DABAADENDIZIWIN: PRACTICES OF HUMILITY IN A MULTI-JURIDICAL LEGAL LANDSCAPE

Abstract

Dabaadendiziwin is the Anishinaabe word which roughly translates to ‘humility’ in English. The late elder Basil Johnston said that we can talk of dabaadendiziwin/humility, but until we can look at the squirrel sitting on the branch and know we are no greater and no less than her, it is only then that we have walked with dabaadendiziwin/humility. Law places diverse peoples together in complicated situations. It challenges people to step outside of themselves and consider new ways of being. This paper advocates that humility is an important legal principle to bring people together in a good way. It considers first, what is humility and why is it an important legal principle? Second, what processes are in place in both Canadian and Anishinaabe law to actively cultivate humility? And third, how can diverse peoples use these processes when interacting with one another in ways that foster greater harmony in this multi-juridical country? The examples show that Canadian colonial law has tried to account for the need to humble oneself to a position of being teachable through Charter analyses, diversifying the bench, and through Aboriginal rights doctrines of taking into account the “aboriginal perspective”, and reconciliation. The paper also considers how Anishinaabe law fosters humility through linguistic structure, leadership structure, ceremonial practices and akinoomaage (learning from the earth). This paper is a call for people to confront the challenge of working across legal orders, and replace timidity, fear and pride with courage, gratitude and humility.