If you plan to be in Manitoulin Island for the Wikwemikong Powwow, look for the opportunity to see "The Honour Song" at Holy Cross Mission Ruins, Wikwemikong, July 23 to August 14th. My dear friend, Audrey, tells me her four-year old granddaughter will appear in this production, along with her father, Joe Osawabine. What a wonderful way to teach the young children their history, culture and spiritual teachings - and what a contrast to the sad, devastating legacy of the Indian residential schools. Congratulations to everyone involved.
Blessings,
Jean.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Friday, July 23, 2010
Racism
Take a look at this: http://tinyurl.com/257fbo2
Deja vu - a repeat of the situation faced by the folk who tried to launch the Argyle Centre in Peterborough, Ontario, a couple of years ago.
I have just "returned" from the annual general meeting of the Assembly of First Nations in Winnipeg earlier this week. One of the key speakers, Truth & Reconciliation Canada (TRC) Commissioner Justice Murray Sinclair, told the delegates that while the Canadian government was spending 150 years to convince the Indian residential school students that it was necessary to "remove the Indian from the child", they were also raising up a population of Canadian citizens to believe that the First Peoples were a "problem" to be gotten rid of ; that there were two levels of "citizens": "Indians", and the rest of us.
It is this mindset with which Canadians have been indoctrinated. It is this mindset that must be removed if there is ever to be healing and reconciliation in Canada.
And how do we remove or alter that mindset? It must begin with listening to, and sharing in, truth-telling
There are a number of people working at that, including the TRC. Let us pray that Alberton and environs will soon raise up people who can begin this work in their neighbourhood.
Unfortunately, it will not happen overnight, probably not in my lifetime - but I have hope that it will happen one day.
Blessings,
Jean.
Deja vu - a repeat of the situation faced by the folk who tried to launch the Argyle Centre in Peterborough, Ontario, a couple of years ago.
I have just "returned" from the annual general meeting of the Assembly of First Nations in Winnipeg earlier this week. One of the key speakers, Truth & Reconciliation Canada (TRC) Commissioner Justice Murray Sinclair, told the delegates that while the Canadian government was spending 150 years to convince the Indian residential school students that it was necessary to "remove the Indian from the child", they were also raising up a population of Canadian citizens to believe that the First Peoples were a "problem" to be gotten rid of ; that there were two levels of "citizens": "Indians", and the rest of us.
It is this mindset with which Canadians have been indoctrinated. It is this mindset that must be removed if there is ever to be healing and reconciliation in Canada.
And how do we remove or alter that mindset? It must begin with listening to, and sharing in, truth-telling
There are a number of people working at that, including the TRC. Let us pray that Alberton and environs will soon raise up people who can begin this work in their neighbourhood.
Unfortunately, it will not happen overnight, probably not in my lifetime - but I have hope that it will happen one day.
Blessings,
Jean.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
"Uprising" by Douglas Bland
Go to your library or bookstore to find this book. It's a fascinating read for those of us who follow Indigenous justice issues. See http://tinyurl.com/26xqutl for an excellent review. I started reading it in Calgary but didn't finish it so now I have to ask for it at my local library - or go out and buy it.
For those of you who regularly follow my comments, I consider this a kind of "companion piece" to John Ralston Saul's book: "A Fair Country: Telling Truths About Canada", although I'm not sure either of those authors would want to be told that.
However, for me, both books say some very important things that we Canadians need to know. And I was excited to see that Chief Terry Nelson, at the Assembly of First Nations general annual meeting in Winnipeg yesterday, held up the Bland book as he spoke to the more than 600 Chiefs of First Nations across Canada about "how important we are". He offered "Uprising" as one way in which First Nations people can grasp the power they have because "you are the real owners of the resources that are being sold by Canada to other people, especially the Americans".
Chief Nelson suggested asking the Chinese government "to open trade with us" (the First Nations of Turtle Island - not the rest of us.) "Tell Canadians to solve these problems," he ended his presentation, with the "Uprising" book held high in his hand. "I believe in Shawn Atleo (AFN National Chief chosen last year) - he's on the right track!"
More about the AFN meeting later. Meanwhile, look for "Uprising" asap.
Blessings,
Jean.
For those of you who regularly follow my comments, I consider this a kind of "companion piece" to John Ralston Saul's book: "A Fair Country: Telling Truths About Canada", although I'm not sure either of those authors would want to be told that.
However, for me, both books say some very important things that we Canadians need to know. And I was excited to see that Chief Terry Nelson, at the Assembly of First Nations general annual meeting in Winnipeg yesterday, held up the Bland book as he spoke to the more than 600 Chiefs of First Nations across Canada about "how important we are". He offered "Uprising" as one way in which First Nations people can grasp the power they have because "you are the real owners of the resources that are being sold by Canada to other people, especially the Americans".
Chief Nelson suggested asking the Chinese government "to open trade with us" (the First Nations of Turtle Island - not the rest of us.) "Tell Canadians to solve these problems," he ended his presentation, with the "Uprising" book held high in his hand. "I believe in Shawn Atleo (AFN National Chief chosen last year) - he's on the right track!"
More about the AFN meeting later. Meanwhile, look for "Uprising" asap.
Blessings,
Jean.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Assembly of First Nations Meeting, Winnipeg, July 20-22, 2010
Dear Friends:
Take the time to tune in to http://tinyurl.com/2u6h4jk to follow the 31st Annual General Assembly of First Nations webcast this week. There will be media coverage also, of course, with Aboriginal journal Trevor Greyeyes adding to the Winnipeg Free Press coverage, but watching the action unfold on the webcast is exciting too.
Last year I attended the AFN Assembly held in Calgary when Shawn Atleo was chosen National Chief. At that time, he declared: "It's our time", and today in his opening speech to the Assembly, he showed how the AFN has moved towards taking over its own destiny, breaking away from the detested Indian Act and proposing a new relationship with the federal government under a "Ministry of Crown Relations".
There's more, and I will hope to add further to this blog in coming days.
Meanwhile, my best wishes to all delegates as they consider the future.
Blessings,
Jean.
Take the time to tune in to http://tinyurl.com/2u6h4jk to follow the 31st Annual General Assembly of First Nations webcast this week. There will be media coverage also, of course, with Aboriginal journal Trevor Greyeyes adding to the Winnipeg Free Press coverage, but watching the action unfold on the webcast is exciting too.
Last year I attended the AFN Assembly held in Calgary when Shawn Atleo was chosen National Chief. At that time, he declared: "It's our time", and today in his opening speech to the Assembly, he showed how the AFN has moved towards taking over its own destiny, breaking away from the detested Indian Act and proposing a new relationship with the federal government under a "Ministry of Crown Relations".
There's more, and I will hope to add further to this blog in coming days.
Meanwhile, my best wishes to all delegates as they consider the future.
Blessings,
Jean.
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