I've recently had time to reflect. I've also been inspired by the actions and discussions I have had with certain friends and family members recently. A lot has been said about the current state of affairs of Indigenous people, our people. Quite simply to quote one of my hereos, "we're getting the shit kicked out of us right now." Our adversaries (imperialist settlers, governments and companies who wish only to expolit us, our culture, lands, waters and resources in case it's not obvious) have learned well. For the most part, the aboriginal leadership no longer believe we are at war, let alone a stage of crisis requiring something immediate. Economic development, capacity building, joint-ventures have become the new battle cries. They are our friends now. We no longer want to rock the boat, because we are in it too, trying to get ahead, trying to be progressive, trying to create economic opportunies for the people. [And in case that last sentence didn't reek with enough sarcasm, I say, "bull shit!"]We are at war. And we are losing and it's even more complicated than it was for our anscestors. To borrow a quote from one of my favourite pop-culture indulgances (BSG): "Our children need to know that some people fought back, and others collaborated." Each of us, each of our communities have Indigenous laws, that supercede the prestige or authority of any one person. It is true that most of those laws are no longer adhered to. Much of our ways have been relegated to the trash heaps of tokenism. And while I agree that many of our practices must adapt, I believe that we cannot truly thrive as Indigenous people unless we breathe life back into our sacred principles and responsibilities.
Knowing this, it begs an obvious question: What am I doing right now, to further the revival of those laws, principles and sacred responsibilities?
1 comment:
I'll quote a revolutionary, although I still have to read that damn book...lol
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"Now in speaking like this, it doesn't mean that we're anti-white, but it does mean we're anti-exploitation, we're anti-degradation, we're anti-oppression. And if the white man doesn't want us to be anti-him, let him stop oppressing and exploiting and degrading us....If we have differences, let us differ in the closet; when we come out in front, let us not have anything to argue about until we get finished arguing with the Man."
"You can't have capitalism without racism."
"If the master's house caught on fire, the house Negro would fight harder to put the blaze out than the master would. If the master got sick, the house Negro would say, "What's the matter, boss, we sick?" We sick! He identified himself with his master, more than his master identified with himself. And if you came to the house Negro and said, "Let's run away, let's escape, let's separate," the house Negro would look at you and say, "Man, you crazy. What you mean, separate? Where is there a better house than this? Where can I wear better clothes than this? Where can I eat better food than this?" That was that house Negro. In those days he was called a "house nigger." And that's what we call them today, because we've still got some house niggers running around here."
"A chicken can't produce a duck egg. It has not the means nor the system within to produce a duck egg. In the same way the Capitalist system cannot produce freedom for a black man. It has not the means within to produce freedom, it has not the educational means, the political means, the legislative means. And if a chicken was to produce a duck egg, it would be considered a revolutionary chicken."
- Malcolm X
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Brother. I am ready to be ready to fight the good fight, to win the war. Together we'll fight and be some who fought back. In the history of humanity, it's taken a small group of committed individuals to change the world.
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