First Nations

Dear Life

Dear Life, First Nations, University Leave a comment

Dear Life,

Why is it whenever I meet someone and they ask if I am Native, they flood me with a slew of questions that I sometimes have no idea what the answer is? Yes, my people may have survived off the land. No, I don’t know how to live off the land nor can I show you how to live off the land. Yes, I can fish. No, I don’t fish whenever, where ever… just on my reserve, usually in the summer time and in the winter when the ice is thick enough. Yes, I used a bow and arrow before. No, I don’t own one (and it is called a compound bow not a “bow and arrow”). Yes, we use guns when we hunt. No, I don’t hunt all the time, nor do I own a gun, and I definitely can’t show you how to use one.

Why are people so fascinated in asking the question “Are you Native?” How would they like it if I asked, “Are you white?” And continued with: Really, what kind of “white” are you?

Or are those questions not “politically correct”?

It seems that because I am Native I should be majoring in First Nations studies. (There is nothing wrong in a First Nations student studying First Nations but stop the assumptions already.) Whenever someone asks me if I am in university, I say yes. They then ask me if I am doing the “First Nations Studies.” I guess it would make sense if I did. Yet, nobody asks a “black” person, are you majoring in African American Studies? Or a “white” person, are you majoring in Italian or Greek? Wait, do those majors even exist?

First Nations studies is without a doubt an interesting subject, but just because I am a “Native” does not mean I am a “First Nations studies” major. Although, I am debating on whether or not I should be. 😉

Thank you

Little Miss Kwe

Pie Face

First Nations, Heather Robertson, Racism, Tomson Highway Leave a comment

In my grade 12 English class, I chose to do my “book report” on a Native Canadian Playwright: Tomson Highway.

I read two of his plays and a book by Heather Robertson called “Reservations are for Indians.”

I can’t really remember much about my actual report/paper part of the project. What do I remember is my presentation.

To start off my presentation, I showed the class a clip from a movie called “Smoke Signals” which is one of my favorite movies! The non-Aboriginal students didn’t get it. The Aboriginal students somewhat giggled in the back of the room (you know the shy, quiet giggle).

Even before showing the class the movie clip, I had them wear name tags. On these name tags I pre-printed racial slurs commonly thrown at Aboriginals, young, old, present, past…

I remember one girl didn’t want to wear the name tag. Her name tag read “pie face.” Her friends laughed at her. She said she didn’t “feel comfortable wearing a racial slur.” I replied, “Imagine being called that just by being who you are.” Another girl giggled at “blanket bum.” I explained the history behind “blanket bum.” She stopped giggling. Apparently, when I researched the racial slur “blanket bum” and “pie face” this is what was found:

1) Blanket bum: The “white man” infested blankets with small pox and distributed them to the Aboriginals for them to use and sleep with. Aboriginals frequently used blankets to sit on. Hence the term “blanket bum.”

2) Pie face: This represents the shape of the face. Some Aboriginals have “flat” faces.***

The information presented in this post relating to the racial slurs is what I remember reading in my research; I did not come up with interpretations/explanations. There could be many different interpretations/explanations available for either “slur.”

Sometimes, I just wish people can understand the effects of throwing a racial slur at someone, especially if they cannot change who they are (because they were born that way). Something like a racial slur sticks with a person forever.

***Please note that this is the information I found at the time. I would love to know if this information/article, which I remember word for word, I found then has any truth behind these racial slurs. Leave a comment to correct any information posted here.

Keeping Indianson the Reserve

Canada, First Nations, Harper, Off-reserve, Voting Leave a comment

Today I read an article on the Globe and Mail called Harper Dismisses Radical Moves on Abortion and Gun Laws.

This post isn’t about abortion or gun laws it’s about this quote here: Canadians, he thinks, are comfortable with his government, even when they disagree with it, and he wants to reassure them he plans no radical moves.. “He” being Harper.

The fact that he believes that citizens of Canada don’t really care about the government and the decisions the governments make is pretty bold. A book I read called “Ill Fares The Land” by Tony Judt relates to Harper’s statement. Judt basically said in his book that “young people” don’t care (not verbatim). He mostly wrote about EU and the US, but I could agree that what he says in that book can be applied to Canada. Just ask any young Canadian today about the Gun law Harper put on the back burner again and how it’s supposed to make it easier to catch people who use guns to commit crime. Do you think they could answer? Or would they much rather answer a question about Bieber, Hilton or a Kardashian?

I do believe this can be changed. As an Aboriginal Canadian, I believe that Aboriginal Canadians can be the one to change this. How? Well, it’s plastered all over Stats-Can: Aboriginals are the fastest growing population, with the greater number of them being aged 18-27.

