Dances with Dependency: Out of Poverty through Self-Reliance

by Calvin Helin

Solutions are offered to the poverty inherent in indigenous cultures, developing nations, and inner city populations, which have become disempowered by long-term overreliance on mainstream political, social, and economic programs developed for their benefit.These welfare systems easily divest recipients of the resources and mind-sets necessary to become self-sufficient. Solutions range from instituting policy reform and enhancing cultural development to reframing dependency mind-sets. The outcome is an enhanced ability to partner with mainstream initiatives and help create wealth and opportunity.

Genres: Nonfiction, Indigenous

320 pages, Hardcover

First published February 21, 2008

About the author

Calvin Helin, a member of the Tsimshian Nation, comes from the community of Lax Kw’alaams on the Northwest coast of British Columbia, Canada. The son of a hereditary chief, Helin works as an attorney and entrepreneur. He has written several publications on law, Aboriginal business, and associated issues, and has developed an international reputation through his best-selling book, Dances with Dependency: Out of Poverty through Self-Reliance, originally published in 2006.

Helin is also the award-winning author of The Economic Dependency Trap: Breaking Free to Self-Reliance. He won the following honors for this ground-breaking book:

•Finalist, USA Best Books Award, Self-Help category


•Gold medalist (tie), IPPY Awards, Self-Help category


•Finalist, Next Generation Indie Book Awards, General Nonfiction category


•Finalist, COVR Visionary Awards, General Interest/Self-Help category


Helin runs business enterprises that include the Eagle Group of Companies, LLC, and the Native Investment and Trade Association. He holds a directorship on the Vancouver Board of Trade, GeoScience BC, and the Canada–China Resource Development Foundation. He has received top “40 Under 40” awards for both British Columbia and nationally for Canada. He has served as chairman of a recent Aboriginal trade delegation to China and introduced an innovative business model to promote long-term benefits to Aboriginal people from natural resource development.

Helin also serves as president and advisory board member of the SOS Children’s Village. He teaches at the Shudokan Karate and Education Society, a group he founded in 2002 that provides free martial arts lessons to disadvantaged inner-city children as a way of teaching them discipline, manners, self-respect, and other important life lessons.

Reviews

[Brett Newman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helin does a wonderful job bringing to light some of the struggles Canada's indigenous people face, as well as outlining how indigenous financial dependency is detrimental to the future of Canada. He not only exposes problems with the indigenous mindset and the bureaucracies like INAC, but offers possible solutions to the problem which benefit everyone's interests. Anyone interested in Canadian native politics, or interested in Canadian native affairs, this book is a good start to finding out what the issues are, as well as some potential solutions.

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think the first few chapters most people who have paid attention to First Nation issues and history class will be well versed. The author discusses his tribe more than others in Canada and in a better light, but he would be obviously more familiar with West Coast traditions.

About a quarter of the way through the book the current set up of reserves in Canada is explained. What surprised me the most was how white-collar crimes committed on some reserves are not subject to the same justice system as the rest of Canada since they are between First Nation members.

There are brief examples of successful First Nations in New Zealand and some schools and reserves in North America.

The book is well written but some of the graphs need work - many of the graphs do not have labeled axis, series, or groups.

[Eve · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had met this author and had an autographed copy of this book...I then made the mistake of lending this book to a friend of mine who then moved. I've never gotten my autographed book back. To this day, I'll never lend any of my books to anyone because of this. This book is absolutely fantastic! It is a great discussion of the cycle of poverty and victim mentality to becoming self reliant and independent. It is a must have for any First Nation's person in Canada or the USA. It is an academic style of read that may be off putting to some. I loved this book and it's message for First Nation people.

[Gabriel Maracle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was expecting a bit more insight and interesting takes on economic development for Indigenous people. It was a bit disappointing that the first 2/3 of the book is laying out the history of colonization, and doesn't get to the meat and potatoes of why economic development and natural resource development till the end. And even then, the arguments are stuff that's been said before.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I didn't necessarily agree with all of the arguments laid out by Helin, I appreciated the examples he provided, both local and international, and the book itself is a beautiful showcase of First Nations' art.

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book came strongly recommended by a facilitator at a 3 day workshop "Cultural Competency". I love it.
Calvin Helin is a member of the Tsimshian nation, in BC Canada; an accomplished author and lawyer.

Dances is broken into three main parts - the first explores early relationships between First Nations, giving specific examples of independence and prosperity. The second section explores the affects of colonialism as causal of the current Welfare State, and the inherent problems with this. The final section provides viable solutions to creating economically independent First Nations. Helin makes a compelling argument for change, and has a written an excellent primer.

[Cristina Hutchinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting read that explores the inherent problems caused by the government within Aboriginal communities. Helin even provides viable solutions that could pull Indigenous peoples from their government sunk canoe.