Warrior persona accessed to bring out courage

Weaving together traditional Aboriginal teachings and conventional HIV/AIDS educational materials, the Tipi of Courage educates young people to deliver messages about prevention to their communities through presentations and artistic expressions at community events, powwows and educational institutions.

The Tipi of Courage was established by the Aboriginal Working Group of the Red Cross and AIDS Calgary in 2003 in response to shocking statistics. The Public Health Agency of Canada reported that Aboriginal people, which made up 4.4 per cent of Canada’s population in 2006, represented 27.3 per cent of new HIV cases, a 4.1 per cent increase from 2005.

While its focus is HIV/AIDS prevention, making healthy choices and supporting those living with HIV, the design of the program is much broader and encompassing culturally. The program’s three components, the tipi, the training and the warrior, teach youth about “going back to traditional ways to carry out and learn about roles and responsibilities as part of the tribe,” said Doreen Williams, program coordinator.

The tipi is a centerpiece of traditional Aboriginal culture and symbol of community and home.

“It provides a safe place for people to talk openly about health and wellness,” said Dion Simon, youth and community development coordinator at the Red Cross. “The Tipi of Courage recreates the warrior of the past to bring back the true meaning of the role of the warrior in the prevention of HIV/AIDS in today’s world.”

At the root of traditional teachings is the primary importance of the continuation of the tribe, said Simon. Traditional stories equip young people with the knowledge of how to regain pride and identity. In becoming the warrior, they adopt a way of being.

“Talking to friends, family members and peers is a way for individuals to adopt or foster a type of attitude to protect not only one’s self, but also those they love,” said Dion. Warriors learn traditional roles and responsibilities and also acquire skills in public speaking, and volunteering while delivering a critical message. The model is capacity building; once youth become warriors, they train others to spread the word.

The Tipi of Courage began as a mobile resource centre, taking its message to remote communities across Canada.

Going forward, it will focus on training, provided at no cost and open to anyone, to increase its band of warriors. With recent government cuts, the program relies increasingly on private donors.

The Red Cross has a strong presence in Aboriginal communities. In addition to the Tipi of Courage and its disaster response role, its RespectED: Violence and Abuse Prevention program focuses on creating environments free of violence, abuse and bullying for Aboriginal youth and children across the country. In Lethbridge, the Red Cross links the Aboriginal Women’s Support Network with a number of related agencies and also maintains an office on the Blood Reserve, working directly with the Kainai Health Centre.

Photo caption: Since its inception, the Tipi of Courage program has given over 300 workshops and spoken to over 15,000 Aboriginals.