Even though I am a huge advocate/supporter to initiatives that support and motivate young Aboriginals, I am kind of a hypocrite when I write this post. I have never voted in my life (well since I turned 18–the “voting age” in Canada). I wanted to vote, except when I lived in the city closest to my reservation and I walked up to the polling station for the first time to vote I was told, “you have to go to the polling stations on your reservation.” I didn’t have a car, and couldn’t find a ride to the polling stations on my reservation. Did that mean that I had to change my address to my city address in order to vote off my reservation? Yup, it sure did. So that meant I had to change my identification to reflect my new address change (and that would mean I would lose some of my tax-exemption rights because when I present my tax-exemption card to some businesses they ask for my “proof of reserve address.” I have to prove to them the product is going to be used on reserve land.) Another form of racism? Maybe. Marginalization? Maybe. Or maybe it’s just another effort to keeping “Indians” on the “reserve”? Maybe.

Since moving to a Southwestern Ontario city, I have never voted since that time. I wonder how many more Aboriginals living off-reserve are in the same situation? If there are many, just think of the changes that can be made if Aboriginals knew that they could vote off-reserve without changing their address (just so they don’t lose some of their rights). Imagine if all Aboriginals who could vote, did vote, whether they live on or off-reserve. Just think of the changes that can be made then.

Do you think Harper would be thinking along the lines of, “Even if they disagreed, they wouldn’t care.” I think not.

Little Miss Kwe

First Nations, Little Miss Kwe, Ojibway, Ojibwe, School Leave a comment

So the other day someone said, “I saw your blog, it said ‘qu-we.'”

For those that don’t know, I am Aboriginal. More specifically I am Three Fires. Even more specifically, Ojibwe, Odawa, Potawatomi. But I learned to speak three different dialects of Ojibwe back in elementary school and high school. I didn’t learn much beyond animals, numbers, places, directions, some actions which is one of the multigenerational effects of Residential schools: loss of language–as Aboriginal children weren’t allowed to speak their native tongue (if they did, they were severely punished).

One of the things I do remember being taught is that “Kwe” means “Woman” or “Lady.” Yes, there are different spellings and I am going off the spelling I was taught in elementary school by my favourite teacher: Mrs. Naogizic (whose name I forget how to spell, sorry!)

I don’t know why I chose “Little Miss Kwe” as my blog name. I guess I wanted it to have some sort of Aboriginal vibe to it. But in truth, I think it sounds nice… Little Miss Kwe. (Oh and “Kwe” is pronounced “q’way.”)

I figured I would write about this and share with it since someone already thought it said “qu-we” (and this person actually pronounced the “we” as the actual English word “we”). Not their fault, but I corrected them. “We” in Ojibwe is pronounced “way.” I guess that sums it up with what I am really trying to say.

Residential Schools(Miseducation)

Canada, First Nations, Miseducation, Residential Schools, School Leave a comment

The other day our professor asked in class: what are some push and pull factors for youth leaving school?

Some of my peers answered: Drugs, family.

Our professor replied: Those are pull factors.

I raised my hand and said: Knowing this as a First Nations student, some teachers have a certain view about First Nations’ issues and the way they present those issues may affect other First Nations students.

What I really wanted to say: A teacher at my high school told her class that Residential Schools were created to educate First Nation children, when in fact they were really created to assimilate First Nations into “mainstream” culture. That type of miseducation can marginalize what really happened and what continues to affect certain communities and families who had members enter the Residential school system. In turn, affecting the way First Nations students view the material being taught in school: just a bunch of nonsense.

100%

Education, First Nations, School, Teachers Leave a comment

Lately I have been reading about education and Aboriginals in one of my textbooks.

It caused me to reflect on my education experiences. If it weren’t for my family who have been there for me no matter what, and to help push me through, I don’t think I would have done all the great things I have done in my life.

However, this is not what this post is about. Yes, I did excel in school. I graduated top three in elementary school. In high school (even after a really bad car accident where I sustained an Acquired Brain Injury), I even graduated on the honor roll, received a scholarship upon graduation, and won four business awards. But this is not what this is about. It is about the fact that even though, I did do well in school, there was a lack of support for me and other similar students. What I mean by other similar students is other Aboriginal students who excelled.

I remembered being teased sometimes for being too smart or getting good grades. When I look back, it all means nothing today. I remember those around me who excelled as well, they also were teased (whether they were Aboriginal or not).

It amazes me how little support there is for Young Aboriginal people who excel in school. My teachers throughout elementary school consistently would approach their students as they would approach “bad kids.” Because as one supply teacher put it, upon her first day of supplying for us for the rest of the school year, “Don’t think that I don’t know what your reputation is.” I was the only student that asked, “What is our reputation, because even we don’t know what it is.” I wasn’t a “bad kid,” but I did stand up for myself and others. The teacher that day didn’t answer but told me to go to the office. I went. It wouldn’t be the first time I was sent to the office for asking why the teacher said something or what the teacher actually meant when she said we were “just a bunch of dumb cows.”

