COVID19 Resources for Indigenous Peoples

Art by Isaac Murdoch

Last update: April 16, 2020

Hello relatives! During this difficult time, we wanted to put together some links for Indigenous folks north of the medicine line, specifically. We hope that you’re all staying safe; we will get through this like we always have. If you have any other COVID-19 resources that would be good for Indigenous folks to have access to, please send them to lindsey@indigenousclimateaction.com

This page will also be updated with resources as they come out. Hai hai/mussi cho/miigwech to our relatives over at the 4Rs Youth Movement Team - Dani, Lace, Ron & Jess for sharing their resources with us.

In case you missed it, Indigenous Climate Action and Idle No More hosted a webinar on Covid19 and Indigenous communities. You can watch it here. Indigenous Rising Media (part of Indigenous Environmental Network, based south of the medicine line) also hosted a webinar on Indian Country and COVID19, which you can view here.

HEALTH PROTOCOLS

Symptoms

Cold or Allergies:

• Itchy eyes

• Stuffy nose

• Sneezing

Flu or coronavirus:

• Fever

• Fatigue

• Body Aches

• Cough

• Worsening symptoms

Coronavirus:

• Shortness of breath

• History of travel

• Exposure to a confirmed person

• Symptom Self Assessment Tool

• Defining Coronavirus Symptoms - mild, moderate & severe

• Common Questions about COVID-19

• How to apply for EI sickness benefits and the new emergency worker fund

• Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response plan - supports for individuals & business

• What You Should Know About COVID-19 If You Are Older or Have a Chronic Condition

• COVID-19: A Consumer’s Guide to the Coronavirus

Please call TeleHealth before visiting a doctor or the emergency room:
Toll-free throughout Alberta: 1-866-408-LINK (4565); 
Edmonton: 780-408-LINK (4565); Calgary: 403-943-LINK (4565)
Toll-free throughout Manitoba: 1-888-315-9257
Winnipeg: 788-8200
New Brunswick, Quebec, BC, Nova Scotia: 811
Ontario: 1-866-797-0000
Saskatchewan: 1-877-800-0002

Use the SKODEN Protocol (from 4Rs Youth Movement):
If you are displaying symptoms of coronavirus, check-in on the SKODEN protocol: S - Severe symptoms, go to the doctor; K - know the precautions; O - Obey social distancing; D - Don’t touch your face; E - Every time wash your hands for 20+ seconds; N - Nose and mouth should be covered if coughing. 

SOCIAL DISTANCING

• Social Distancing: This is Not a Snow Day

• The Dos and Don’ts of ‘Social Distancing’

• How to "flatten the curve"

• Slowing The Spread Of Coronavirus Is Easier Than You Think: Just Stay Home- Buzzfeed

• Cancel Everything - social distancing is the only way to stop the coronavirus

• When Social Distancing is a Matter of Life and Death

• In an era of isolation its essential we maintain social connections

• The Laid-Back Person’s Guide to Navigating the Coronavirus

• Home is Camp (treat your home in town as if it were your camp). Graphics created by Dene artist Melaw Nakehk’o under advice from cultural advisors and discussion with FOXY (Fostering Open Expression in Youth) and Hotıì ts'eedastaff. Available in all NWT Indigenous languages, along with French and English.

• Safe on the Land (what to consider if you + your family social distance on the land)

MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT

• Kids Help Phone

• Get outdoors, connect with the land and stay active #landback

• Open windows and blinds when possible to let some fresh air and sunlight in!

• Limit screen time (especially social media)

• Practice your songs! Creator doesn’t care what you sound like ;)

• Try a meditation practice like this one from Lizzo or relax to the voice of Tina Turner

• Try to declutter your space! Use this time at home to make your living space your sanctuary. Starting with smaller and tangible tasks can make this easier - like bringing dirty dishes to your kitchen, or folding that mountain of laundry.

