What can Indigenous culture teach us about #AutismAcceptance?

Ph.D. student Grant Bruno is leading an Indigenous Relations Circle to explore the barriers Indigenous communities face in getting autism support. Through his work he's realized valuable lessons all of us can learn to change the way we view autism and what it means to be autistic.

"In Cree, the word used to describe autism is pîtoteyihtam — he/she thinks differently."

Cree culture looks at acceptance first while western society typically focuses on treatment and then acceptance.

What if we changed our map to the Indigenous perspective? What would that mean for all of us?

We could give back the confidence we normally take away from autistic people. We'd look at the value in autistic perspectives and skills rather than the difference in our own. We can start to look at accommodations as investments rather than costs. We can see people instead of disabilities.

We can accomplish so much just through a change in our perspective. It all starts in our own hearts and minds. So let's see the potential all around us.

#everychildmatters #autism #indigenousautism

Learn more at https://ici.radio-canada.ca/rci/en/news/1875728/new-circle-looks-at-autism-through-indigenous-lens