Stages (PSIJ) > Internship Experience

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By Tania Simone Big Throat (UNA-Canada’s intern in 2000-2001), Programme Associate, United Nations Volunteers Representation Office in North America (New York)

Tania in New York at Lincoln Center!

"In the photo is my friend, Roberto Mucaro Borrero, and me, Tania Simone Big Throat. Roberto is Taino, an Indigenous person as well; his people are from the Caribbean. The Taino were the very first people to greet Christopher Columbus upon his arrival to the Caribbean Islands in 1492.

Roberto is a representative of the United Confederation of Taino People, and Founder-Director of the Cacibajagua Cultural Society."

My name is Tania Big Throat, and I am a member of the Kainaiwa Nation (or Blood Tribe) from southern Alberta, Canada. The Blood Tribe is one of several Blackfoot nations, which are the Kainaiwa, Siksika, and two Pikuni (north and south) Nations. I work at the United Nations Volunteers Representation Office in North America (UNV/RONA), here in New York. I arrived in New York City just over a month ago, on 25 February 2000, to begin my internship with UNV/RONA.You may be wondering why I am here, how I got here, and what I will be doing while I am here.

While I was working at Red Crow Community College, my father Henry Big Throat, handed me a fax stating that the Youth International Internship Programme, a division of the United Nations Association in Canada (UNAC), was looking for aboriginal applicants. I responded to the request, and contacted Linda Pinnacle, the Coordinator of this programme. Linda asked me to send her my resume electronically, and told me that she would get Retour to me early in the New Year. To my surprise, during the first week of January 2000, she informed me of my acceptance into the Youth International Internship Programme. I consulted with my family before accepting her offer, and they gave me their full support. My mother Leona Wolf Child, is one of my greatest supporters.

The next step was to find a host for my internship. I knew that I wanted to remain in North America, so I asked to be placed in New York. The first organization that Linda contacted was the United Nations Volunteers, so she sent my resume to them. About a week later, Linda informed me of my upcoming telephone interview with Robert Leigh, Chief UNV/RONA. A few days after my interview, I was notified by fax that the United Nations Volunteers Representation Office in North America agreed to host my internship. My internship was set to begin 25 February 2000 and will end 25 August 2000.

While working with the United Nations Volunteers Representation Office in North America, my terms of reference state that I “will provide the office with an enhanced capacity to establish and strengthen partnerships with a broad range of organizations in Canada and the USA.” My specific responsibilities include the following:

• Ensure continuity in building up and maintaining relationships between UNV and North American organizations utilizing IYV 2001 (International Year of Volunteers 2001) as an opportunity for forging partnerships.
• Act as focal point for UNV in New York on matters in the domain of governance/human rights/conflict resolution under the guidance of the focal point at UNV headquarters in Bonn [specifically in the field of Indigenous Peoples].
• Enhance awareness about the UNV programme; and
• General office duties.

I enjoy my work at UNV/RONA; it enables me to network with the public, to assist those interested in the UNV programme and activities, and to get involved in Indigenous issues at the international level.

I was also recently accepted into the University of Alberta Master of Arts programme. I will commence my studies in September 2000. I am an English major, with an interest in both Native American Literature and Renaissance Literature. I am especially interested in mythology and identity. I write poetry as well, and hope to publish in the near future. I submitted four poems to the University of Lethbridge publication, Whetstone, and I am looking forward to a positive response from them.

I came straight to New York City from a large reservation situated on the prairies of southern Alberta, Canada. I bring with me a renewed sense of spirit, strong belief in community, respect for the wisdom of the ancestors, and the determination to make a difference for the future generations. I made a vow to my family and friends when I graduated from the University of Lethbridge in May 1998: “I advance for as long as forever is” (Dylan Thomas); and I make the same vow each day I am here working within the United Nations system at UNV/RONA.