• Try to stay away from movies or shows that are dystopian or apocalyptic if you’re holding anxieties over everything happening right now

• Join an online AA meeting during COVID-19 social distancing

• COVID-19: You Are Not Alone: Addressing Stress & Anxiety video (Indigenous content)

• A Brain Hack to Break the Coronavirus Anxiety Cycle

• Coronavirus: How to protect your mental health

• LGBTQ & Addiction

• BIPOC Addiction Resources

• Getting Emotionally Organized in a Crisis

TRADITIONAL MEDICINES AND HOLISTIC PRACTICES

• What to Forage in Spring: 20 Edible and Medicinal Plants and Fungi

• Medicinal Plant Guide

• How to Make Cedar Tea from Scratch

• How to can dried foods to last 20-30 years

• Wild Kitchen

• Try to eat a rainbow of fruits and veggies rich in Vitamin A & C, including traditional foods and medicines if you have access

• Vitamin C - promotes strong enzymes on the surface of your skin, also found in your white blood cells (broccoli, kale, sweet potatoes, carrots)

• Vitamin A - crucial for barrier function protection including skin, gut, mucous protection (orange and yellow veggies, eggs, dark leafy greens)

• Zinc - recognition of the virus and signalling to the cells something is wrong (shellfish, oysters, pumpkin seeds, chickpeas, oatmeal, leafy greens)

• Mushrooms have TONS of immune-stimulating properties

• Garlic - reduces risk of being sick, shortens duration and severity

• Onion - packed with immune-boosting nutrients including Vit C, super anti-viral and a natural source of Zinc

• Turmeric - stimulates immune system cells

• Ginger - magnesium, iron, kills cold viruses, supports the body through a fever, effective in reducing the impact of respiratory viruses

• Elderberry blocks viral proteins and has been shown to be quite effective with flu viruses

• Astragalus increases white blood cells and is good for upper respiratory infections. Very good brewed as a tea.

• IMPORTANT: Check with Elders, plant knowledge holders etc. about the impacts of taking traditional medicines and herbs along with prescription medication, and with certain conditions like diabetes. Also be mindful of allergies!

MAKING A CLEAN SPACE

• Practice box breathing as a workout for your lungs and chest muscles (this is also a great technique for curbing anxiety and tackling stress)

• Cleaning air ducts, vents and replacing air filters.

• Keep air flowing by opening windows every once in a while. Research shows us that fresh air can act as a disinfectant.

• Thorough cleaning of rugs, couches, drapery, and any place where dander, allergens, and bacteria can accumulate.

• Clean your humidifiers (if you’re using one)

• Use natural products as most conventional cleaning products are quite carcinogenic; lots of DIY solutions available.

• Invest in an ionic air purifier or utilize beeswax candles, plants (although some might actually attract moisture and mold), or essential oils.

• You can also burn sage or cedar as a smudge or boil cedar to infuse oils into the air that way.

COMMUNITY CARE

• DECOLONIZING COMMUNITY CARE IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19 [Jade Begay, NDN Collective]

• Traditional Indigenous Kinship Practices at Home: Being Child-Centered During the Pandemic [Indigenous Motherhood]

• Ask hunters to support community members, especially Elders, disabled folks, low income and other vulnerable families.

ENTERTAINMENT FOR CHILDREN

• Free educational websites

• Anaana's Tent: website with songs, videos and games in English and Inuktut

• APTN Kids: shows for Indigenous children

• Free Inuktut books and educational resources for children

• Think Indigenous - Online Indigenous Education K-8

ENTERTAINMENT FOR TEENS AND ADULTS

• Social Distancing Festival (online streamed events from around the world)

• National Film Board (lots of good Indigenous documentaries and films for free!)

