A friend of mine watched Braveheart again last night and we are both feeling a little frustrated about the current state of affairs in Indigenous/Aboriginal politics. I suggested after lunch, "perhaps freedom is overrated." Maybe people don't want it. Maybe it only matters to the few of us who are cursed with some (perhaps pretentious) sense of awareness or knowing that things are not as they should be....sigh. What say you?
Monday, May 29, 2006
Is freedom overrated?
A friend of mine watched Braveheart again last night and we are both feeling a little frustrated about the current state of affairs in Indigenous/Aboriginal politics. I suggested after lunch, "perhaps freedom is overrated." Maybe people don't want it. Maybe it only matters to the few of us who are cursed with some (perhaps pretentious) sense of awareness or knowing that things are not as they should be....sigh. What say you?
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People are not going to join a revolution when they are comfortable. And in the current state of our people, we've become comfortable with out capitalistic mind-set and jobs to create a "good life" for a family. Do people care enough to join in the "good fight" much less the "war" in order for complete freedom in all area's for oue people? I say no. There are a select few commited to the cause, much like our warriors of ancient times were. This is not for the good of the people, its for the good of our ansestors. (Or at least that my justification behind becoming a freedom fighter in this war.)
Am I right, wrong? Right and wrong don't matter. What matters is what were are going to do. Right-wrong is a point of view. In our strugle, the continual struggle, we are placing our point of view over thats of our politicans, assimilated-christian elders, assimilated-aboriginals, individualistic-capitialists and "comfortable people".
WOW, I blacked out for a moment when I typed that...lol
Hey W, congrats on the walk to support native women who are battered and oppressed by violence. Its so inspiring to see your community rally around the issue.
I had thought and spoke quite a bit in the past about indigenous freedom with friends. I came to the conclusion that the word 'freedom' is as vague as 'leadership'. What is it exactly? How can people of all ages take part in 'freedom'. Does it take something specific to achieve it? No. It is multi-faceted. It is not just about taking up arms against the oppressor, or being like BraveHeart.
Whatever your answer, to work towards freedom is to work towards a direction. For example, a young person talking to elders and learning about the values of the land is an action towards freedom for the self. Its de-colonization from our current state of mass media and assimilation.
Maybe I'm too positive about this, but I feel that lots of native people are working towards freedom by their personal actions to better the self and the community.
And maybe because I'm a woman I don't think of fighting for freedom as blockading a road, or fighting a physical fight against the oppressor. I see fighting for freedom as overcoming all the things that our parents and grandparents had taken away from them and were denied. One generation at a time, working towards health and well-being, strong communities, education and language and knowledge of the land. It is everything that makes life good in the indian sense! Me and my family and friends! Living and working and telling each other stories about the indian things we do and learn and say. Not growing up as a young person discriminated against.
It is the dream. Freedom is the dream and I believe many people are working towards that dream in their own, often unrecognized and acknowledged way.
I think Sku'sgluums said something that hit home for me, freedom is vague but also just a word that could never describe what I am trying to achieve and from all i have read and know of many of you it is beyond describing what has been done and what still needs to be done.
I agree that "freedom" is beyond a public act of creating awareness but i understand and see everyday that people are scared to take up any actions for their freedom or at least public ones because of their "comfortableness" in society whether that is right or wrong is not my place to judge.
I have friends and family who don't bother getting involved in any form of creating freedoms for themselves and their children. However, like Sku'sgluums suggested I believe there are others out there who commit to their community whether it urban, rez or rural and teach their children and enlighten themselves towards their own freedoms that is not recognized, or acknowledged.
As frustrating as it all is those of us, or perhaps not even I but many of you out there who make those sacrifices are none the less making a difference and reaching some of us out there who want to do more but are not sure how, or open a door to knowledge for those who would not have originally openend.
None of us are free, or all of us are.
Who, in your mind, must be the most free person today?
They say that 'A person who acts without thinking is a person who acts without freedom'. In that sense, based on what I read about you and your activities, you seem like a fairly free (thinking, acting) person to me. You aren't 'comfortable', and hence aren't non-reflecting. This brings me down some strange road where purest freedom exists with pain and suffering... I don't think that's quite right either.
Furthermore, is freedom an ends or a means? If it is a means, is it the only right means?
If I had to give an answer on the spot (which I am of course free not to), I would say freedom is a means.
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