Exploring and appreciating aboriginal works and creations in media and storytelling to gain insight into the experiences of indigenous groups around the world.
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Conclusory Statement (Zoe)
It is only through examination of marginalized, “outside” voices that we can ever hope to gain a educated global perspective. As one person, it is impossible to physically understand the experiences of someone who has lived completely different circumstances, and it is for this reason that the media, literature, and art produced by those so different from ourselves holds such value, and is so important to study, especially now, as we are working to right injustices of the past and present. Especially when it is so clear that a voice has been historically silenced and disregarded, it is educationally valuable from both a literary and social point of view to examine works by and for members of the aboriginal community, so that we can continue to educate ourselves as a society, and as individuals who value equality.
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Editorial: Canadian Residential Schools (Zoe)
Though Canada is largely known, especially to Canadians, to be a place that welcomes people from all ethnic, religious, and cultural backgrounds, that is open to immigrants and embraces differences rooted in heritage, it does not mean that this country does not have its share of shameful and racist history. One of the clearest examples of this is the historical mistreatment of aboriginal peoples in Canada, and within this discrimination, institutions designed to assimilate, and to correct behaviours and traditions of native communities. These are known as residential schools, places that existed all over Canada up until the very recently, with the last residential school closure of Gordon Indian Residential School in Saskatchewan in 1996.
The aim of Canadian Residential Schools was to convert young indigenous people to Christianity, and to replace their culture with more European or Canadian traditions. These schools were sponsored by the government, and were run by priests and nuns, as opposed to teachers. These schools often forcibly separated students from their families, and required them to physically change their appearance, involving practices such as requisite haircuts to make them look more canadian. In Bev Sellars’ memoir They Called Me Number One, she writes about how each student at her residential school was assigned a number, instead of being called by name. Only English or French was spoken and taught at these schools, leading to the loss of many native languages as another venue for Europeanization of aboriginal groups.
Accounts like that of Bev Sellars are heartbreakingly common, considering that Residential Schools existed all over Canada, and were in operation from the 1880s to the 1990s. It is due to institutions and policies similar to these schools that the preservation and respect of indigenous cultures in Canada has become such a relevant issue in the present day. Though Prime Minister Stephen Harper issued a public apology for these schools in 2008, there is still a lot of work to be done to make reparations and restore these cultures and traditions, and ensure that they have the appropriate safe spaces in which to embrace their heritage, and that they are given respect from every Canadian citizen, native or otherwise.
Problems like these are not unique to Canada, but are a part of a global theme of the intentional and deliberate silencing of the voices of aboriginal peoples. It is important to ensure that these voices are heard in order to begin a process of reparation of relationships between those of European and white descent and indigenous groups, and to gain perspective from those who have been marginalized as an attempt to keep working for total racial and cultural equality.
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Introduction (Zoe)
They Called Me Number One, written by Bev Sellars, is the story of the writer’s experience in residential schools in Canada. Titled after the school’s action of assigning numbers to each student, a practice that was experienced not only by the author, but her mother and grandmother, along with many other members of her community that left the school with their number ingrained in their minds. The aim of this book is to recount the injustices inflicted on the aboriginal peoples in Canada up until relatively recently. This novel clearly places the author’s indigenous voice as an “other” when compared to white Canadian culture. The purpose of St Joseph’s Mission school was to assimilate and “civilize” young native people, convert them to Christianity, and distance them from their families.
Bev Sellars was the chief of the British Columbian Soda Creek Nation for many years, beginning in 1987. She is also an advisor for the BC Treaty Commission, as well as an author and activist for outspoken voices who have gone through similar experiences due to their native heritage. Her memoir They Called Me Number One won the 2014 George Ryga award for Social Awareness, and was nominated and shortlisted for multiple other literary awards.
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Jeremy’s Conclusory Statement
We can no longer stress how important aboriginal culture is to this land and how this land is important to aboriginal lives. We recognize and our aware of the problems but we need to stop addressing them and start acting on them. To fix any problem you need to start small and expand. Canadians have been helping and protesting injustice all over the world but before we help others we need to help ourselves. We need to start within our community first. This generation is a product of a system which sets up certain groups to fail and allow others to benefit from it. Being in a group with no one of aboriginal descent, including myself, it was easy to see how uneducated people our of this subject and how individuals go by their day with a completely different mindset and perspective on life. I have some aboriginal friends in other classes of mine and sometimes I notice their reaction to certain concepts or lies that continue to be past on in our education systems to hide the truth of our countries past. As an individual I want to learn and respect what is sacred and important to others in my community. I want to push my limits and create bridges with other groups as well as educate others of on mine so that we can truly live as one respected nation. There is a lot to be done and this year we continue to celebrate Canada's 150 years of stolen land and colonization.