• Indigenous Climate Action’s list of Indigenous movies, books, documentaries and podcasts

• List of decolonial/futures/BIPOC storytelling podcasts from 4Rs

• Netflix Party lets you watch and chat about shows with friends, even when isolating

• Moog and Korg make synth apps free to help musicians stuck at home

• Indigenous Spotify playlist by Nadya Kwandibens

• COVID-19 Quarantine Party Playlist

• 'Together At Home': John Legend, top artists live streaming free concerts from homes

• Giant List of Ideas for Being at Home with Kids

• Online Music Festival and Events Calendar

• Rock out to this track F*@ck the Corona

• YMCA Workouts anytime, anywhere

• Guide to enjoying art at home

• Use those scraps to sew up some face masks for neighbours, family and frontline workers

• Sign up for APTN Lumi (APTN’s online streaming service) - 4.99/month or you can get a free trial

• Start an online book club

• Share recipes

LEARNING

• Beautiful Trouble - A toolbox for revolution

• POC Online Classroom

• Take an online MOOC with Coursera

• Anti-Racist Training Program for justice activists

• Webinars hosted by Unite2030

• Resilient - 21 day practice for changemakers

• Professional Development Webinars with Tamarack Institute

• The Epic Hero Life Mastery Program

• 12 famous museums offer virtual tours you can take on your couch

• Learn or strengthen a language!

• Join A7G for the weekly Anishinaabemowin classes!

• Stay home & learn Cree!

• Join this discussion group: Global Activation of Intention and Action

• 50 Bird Species and the Sounds They Make

• Tom Porter – Haudenosaunee Peacemaking Stories

MAINTAINING COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS

• Register for 'Get Out Alive, Together!' disaster preparedness class focused on marginalized folks

• Women-Led Virtual Work technologies

• Animal Shelter Encourages Fostering a Pet During Coronavirus Pandemic

• The Social Distancing Festival

• Netflix Party lets you watch and chat about shows with friends, even when isolating

• Online AA Meetings During COVID-19

• Join a COVID-19 Community Response Network or Start your Own!

• Join A7G for their Friday night gatherings

• Volunteer with Kids Help Phone

• Donate blood - there are serious shortages right now!

• Join the Coronavirus Hackathon April 9-10 (Apply here)

TACKLING COVID19

• Future Learn Course

• Cold Lake First Nations Video on Protecting Yourself

• All About COVID-19 Video with Dr. Kevin Patterson

COMMUNITY ORGANIZING AND ACTIVISM

• Autonomous Groups Are Mobilizing Mutual Aid Initiatives To Combat The Coronavirus [It’s Going Down]

• We Can Waste Another Crisis, or We Can Transform the Economy [Kate Aronoff, Alyssa Battistoni, Daniel Aldana Cohen, Thea Riofrancos, Jacobin]

• On rushing towards the apocalypse - a conversation on the possibilities of this moment

• Distant but Together: Activism in the Time of COVID-19

• Complexity in the time of COVID-19

• Additional resources for facing Corona Virus [adrienne maree Brown]

• HOLY SH*T! 7 things to do instead of hoarding toilet paper

• Collective Care Is Our Best Weapon against COVID-19

• Please Stop Treating Me Like I’m Disposable When You Talk About The Coronavirus

• No Soap, Little Water, and No Way Out: Refugee Camps Brace for Coronavirus

• Why don't we treat the climate crisis with the same urgency as the coronavirus

• Naomi Klein: Coronavirus Is the Perfect Disaster for Disaster Capitalism

• Eight Emerging Lessons: From Coronavirus to Climate Action

• 'Tip of the iceberg': is our destruction of nature responsible for COVID-19?

• Forest loss drives corona as well as climate change

• 16 Tools to Ease the Transition to Remote Work for Indigenous Organizations

• Leading Groups Online Guide

EMERGENCY FUNDS

• Resources for artists, writers and media workers during shutdowns

• A summary of COVID-19 emegency funds

• Grocery fund for disabled Indigenous folx

• COVID-19: First Nations Community Guide on Accessing Additional Supports