Tribal Child Protection

Before colonization, Indigenous child protection looked like an interdependent community. Indigenous knowledges and relational actions kept all within its fold safe and well. Colonial dispossession of land, degradation of subsistence rights, boarding schools, ongoing child removal, capitalism, and systems of oppression attempted to disconnect Indigenous peoples from their language, lands, ceremonial practices, stories, dances, songs, family, community, and themselves. However, Indigenous communities have held on, persevered, and have begun to turn the tide of intergenerational trauma through the revival of Indigenous wellness and self-determination. We believe local-based Indigenous relational knowledges can end colonial harm and promote wellbeing for all families and children. Our work builds off an Indigenous Connectedness Framework that recognizes the importance of the interrelated wellbeing of a person, family, community, ancestors/future generations, and the Earth. This framework was adapted based on community feedback to better fit the Nome Eskimo Community (NEC) and Bering Strait regional context. This paper shares results of community focus groups that led to the creation of a NEC Piaġiq (wellness) Framework, and shares intentions for pilot implementation of a wellness curriculum and pilot intervention. We will offer insights and lessons learned. We believe self-determined Indigenous wellbeing efforts can lead to improved outcomes for our sacred children and families for generations to come.