An open letter to BC 150

Here is a letter I recently sent to the organization promoting the 150th year of British Columbia as a province in a variety of television ads that don't seem to show any Indians. By the by, the legality of its status is doubtful, since the area was neither ceded, won in war or given to the founders. That doesn't seem to matter, now.

Anyway, here are excerpts of the letter:

Thank you for your thoughtful response. I appreciate it very much. It has allowed me to reflect on what the issue is for myself.

And it is this:

The images you present are of assimilated Indians - entertainers, artisans for upper class citizens and aboriginals engaging in ancient indigenous sports, but with no outward signs of inherent cultural expression.

We see no Indians doing Indian activities. No pow-wows, no drumming, no elders sharing with children or any obvious visual reference to Indian culture.

Try to imagine how your average, under-educated, socially-excluded, addicted, poverty ensconced First Nations individual might perceive the images presented.

I truly don't want to be too heavy on the negative here, but you must agree with me that the bulk of first nations individuals embrace the description put forth. No?

Believe me, this is not something I want to be right about. But, as a Lifeskills workshop facilitator working throughout western Canada and the Arctic, this is the overwhelming image that emerges.

It is unfortunate, but authentic.

The key issue: Indians have never been included in Canadian society, and the BC150 ad reinforces that notion.

If you disagree with this position, I say, it is not your call being the dominating population force currently.

Further, if you disagree, I would understand, since poverty, under-education and suffering are hard to look at, and is easily overlooked in historical and contemporary evaluations of 'the Indian Problem'.

- end quote -

Racism can take many seemingly innocent faces.

Racism isn't bad or evil.

It is about ignorance.

And that is fixable.

Terry Harris,
First Nations Facilitator
www.nativeskills.com

Father's Day on the reserve: Quiet, real quiet.

Don Burnstick, the hilarious Cree comedian, says, 'you might be a Redskin (NDN) if ...the most confusing day in your community is fathers day...'

Confusing and frustrating.

Probably the most profound and difficult result of Canada's First Nation children being sent to concentration camps at age six is their complete inability to properly parent.

When I say proper, I mean producing self-reliant offspring capable of providing for themselves, productive and mature.

No surprise when you think about it. Parents model adult behaviour to their children. The kids eventually are 'programmed' to mimic the activity they see unfold in front of them. But only after intense experimentation with Life applying their own version of survival strategies.

There is also no surprise when we see adult Aboriginals attempting to recreate the order they experienced as kids at the residential schools. Applying strategies such as domination, control through threats, humiliating punishment, and more.

Survival at Indian residential school meant BEING QUIET! Having no respect given. Offering no resistance to authority. Having authority be sexually predatory. Obeying.

There's more...

Consider the effect of sustained enforcement of this condition on First Nation communities for over one hundred years.

It leaves a big mess, hey?

The Good News?

We're still here!

In spite of all the neglect, abuse and generally awful conditions over multiple generations, Canadian Indians assure the world that we are still alive and still have something of a culture left.

The Parenting can be learned. We are not doomed. There are ways to learn.

We are powerful at the core.

Much hard work lies ahead if we are to maintain stability and health in out villages, country or city, but it can be done.

Please check out my website for links to helpful websites for getting our parenting program together.

And also note the last entry in my Lifeskills Lexicon is "YOUTH - Our only hope."

If you are a Father today, I say congratulations and Thank You.