The q'sapi journalism training was first developed by Kelsie Kilawna, former Cultural Editor and Senior Aunty at IndigiNews after the uncovering of her 215 relations in Tk'emlups te Secwepemc.The training has been deeply enhanced by Lauren Marchand, trauma-informed sqilx'w facilitator at Your syilx Sisters, and Indigenous communications company. Together the sisters come together to share their cultural teachings from their upbringings in their homelands of the syilx to the newsroom to uplift the voices of Indigenous Peoples. Together they empower Indigenous storytellers to use culture as a rooting to guide their work, they also share teachings and tools where appropriate and in alignment with their protocols.
The q'sapi training was developed from the law of story. 'q'sapi,' is how syilx people start their old stories; it means "a long time ago." The intention of the journalism workshop is to honor and uphold Indigenous voices while reducing the harm caused by media practices. Often it’s because of the lack of understanding that comes from not knowing the protocols around genuine kinship engagements, the power of accurate and authentic imagery, or not understanding cultural terms of engagement. We empower the participant to call upon their own culture (if Indigenous) and strengths to enhance their skill set in trauma-informed practice. After all, trauma-informed storytelling is inherently Indigenous.
This workshop is built to engage communicators, journalists and reporters, storytellers, digital designers, frontline workers who work within communities or with Indigenous Peoples, media relations, government officials, government workers, or anyone interested in learning more about protocols and Indigenous teachings that support positive connections.
Our journalism training is a full day training covers the following:
The wisdom of trauma: We talk about how we live in kinship with trauma and how to host the "visitor." We also share how cultural understandings and engagements are the keys to working with the visitor. This delves into a clinical aspect and, most importantly, looks at trauma from an Indigenous perspective.
Trauma-informed and culturally aware understandings of self-location when writing with Indigenous folks and communities: Using sqilx'w tools and teachings for coming together. We talk about the importance of self-location. Rooting yourself in proximity to a conflict or situation that needs to be addressed so you can find your strength in speaking to it to come to a resolution. We discuss this through our oral storytelling laws from the syilx homelands and offer it as a tool for every journalist to utilize when telling particularly traumatic stories.
Tips, tools, and techniques for trauma-informed storytelling: Using trauma-informed approaches to engaging with Indigenous Peoples and community and how to ensure you are not creating further harm or making harmful assumptions. We share dozens of tips, tools, and techniques for interviewing, how to create a safe space, and engaging in kinship-building with your Knowledge Source.
Uncolonizing the newsroom: Tips, tools and suggestions to uncolonizing the newsroom. Uncolonizing benefits everyone, and to ensure workplace wellness, we discuss how Indigenous folks have different needs in the workplace and how to best support your team through practical means. And how to set up care plans for yourself when working on traumatic stories. How can we bring culture into care for ourselves and others around us.
Indigenous land connection: We share how our responsibilities as sqilx'w (Indigenous) people are sacredly tied to our homelands, and the responsibilities are given to us in our Creation. So when we feel uneasy, it's often because our blood memory calls us to enact our homeland responsibilities. So as Indigenous journalists, how can we use our culture to empower our storytelling? Indigenous storytelling laws are often of the highest ethical standard, so how can we implement those practices into our work?
Representation Matters: We discuss the importance of proper and accurate representation in all media forms through art, photography, digital art, and storytelling. We also discuss how improper representation can lead to cultural erasure.
Presenters: Kelsie Kilawna (syilx), Co-Owner and Journalist, Your syilx Sisters and Lauren Marchand (syilx), Co-Owner and Digital Artist, Your syilx Sisters
