Dalanie Wahobin, 28, is among the first to graduate from the Indigenous Birth Support Worker Program offered at the Gabriel Dumont Institute in October 2019. (submitted photo/ Dalanie Wahobin)

By Nicole Reis

Support for Indigenous women

Local support worker breaks barriers for Indigenous women and mothers

Nov 29, 2019 | 5:34 PM

A local woman is breaking barriers as a recent graduate from the Indigenous Birth Support Worker Program.

Dalanie Wahobin grew up in Meadow Lake and Waterhen Lake. She is among the first Indigenous women to take the course. She says she took the class to help prevent further cases of tubal ligation (sterilization) and to advocate for Indigenous women in hospitals.

“The nine (students) that had taken this course as Indigenous support workers and as doulas, we’ve actually made history,” Wahobin told meadowlakeNOW. “We were part of this first program to help Indigenous mothers. I feel honoured to be in this position and to able to advocate for these mothers. To be able to mentally and emotionally nurture them and to take on that role, is breaking barriers for Indigenous mothers and Indigenous people.”

The course is offered through Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA), Gabriel Dumont Technical Institute and the Saskatoon Tribal Council.

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In a media release to meadowlakeNOW, the SHA said, in part, the purpose of the program “is to provide emotional support and physical comfort to women, their partners and their families while honouring cultural beliefs and traditions appropriate to each individual. The creation of this program also honours the SHA’s commitment to Truth and Reconciliation and fulfills eight of the 10 Calls to Action from the Tubal Ligation External Review Committee.”

The graduates of the program will be ready to begin working with new mothers at the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital in December, according to the statement.

The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) wants to see more action taken to support Indigenous women who allege doctors and nurses pressured them to consent to being sterilized after giving birth.

From difficult past to brighter future

Life didn’t always seem as bright for Wahobin. She said during her time in high school, she suffered from depression and was missing a sense of direction.

“Growing up, I had major depression and it took me to change my mindset drastically into thinking that tomorrow will be a better day. Knowing that I have a higher person, I have God to be there for me and to guide me,” she said. “I broke down that one night and was praying at my bedside, begging for God to help me not to feel like this anymore.”

A moss bag created in class by Wahobin. (submitted photo/Dalanie Wahobin)

After that night, she said she felt compelled to hang on and changed her mindset from then.

“I knew I had to heal the intergenerational trauma and heal that residential school syndrome and cycle for myself and for my kids when I have children. I knew I had to do something,” she said. “I know people aren’t as strong as me or that I am not stronger than anyone else trying to help themselves,”

Wahobin was 18 years old when she began to take steps to improve her life.

“I knew that I was here for something, I didn’t know what. I knew that I had a story and just self-talk – telling myself that I am resilient, that I’m blessed and saying that I’m beautiful inside and out. Just saying this and putting this out in the universe really starts to have an impact on your life,” she said.

Wahobin completed high school at age 20 and said she felt graduating high school was her last chance to have “something behind her name.”

“I made sure that I passed all those classes and I made sure I was at the library making sure all my assignments were in,” she said with a laugh.

From there she went to First Nations University of Canada, studied three years of social work and is currently working on a degree in mental health.

“I’m from the North and I want people to see that I’m doing something for my people. I was the only person in that program that was from the North in Meadow Lake,” she said.

“I feel really honoured to be in this position. My great-great grandmother was a midwife and great grandmother, who is still alive today used to help Indigenous mothers in North Battleford. I’m honoured to carry on their legacy.”

With files from Evan Radford /CKOM

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nicole.reis@jpbg.ca

@nicolereis7722