CE-174 conventionDeclaration detailLevel http://ica-atom.org/doc/RS-2#5.4 corporateBody Indian Homemakers Association conventionDeclaration

The Indian Homemakers’ Association began to coalesce in the 1930s when the Department of Indian Affairs (DIA) provided small grants to fund homemakers’ clubs on reserves across Canada. From these clubs grew the opportunity for local Indigenous women to gather and share skills and knowledge, to discuss issues meaningful to their daily lives.

Given the difficult economic conditions, many of these groups began to address community needs and in particular domestic conditions including food, shelter and clothing. As these groups recognized the systemic inequalities they were facing, IHA members grew politically active. Consultations and protests with Indian Affairs increased.

Over time federal funding for the groups diminished. In response Dr. Rose Charlie of Chehalis, B.C., then president of the Vancouver chapter, initiated a movement to incorporate the clubs as a single independent organization, and in May 1969, the Indian Homemakers’ Clubs across British Columbia were united as the Indian Homemakers’ Association, the first one in the country. Dr. Charlie was the Association’s first president. She led the BC IHA for 28 years. This new organization benefitted from its new independent status. The IHA set a precedent as an early First Nations organization to successfully unite First Nations province-wide. This inspired organizations such as the National Indian Brotherhood (now the Assembly of First Nations) of which Dr Rose Charlie was a founding member, as well as the Native Women’s Association of Canada. Not long after, Indian Rights for Indian Women was also formed with Dr Charlie’s guidance, based upon the structure of the IHA.

The Indian Homemakers’ Association opposed the government’s assimilation policies published in the 1969 federal White Paper. IHA President Dr. Charlie launched a responsive campaign to unite First Nations chiefs across B.C. in order to discuss and strategize how to approach the potential implications of federal policy. This was to be the largest gathering of chiefs in B.C.’s history. In November, 1969, 140 bands were represented at a conference in Kamloops.6 At this meeting, the Union of BC Indian Chiefs was born an organization which would go on to become one of the most influential Aboriginal organizations in Canada The UBCIC based its model on the Indian Homemakers’ Association, and granted Dr Charlie a seat on the executive council. She was the single woman to hold a seat.

The IHA remained a tireless advocate for Indigenous rights. The IHA attended UN conferences in Geneva and worked with Amnesty International. Along with other women’s rights activists, the IHA successfully campaigned for the repeal of Section 12 1(b) of the Indian Act, to restore Indian status to Aboriginal women who had married non-Aboriginal men.

Addressing their concern for the human rights of Indigenous peoples, the IHA’s RCAP report broke down into three categories: 1) Family violence and sexual abuse; 2) The delivery of social and health services; 3) The law and the justice system.

The Indian Homemaker’s Association dissolved in the early 2000s due to funding difficulties.

Submission from the Indian Homemakers Association

[ca. 1991-1996]