This may come as surprising to people who read this, but in the school I went to it doesn’t surprise me looking back. We were at a school with the majority of the population being Aboriginal (sad even for me to say that). So, I really do wonder what the school is like today? Is it still the same, population wise? Reputation wise? Teacher wise? I plan to go back one day and influence the young people, Aboriginal or not, but to tell them that if you work hard (yes, school does kind of suck sometimes) and if you don’t let all the teasing (yes, it will be hard) get to you, it does get better. And really, the teasing and the name calling (even though hard to endure at such a young age and sometimes all alone), it doesn’t matter when you’re older. When you work hard, study, and apply yourself 100% to everything you do, that is what matters.

Token Indian

Canada, Classroom, First Nations, Workplace Leave a comment

“I am so happy to have you on the team. As soon as I found out you were native, I just had to hire you!.”

These words, even though spoken more almost 10 years ago, have stuck with me since I heard them.

When I think back, I believe for someone to say, “As soon as I found out you were native, I just had to hire!” is highly inappropriate. It is inappropriate because it is unprofessional. Since that day I consistently ask myself whenever hired for a new job (or not hired for a job): were they looking at my skills or my ethnic background? One might say that employers only look at your skills and your abilities. No. It is not always like that. This is clear when some jobs hire people strictly for their appearance (the “hot” bartender) and even some for their background (how to improve your public image 101).

I know that I am a hard-worker. I know that I have many skills, and many of these skills have to do with not being “Indian” at all. Someone once said that I was overreacting and still am overreacting when I think back to what was said to me that day, and that I should use being “Indian” to my advantage. How does one use their ethnic background to their advantage? Is that even possible? Or should I be offended by that as well?

Just recently another First Nations student shared a story with me on how her professor pointed out to the rest of her class that the only three Native students didn’t get in “just because they were Native.” Who says that? Where is the professional tact in announcing that to the entire class?

In both of these instances, one might say, “Well, Natives certainly have it best.” No, we don’t have it best. Already as a minority or person of a different ethnic background, we already know that we are different. We don’t need a constant reminder of this, whether it be at work, in school, or just out on the playground (Who wants to play cowboys and Indians?).

If there is one thing that can be said about both of these situations it is that both persons in their position of power had a lack of respect, especially to the persons they were speaking to. To announce to someone that as soon as you found out someone was Native and they just HAD to hire you or that the only three native students didn’t get in “just because they were Native” is unprofessional.

Being “Indian” isn’t all what it is cracked up to be. We don’t get everything for free, we don’t have it better off than the rest of the Country, and we most certainly don’t have the same given respect as the rest in some of the places you expect everyone to be treated equally (no matter their ethnic background).

Tax Exemption

Customer Service, First Nations, Treaty Rights View all 19 comments

Today I went into Shoppers Drug Mart, a place I frequent a lot (because it is close to where I live), and a place that I enjoy going to.

I enjoy going to this Shoppers Drug Mart for only one thing: tax exemption. No, I am not here to brag and wave in your face, screaming, “I got tax exemption na-na-na-nah!” No, because that would be rude. I am not writing this to stick my nose in the air, give you evil looks for not being “tax-exempt.” No, because that would be condescending. Am I writing to talk about the stigma and embarrassment that sometimes comes with presenting my “tax-card” (which is a right to “Status Indians”) to certain cashiers? Maybe.

Working in retail, I know how most cashier systems work and can generally figure out how one works just by looking at it. When it first came into effect on July 1, 2010, there was uproar among First Nations. Roadblocks were put up. Protests arranged. The government later allowed First Nations to continue to be tax-exempt coming September 2010. The first time I asked for tax-exemption at retailer, I was scared. I was nervous. I was worried, would the retailer allow me? Would the retailer say “Sorry, no we don’t do that”? Would the retailer roller her eyes, sigh annoyingly, and pound the keys as if she is doing 20 more steps in the transaction process (but really its a matter of only pressing a few extra keys)?

Staples was my first store. They did it. I looked at my receipt and asked her why HST was still on there. She said, “because we take it off as a discount.” I did the math. It worked out.

Later in the month, I went to Metro grocery store. It was late in the night. Nobody, well barely anyone, was in the store. In fact, I only saw two other people, which just happened to be the cashiers. I asked for tax exemption. The cashier, rolled her eyes, grunted, and said, as if this could have been the most annoying thing to happen to her all week, “I have to call the manager.” I said, “ok.” I waited, for about 10 minutes. The manager came, did the exact gestures and made the same noises as the annoyed cashier. They joked together and laughed at “how stupid this process is getting,” as one of them said. I felt belittled and quite uncomfortable. I thought to myself, “Well, how annoying would it be for a company to have customers feel belittled while at the cashier?”

