I don't know why I thought of such an obscure reference. I'm speaking of Act 3, scene 1 from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Perhaps the themes of doomed romance and tragedy still resonate with me. The line by Mercutio in response to Romeo's bended-knee placating of his enemy Tybalt accurately captures how I feel about my father's home community Ahousaht, giving Premier Campbell a Nuu-chah-nulth name.I'm trying to work through the logic of the move, and of course my cousin, A-in-chut (AFN Regional Chief and Ha'wiilth) has provided some reasoning. He states the honour is not without consequence and is intended to push him the right direction. I hope so. And unlike so many other times with "aboriginal leaders" where the talk is big and the action is absent, I hope everyone is sincere about this.
I guess I am not the diplomat that people have always thought I would be. Am I regressing or just fulfilling my role? Perhaps I will feel different in time. I don't know. What would happen if we all compromised? Would we all get along? It sounds like it might make sense. Yet I can't ignore this profound sense of indignation. I once wrote that amongst all the things that younger (perhaps naive and immature) Indigenous people detest about the behaviour of our mainstream aboriginal politicians, it's the submission and seeming indignity that is hardest to take. Perhaps I will feel differently in time. Perhaps.
3 comments:
For the record, my father Wickaninnish was AGAINST the name-giving. W
Wow. I read what happend and went "awwwwwwwwww!", and that was in a bad way. Like when you see some really disgusting. /puke
Although I don't have all the facts, sounds like dangerous territory. I don't know much about Shawn Atleo, except for the little I have experenced him. But the idea seems flawed, but the rational is iffy. (If iffy is a word to describ the situation). Comprimise and Adaptation are dangerous things. They both lead to the loss of somthing. I remember a quote I got on my RSS feed a while back. It said "Comprimise is for the weak." Understanding this, an ultimate leadership, with supreme controll would not need to comprimise, because of their power. And in that sence, comprimise is weak, because you lose somthing that is you.
On the same note, in any relationship, comprimise is neccisary for communication. Wheather romantic or otherwise, it is through comprimise you meet in the middle and create WIN - WIN situations. But this relationship, of jumping in bed, with my nation, and aparently yours too, could end badly with our nations getting some kind of STD. (Go 2010)
Gordo was racist one time, now he loves us. Not sure if he had a spiritual awakening or somthing, but still dangerous territory. But I always wonder; how sacred is it if it's filmed or recorded, how spiritual is it if we alway give it away, and how important is it if we exploit it?
I feel for you brother, but shit happens. My suggestion to you is: create value out of this, as much as you can.
W.
You are justified in your anger; ironically enough, I just went through an almost identical experience here in Alaska. Alot of our Tlingit clans have gotten into the habit of giving clan names to/adopting every White Anthropologist that farts in thier direction, yet when alot of us Tlingits need names for our children, they (the so-called clan leaders) give us hell, or won't even give our children names at all!! A co-worker of mine (White, Female Anthropologist)is getting adopted/named this weekend and she is jusy SO excited about it! She almost seems desperate to get adopted, as some kind of validation for her studying us...It isn't just Anthropologists, they seem to adopt/name any White Man/Woman who they percieve as being "important" or having power; it is really pathetic and to me, shows just how weak and ineffective our traditional structures have become.
Yashkanda.ets'
Auk Kwaan Tlingit
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