Today, I watched a video that I received at the True Roots Youth Gathering. I was glad to have set some time aside to watch it. In the video at approximately 4:30, Gordon Waindubence, Grand Council Elder, Anishinabek Nation, speaks these words:

(approx 4:30) “There are so many gifts right in front of us. They are right here. Right here. But we are not picking those up. Maybe we don’t know how to pick those up. Because maybe our minds are clouded right now. By a system called the Indian Act. While I like to put things simple all the time me, maybe we should just reverse those words. Maybe not Indian Act maybe we should Act Indian **smiles** Maybe that would work. Then maybe we might be able to pick up that medicine to help our friends.” —Taken from the video “Niigan Ga-Zhaamin” created by Union of Ontario Indians.

I wanted to write a post in response to Chief Atleo’s announcement to scrap the “Indian Act” but I wasn’t sure how to approach this. After hearing these words, so simple. It has become clear to me that we should all listen to our Elders more and more for guidance and advice. They make things so simple & easy to understand 😉