Canada’s Indian Problem
I offer this information to assist people in formulating their perspective on an issue that has been lost in recent acts by persons and agents of alien/outside origin.
Opinion
A Tale of Two Cases
Last week two stories about the ongoing battle by New York State and the U.S. federal government against the Native tobacco trade hit the papers.
My True Rez Shoes
The year I had my mastectomy I treated myself and bought a pair of Rez Hoofs. These hand painted boots are made by a couple from Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. In the spirit of ‘shopping native’ I ordered a pair online.
Latent Racism and Blatant Racism
I am never quite sure if there is a real difference. “Latent” is defined as not visible or dormant. Well, to those of us who feel the effects of this sentiment, almost nothing is missed or ‘not visible.’ Even the dormant talk in their sleep.
Indigenous people are #NotYourMascot
Fans of the NFL and Indigenous people posted to Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and any other medium they had using the hashtag #NotYourMascot to urge the Washington Redsk*ns to drop the racist term from the team name.
Kawayo’t – Her name means Resting Canoe
No matter where you go in Haudenosaune territory, somewhere along the path is the art of Arnold Jacobs. His murals decorate buildings everywhere, and his art even dons the side of an Air Canada Boeing 767. His body of work has become synonymous with Six Nations identity.
Community Living Gift Shop gets revamped
Ronatahskats, the Community Living Gift Shop on Chiefswood Road has been renovated, and is moving forward in a new adventure, building a social enterprise where community members and clients with intellectual disabilities can interact.
Cleveland General tells history of Plank Road
Cayuga Royanni (Chief) Deyotowehgoh (Cleveland General) of the Wolf Clan tells the history of Plank Road now known as Highway #6 of Ontario. This land was at the center of the Caledonia (Douglas Creek Estates) conflict in 2006.
Start Spreading the News
Over the past 11 years that WBAI-FM 99.5 in New York City has been airing “First Voices Indigenous Radio” (FVIR), the show’s host and executive producer Tiokasin Ghosthorse has slowly turned his weekly live one-hour radio show into an international broadcast with re-airings of this program on 45 stations in 15 states and one Canadian province.
Political prisoners denied basic human rights
The Elsipogtog protest against fracking seems to be over for everyone except Mi’kmaq men Aaron Francis and Germaine Jr. Breau who have been held in custody since the RCMP raid on October 17th 2013.
Honouring Dick Hill
When someone who inspired foundational change in the community leaves us, it is very important to take the time to acknowledge such a loss. Such is the case for Six Nations this week as we say goodbye to Dick Hill.
30 Years and $33 Million
It’s not a prison sentence. It just feels like one. And I’m sure it feels the same to many others. It’s the cost for gaining “recognition” by the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs. And $33 million is what it cost the Shinnecock people. However, as exorbitant – and unbelievable – as this sounds they are actually the lucky ones.
Pay It Forward 2014
So there’s this kid I know of, well he’s not a kid actually. More of a young man. His name is Ascension. His mama and I were pregnant at the same time and would often wave miserably at each other as we waddled throughout the hot summer of 2001.
Back to Our Path is not a Trip Backward
Many of us are familiar with our expression Ohnkwe Ohnwe. It is what we use to describe ourselves as the original people of Turtle Island. The approximate translation is “real human being, forever.”
My near-death experience
After reading Rhonda Maracle’s article “Survival” in last week’s paper I felt compelled to share my near-death experience.