"living" in Mituunii

Forgive me. I have been remiss. I have been somewhat lax in both the quality and quantity of my updates this summer. In particular, I have recently become concerned with the former, especially since many of you have been so kind as to compliment me on my writing humour and style. Well, as I get into university gear with lots of reading and writing, I intend to ensure that the quality of thinking and writing here are worthy of the mundane adventures.

on school...

Week 2 is in full swing and I am still enjoying school immensely. Looking at the world we live in through anti-imperialist-docolonizing glasses is one thing, applying the same critical thought to specific classes is quite another. My long-time readers will appreciate the challenges and opportunities in the following classes: International Security (studying state system models, non-state actors, terrorism, evil doers [sorry, could not resist that one], economics, war), Early Modern Political Thought (studying Luther, Erasmus, Machievelli, Spinoza, Locke, Hobbes, Kant all the other imperialist cats from Europe - during my lecture Tuesday a summarizing thought occured to me as I listened to the professor talk of the early debates on free will and the early ecclesiastical political connections: "This all seems to be a vain attempt to rationalize imperialism"), English 395: Literature of the First Peoples, and perhaps the least contentious: East Asian Politics, although it is interesting to learn about politics from a non-eurocentric, albeit still imperialist, perspective. The trick I think will be to determine what degree I wish to challenge the assumptions of my classmates and professors. Although I shall not hesitate to speak when I feel some fundamental truth is being ignored or misrepresented, I shall also endeavor to be mindful of which battles I wish to fight.

on my homelessness...

Roots n' Boots n' M have indeed being very kind in opening their home to me, tolerating my snoring and all my totes and bags of stuff, and cooking very healthy and scrumptious meals. I hope to find a (groovy) pad of my own soon and get "settled" as well. I have NEVER lived on my own, without a girlfriend, "partner" or room mate, EVER. I'm looking forward to some domestic solitude in my life before I find the wife of my dreams and we do our part to populate the Indigenous Revolutionary forces.

on substance abuse, pirates, jedi and the movement...

You will have no doubt noticed various, vague references to "Pirates" and "Jedi" this summer. My ellusiveness is borne out of my apprehension and possibly shame to discuss the matter openly, but alas I must remain committed to the truth. These two terms were introduced to the warrior lexicon this summer to identify those warriors who live two, divergent ways: basically, Jedi are noble, strong-willed, free of substance abuse and conduct themselves with the utmost respect and dignity; Pirates are still revolutionary, but fun-loving, partying warriors, perhaps more reminiscent of the AIMsters of the 60's and 70's. We joke about Pirates with Jedi tendancies and Jedi with Pirate tendancies but really, I believe, we are one or the other. We are the sum of our beliefs and actions. I am hesitant to render judgement however, not only because I have been there myself, but also as Roots likes to say, to judge so harshly or be dismissive of our brothers and sisters is to not recognize them as a whole person deserving of more compassionate consideration.

That being said...I choose to walk the path of the so-called Jedi at this time because I believe that I cannot achieve what I want to achieve by being any other way. What I want to achieve is to play some small yet significant part in the revitalization of our Indigenous nations and people to a state of strong health, will and character, to have our children grow strong and dignified. In order to get there, I must not only be healthy to do my part, but I believe that we best serve those we love by leading by example. We must BE. This is an act of immediacy, of awareness, of now, not tomorrow or someday.

My love for my brothers and sisters, all of them has been no stronger than it is now, and despite assuming the label (from a friend who once accused me of being) Quick and Merciless, I shall not judge my comrades. It is not my place. Another pearl of wisdom from Roots is this: "Never assume that a person is unaware of the trouble they are in." As a brother, I am here for my brothers and sisters, always.

Darkness persists. The empire grows stronger. Our people are losing our ways, ways of being, Indigenous ways. Expediency and shortsightedness rule the day and the band office.

Our time is now. Our place is here.