I have been to Metro on several other occasions after that. I always ask for tax-exemption (well, if it’s a few pennies/cents, I just let it slide). Each time, my experience is the same: uncomfortable. One visit was so bad that two different employees came to help the other one out. The one employee left her till (which had a line, when I knew she didn’t have to leave her line and that the manager had to be called–I knew she wasn’t the manager because of my frequency here) to help out at the till I was at (which by the end of the transaction there was a line, 8 people long). They continued to joke around and say things that made me not feel so great to be Native with “a cool tax-exemption card” (something that is my right).

By the end of the 20-minute transaction (yes it took 20 minutes), at about 2:30pm, the one cashier said, “Sorry, we see so many of these cards that we don’t know how to use them.” I don’t know why she said that but it didn’t help her reasoning for the 20-minute transaction. My reply, “Well, if you see so many of these cards, why is it that you don’t know how to do this type of transaction?” I walked away, upset, shaking, almost wanting to cry. I called my mom instead (she made me feel better and more relaxed). I feel it’s essential to know the time these transactions happened at because grocery stores are usually busy, before work, lunch time, and after work on a business day (which I was there on Wednesday); I was there at a “non-busy” time.

Shoppers Drug Mart. I am amazed at this store. They make presenting my “cool tax card” so simple. In fact, their process for doing tax exemption hasn’t changed since the HST changes. I was relieved, and I would go to Shoppers any day for things I need (even if it’s for some food that I know can be bought at Metro).

The one thing that I did want to say to the cashier tonight was this (after she talked about how “cool” it must be to have one), “It may be cool to be ‘tax-exempt,’ but it’s not cool when I feel uncomfortable and belittled by certain cashiers or businesses who give me a fuss over something that is a right.”

This “tax-card” isn’t just any card. It is a card that tells me who I am. It tells me that I am a Native Canadian, more specifically a “Status Indian.” It tells me that I have another number attached to my name, one beyond SIN. It tells me what my rights are under the Indian Act. It reminds that I am Native. It reminds me that some businesses don’t like “us” because of the transaction process. It reminds me that I will sometimes be annoying by a few extra buttons, a few extra minutes. It reminds me that I will never be treated equally, even if I am just a customer.

Treaty Rights

Canada, FIduciary, First Nations, North Bay Nugget, Politics, Treaty Rights Leave a comment

A friend on my FB today shared a link relating to a personal diary of a government official, where he recorded personal accounts of treaty negotiations. Click here to read the article.

This article is the essence of what I have been trying to say to people around me relating to First Nations and the Canadian Government and their use of the term “fiduciary.” The part in the article that sticks out to me is, “ The government thinks it has the final say. These treaty diaries suggest otherwise.”

Sometimes when I read an article about the lack of government consultation with First Nations and their resources, sometimes I see the word “fiduciary.” This word is used in a sense that the government has a fiduciary relationship with the First Nations. First Nations leaders sometimes say: “But the government and the First Nations have a fiduciary relationship!”

A fiduciary relationship is one where it involves trust, one with a beneficiary and one with a trustee when looked up in a regular dictionary. However, last year, I did some further research into the term fiduciary and what outlines the power one has over another.

What I found: as a fiduciary, one can make decisions that they see best fit for the non-fiduciary. This meaning (in simplest way possible): if the government thinks it knows what is best for the First Nations, they can and will make that decision without their consent because they have the “power” based on that they think they know what is best and it is in the best interest for the fiduciary (because as a fiduciary they have a legal responsibility over the non-fiduciary). Simply put, and the way I see it, is that the government, as a fiduciary, will make decisions without First Nations’ consent. They will make these decisions because it is the government’s knowledge that they know what is best because they have an “interest” in First Nations. This interest is only for the benefit of the government and the rest of Canada (which sometimes fails to include the interest of First Nations).

This what I think that makes using this term quite difficult for First Nations.

Here are some questions I think of when I see this term and read about Canadian Government/First Nations dealings. Based on the basic dictionary definition: Who, in the relationship between government and First Nations, is the beneficiary and who is the trustee? Do we really trust one another? Also, if one is allowed to make a final decision without input from another because they feel that they are the ones that know what is best: how does one determine who knows what is best for one or the other? The case that this term was defined in will most likely continued to be referenced if and when Canadian Government/First Nations dealings land in court. Meaning, First Nations need to stop using this word in their defence. Hopefully, the discovery of this personal diary will be able to help assist First Nations in situations where Governments fail to consult or receive consent.

Nevertheless, terms like these that are used in the dealings with the Canadian Government and First Nations need to be changed, if First Nations really want to move forward. When First Nation leaders keep using this term and making reference to this term in their own defence, and having legal cases defining what a fiduciary really is, severely limits the First Nations rights and the items they agreed to during creation and signing of treaties.