Newman course focuses on native culture, spirituality

Aboriginal scholar hopes to create an appreciation of native spirituality

- WCR photo by Ramon Gonzalez Basilian Father Daryold Winkler, focuses specifically on the relationship between Christian theology and aboriginal culture

By RAMON GONZALEZ
WCR Staff Writer
Edmonton

As the Aboriginal population grows and becomes increasingly urbanized, Catholic colleges are beginning to focus more on Aboriginal spirituality.

In Edmonton, Newman Theological College is currently offering a course on theology and culture with a focus on native culture and spirituality. St. Joseph’s University College may begin offering a similar program next year.

The 2006 Statistics Canada census shows that Canada’s aboriginal population has grown by 45 per cent since 1996, breaking the one million mark with 1,172,790 people identifying themselves as First Nations, Metis or Inuit.

Edmonton aboriginals

Fifty-four per cent of aboriginals live in urban centres, a four per cent increase since 1996. Winnipeg had the highest number of aboriginals with 68,380, making up 10 per cent of the city’s total population. Edmonton had the second largest number with 52,100, which accounted for five per cent of its population.

Basilian Father Daryold Winkler, an Aboriginal scholar who is teaching the theology and cultural course at Newman, says Catholic higher education institutions have to be prepared because in the next 10-15 years Edmonton will have the highest native population in the country.

The Basilian priest currently teaches religious education for teachers at St. Joseph’s, but his focus might soon switch to native spirituality. Next year Winkler, who joined the teaching faculty of St. Joe’s last September, will introduce two courses in native spirituality at the college. He believes the courses will be of great benefit to students at the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Native Studies.

Because of their experience in residential schools, many young people have grown up with an image of the Church as the adversary of aboriginal culture and identity, Winkler noted. His hope is the courses help change that image and lead to further appreciation of native culture and spirituality.

A gift from God

“We hope that these courses will help people understand native people better,” he said. “We should understand why land is so important to them but we never get to hear from their perspective. They believe the land is a gift from God.”

Winkler says the Church must remain committed to reconciliation because for too long Aboriginal people have been silent and now that they have a voice they must be heard. “Reconciliation allows us to hear one another.” The courses at St. Joe’s, he said, will examine the long history of First Nations’ reconciliation—including techniques—that predates contact with the Europeans.

The course Winkler has been teaching at Newman College since early January—Theology and Culture—focuses specifically on the relationship between Christian theology and aboriginal culture. It introduces students to First Nations peoples and their spiritualities and illustrates how their spiritualities are integrated with the cultural, political and socio-economic realities of First Nations’ communities.

In the course, Winkler also examines the complicated relationship between First Nations’ people and the Christian churches and touches on themes such as liturgical and theological inculturation, sacramentality, prayer and reconciliation between groups of people. Seventeen people are enrolled in the course—many of them seminarians and lay leaders that work in areas where native people live. The course runs until the end of April but might be offered again in the future, said Newman’s acting dean Bob McKeon.

Teacher and chaplain

Winkler, a member of M’Chigeen First Nation, an Ojibway community on Manitoulin Island in northern Ontario, has been a Basilian priest for 19 years. He has taught in Basilian high schools in Rochester, N.Y., Albuquerque, N.M. and Houston, Texas. After his ordination in 1997 he served as campus minister at New Mexico State University. While working on doctoral studies in theology at St. Paul University in Ottawa he was chaplain of Kateri Native Ministry and the Catholic Deaf Community.

Copyright © 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 -- Western Catholic Reporter