Indigenous development model as an alternative to Western development model: The six nations case study

grantor: University of TorontoThe purpose of this dissertation is to contribute to a theoretical framework for an Indigenous development model through an exposition and analysis of the implantation of a community-based development project in the Six Nations of the Grand River Territory, Ontario, Canada. The model identified here is the legacy of Indigenous peoples and their traditional knowledge and practices. The study focuses on the implementation of a "pilot" project entitled Community-Based Rural Development Project (CBRDP). This study analyzes the contribution of Indigenous knowledge and practices in the implementation of an alternative development model which effectively works for Indigenous communities. Furthermore, the study highlights the benefits that the project has brought to the local economy, rechannelling financial funds from unproductive federal and provincial government programs (i.e. unemployment insurance, social assistance, local industrial-oriented training) into the CBRDP whose social goals of job-creation and income-generation, bring about social change for a more uniform (equal) distribution in quality of life, human dignity, and regained cultural pride and self-esteem. To summarize, the study examines the hypothesis that cultural retention and survival of Indigenous (traditional) knowledge in agriculture, promotion of self-sufficiency and sustainability are feasible, no matter how destructive and intrusive the Western sciences and development system have been. The research was accomplished through the compilation, review and evaluation of relevant literature and comparative analysis of the Western development model and development alternatives, specifically Indigenous development and sustainable development. Likewise, the example of community-based development selected for this study has unique characteristics to describe the process of Indigenous development. The CBRDP project involves Indigenous peoples and provides an innovative approach in that it looks toward Indigenous culture, knowledge and heritage in agriculture and the development and distribution of Indigenous food products as a means of identifying valuable cultural, educational and training opportunities in a number of areas. These areas include Indigenous culture recovery, traditional environmental knowledge in agricultural practices and technologies, product development, food processing, marketing and business administration. This project is also unique in that Indigenous cultural knowledge, philosophies and technologies provide the guidelines for the proposed agricultural and business development activities while acknowledging and incorporating the experience and wisdom contributed by the project's stakeholders. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)Ed.D