Page 5 - Six Nations Community Plan 2019

PLANNING FOR CHANGE:

AN INTRODUCTION TO COMMUNITY PLANNING

Our communities have been planning sustainably for thousands of years. From the time of creation, we have understood
the responsibilities we have for the safety and wellbeing of each other and Mother Earth. Our teachings were given to us
as a guide to overcome challenges and keep us focused on ensuring the safety and wellbeing of future generations. The
Gayanehsra’go:wah (Great Law of Peace), brings our Nations together under the white pine or Tree of Peace, and teaches us
that there is strength in working together for a better future. In the past, we carefully planned our communities to be self-
governing, sustainable, and connected through healthy families and community relations.

** Information gathered from Global Solutions for the Six Nations of
the Grand River (2015) and Six Nations Community Profile (2018)

Together, we have maintained our knowledge of planning a healthy community even through the pressures of colonial
influence on our processes. As we revitalize our culture and our languages, we return to the wisdom of our past while walking
forward toward a modern future. There is a unique power when we come together to share knowledge and determine a path
that reflects our values and principles as Haudenosaunee people. Through healthy dialogue, we are able to come to one mind
over concerns and identify opportunities for change needed. As we continue to plan our community, everyone has a role to play,
wisdom to share and a responsibility to help create a strong and healthy community. Creating our own plan is a step towards
self-determination, where we are setting our own long-term goals, The Six Nations Community Plan 2019 update reflects the
knowledge from the past being brought to the present to plan for the future. This community plan is a guiding document
formed by community voices as a road map toward a healthy, happy, thriving future for the coming faces of tomorrow.

5