History is not only a University academic subject or “His Story”. History is awareness of self as an on going function of life that begins at conception. This then begins History. Being human includes the sum of all experiences. No one has the same experiences as another. Each has a life to live. Experts do not exist, within this Worldview. Authority outside ones self is to deny that which makes us Onkwayhoway. This principle is the foundation of respecting Our Mother the Earth and sets the social context with all our relations.
The Euro-centric worldview has the opposite notion of “lawful authority”. By the writers analysis Eurocentric worldview emerges as result of the military experience that was and is the “Indo European” cultural experience. The many crusades to “free” the Holy Land and now the “war on terrorism” are the context in which history books are written. One might also investigate a military policy of “shock and awe” in the light of intent of military aggression. The recounting of wars of conquest and genocide to establish the “rule of law” is the tale of the Indo European experience.
This chasm between the two Worldviews is the nexus of the conflict in contemporary efforts to define relations between Indigenous Onkwayhoway and the others. The Dominion of Canada’s assimilation policy is prima facie evidence that the Dominion has a policy that identifies the irreconcilable differences between Indigenous worldview and that of the Eurocentric worldview. Our people attempted to accomplish the respecting and honouring of Her Majesty’s Dominion by way of the “Two Row Wampum” belt treaty only to have that relationship the become the target of oppression and assimilation (“kill the Indian and save the man”). The writer suggests that there has been more “killing of the Indian” than saving of the man. The “Black Lives Matter” movement from the Indigenous Peoples perspective is a modern example of the same Dominion policy the ended the lives of whole “tribes” of Indigenous People. Media did not exist at that time to expose the genocide but it is reasonable to draw parallels to the hidden agenda of agents of the Crown from then until now.
No other visible people within Her Britannic Majesty’ Dominion of Canada are subjected to the racial and ethnic targeting as are the Onkwayhoway. The Indian Act, is the vehicle by which the genocide is accomplish within the “illusion of the rule of law”.
What was the purpose of the “Indian Acts”? The Acts provided an instrument that Her Britannic Majesty’s Court could use for the purpose of subjecting Indigenous People to the private interests. The White Man’s Burden written by Rudyard Kipling speaks to the Burden of the White Man to take the task of bring the darker races to the ways of the White Man’s superior society. Rudyard does not speak to the issue that in this transition from ignorance to enlightenment as defined at that time that we the Indigenous would also and more importantly be relieved of the burden of natural resources and access to Our Way Life. These natural resources were now taken on as the White Man’s Burden. It should not be difficult to conclude that Wellbeing of the Ondwayhoway is not high on the agenda of Her Britannic Majesty’s Dominion of Canada.
The Act denied the existence of the Indigenous People. Denied access to protection of their own laws/ways of life and denied access to protection of the “laws of the Dominion”. The Dominion passes an Act to Encourage the Gradual Civilization of the Indian where in the Minister was granted plenary powers over the Indians. Reservations are established as Internment Camps/Prisoner of War Camps. Travel outside was forbidden without approval of the Indian Agent. Indians outside the Reservation without permission were considered to be hostiles/enemies.
1885 – Louis Riel is hung as leader of the Metis Rebellion
Eight Tsilquotin are recaptured and hung after leaving the “reservation”.
1862 – South of the line, President Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves and executed Thirty Eight (38) Sante Sioux, without the protection of the rule of law as they were denied access to US domestic law and considered enemies of the state.
Does an apology return land stolen from the Indigenous People?
Yours truly,
Larry W. Green
