The 2024-2025 Gentle Density Network season opens Wednesday, October 9th at 12:00 noon with an introduction to Understanding Indigenous Ways of Communicating, presented by Charla Huber, MA, CIHCM.

About the Presentation

When faced with competing priorities and pressing due dates for Housing Needs Assessments and Official Community Plans, Indigenous community engagement and consultation can wrongfully be treated like an item on a checklist. The pressure of timelines can end up fracturing important relationships. 

We all see the world through our own lenses and our lens is developed through our culture and lived experience.  Learn to understand the differences in cultural communications between Indigenous and Western cultures. Charla’s presentation is based on interviews with nine Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers across Vancouver Island and provides real-life examples of Indigenous communication, values, teachings, and priorities.

Charla is engaging, approachable, and genuine. Her thought-provoking presentation will help you and your colleagues gain insight and understanding into how Western ways of demonstrating respect might be received differently in Indigenous communities. Learn how you can tailor communications approaches to share stories, build bridges, and -- most importantly -- create respectful connections with all parties.

Let’s move from a culture of consultation to one of inclusion, and ensure that our invitations to engage are respectful and sincere.