Canadas 150th opens doors to dialogue

“Essentially, in order for Canada to become the Canada that it is today indigenous peoples have been treated as more of an obstacle to be overcome and less of people who actually lived here,” reads Maclean’s Magazine.

One hundred and fifty years ago, the Confederation of Canada was signed to make the former colonies of Canada, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia into one big British colony. Thus, the celebration of 150 years of colonization is nearly upon us.

So, what are Canadians celebrating?

If out of interest you research Canadians and their relationships with Canada, you will find that there is no mention of indigenous people at all, but there is a lot of what they call “Canadian culture”.

Canadian writers will write about Canadian diversity and how there are 200 plus “ethnic groups” across Canada by immigrational means, but won’t mention the 200 plus indigenous nations, tribes and groups in Canada that were already here, or the hundreds that were eradicated through the processes of colonization. Canada also likes to make a boast of being multi-lingual, but tries to sweep the responsibility of stolen indigenous languages under the rug as nearly all indigenous languages were either erased or mutated from the effects of residential schools.

And although Canadian symbols are clad with maple leaves, maple syrup, totem poles, canoes, Inukshuks, beavers and so many other symbols that are distinctly tied to the indigenous people of this land: you won’t hear much about indigenous people when Canadians talk about “their” symbols. To top it off, admittedly one of the most athletic sports, lacrosse is considered to be “Canada’s sport,” and it’s been paraded as being 150 years old this year.

It’s almost as if they don’t know that any of the above are tied to indigenous people.

And there are so many indigenous people that see the realities of this country and face them every day in systems that were put in place to erase our ancestors’ involvement in the development of this country.

And that is exactly why Canada’s 150th “Birthday” has opened the doors for national dialogue as indigenous people, activists, journalists and the like speak out to voice their objection to the day in its entirety. And lot of their objections are formulated from truth.

The truth found in the real history of this country can change perspectives of patriotism, perhaps that is why Canada’s real history isn’t prevalent. So, although Canada seems to play blind and deaf to how ignorant the celebration is, sometimes and this is only sometimes, Canadians can come face-to-face with the truth anyhow.

But with rising indigenous voices, it is becoming easier for Canadians to have access to information on indigenous peoples and our interconnected history with Canada; such was the case with Jonathan M.B., form Hamilton, Ont. who found out for himself through a Netflix documentary.

“I’ve been reflecting on aboriginal peoples’ perspective on Canada celebrating 150 years of Confederation,” said M.B. “I completely see why they’re not okay with it. Canada became a country because we forced them off of their land, murdered them and forced them to go to residential schools to assimilate them into our culture.”

M.B. explained that he saw the documentary on indigenous children’s experiences in residential schools called We Were Children, and he said it was “heartbreaking.”

“It’s hard because I love Canada, but at the same time I hate how we became a country,” he said. “Celebrating Canada’s 150th also feels like I’m celebrating cultural genocide.”

 

 

 

 

Related Posts