By Jeremy Watson, The Indigenous Reader contributor.
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Link to song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUcAPCxrSQs
Indigenous Afro Latina rapper, Princess Nokia, creates stunning imagery for her “Brujas” music video. Incorporating a reference to the Yoruban Orisha goddess, Yemaya, the song describes her identity as a Black Latina Taino woman from the Bronx.
By Jeremy Watson, The Indigenous Reader contributor.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcbc1t5lITs
Take a listen to this song honouring Oshun, one of the Goddesses of the Yoruba Orisha tradition. The Orishas are worshiped in West Africa, South America, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Jamaica and Brazil.
By Jeremy Watson, The Indigenous Reader Contributor
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Oshe Turu - The Story of Oshun And The Devine Femininity
Link To Story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OU_QkhxfZjs
Oshe Turu is a story passed on by generations of the Orisha religion, originally from the Yoruba culture in West Africa. Having around 401 gods, the Orisha is a polytheistic religion with gods and goddesses who represent different aspects of nature and life. The Orishas are worshiped not only in West Africa but also throughout South America and in Cuba, Puerto Rico, Jamaica and Brazil. It is one of the religions adapted by the Taino people of these regions. The Taino tribe are one of the first inhabitants of the Caribbean. The tribe has experienced genocide and many atrocities throughout history with Christopher Columbus and colonization. Many people in the Caribbean and South America are of Taino descent and are unaware of it or reject their native ancestry. It is taught at school that the Taino people are extinct but that is not true. They are alive and their voices must be remembered and heard.
Oshe Turu is also known as ‘The Story of Oshun’. Oshun is the goddess of fertility and the river. She represents new life, the colour yellow and cycle. Oshun is also the most beautiful. She loves honey and gold and can be very sensitive. Oshun has been disrespected in this story and because of this, others suffer. The moral of this story is to always respect the divine femininity of a woman and that without the respect for women there would be no balance. Women play a very important role in the Taino and Yoruba indigenous culture. There must be duality between men and women and without it life cannot go on. We see this in the story when the head God Olodumare sent Obatala, Ogun, Shango and Oshun down to earth to create life, and because Oshun was a woman the male gods didn’t think she would be any help to them so they asked her not to come. So she waited on the moon and stared at herself in the mirror knowing that the task couldn’t be completed without her. Once Obatala, Ogun Shango were on earth they couldn’t grow anything and nothing was working. They were having trouble because there was no love and love is needed for growth. There was a love drought. What they were missing was the love for women. Without Oshun there to bless her waters, nothing could grow.
Though this is an old story it still can help the younger generations today. It suggests that we need to stay together no matter our differences and that together we are stronger. The Orishas are not actually thought to be godly people who walk this earth. However, they are embodiments of an energy that comes from nature. People who still follow this tradition believe that when it hasn’t rained for a while or certain regions are experiencing a lack of water it’s because there has been women have been disrespected so Oshun left. This tradition and many similar traditions have been labeled as devilish or uncivilized by European and Western standards. With diaspora, many have become distant from their culture and it is important that we educate and remember the values and traditions of our ancestors.
By Jeremy Watson, The Indigenous Reader Contributor
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Listen to “Naheo” by Aboriginal Canadian artist, Cree Summer. “Naheo” expresses the beauty of indigenous culture and recommends that you remember your true identity.
By Jeremy Watson, The Indigenous Reader Contributor
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WABAN AKI
Aboneki filmaker Alanais Obomsawin explores the rich history of her Native tribe in the documentary: Waban Aki: The People Where the Sun Rises.\
-Hussain Alibhai
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I AM A WOMAN
Lee Maracle depicts her own experience in this novel, as an aboriginal woman understanding what it means to be a feminist as a minority.
-Hussain Alibhai
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BOBBI LEE: INDIAN REBEL
Lee Maracle’s debut novel depicts an aboriginal women living in the 1960′s, and her many hardships as a minority. The book marks the first published novel by an aboriginal author in Canada.
-Hussain Alibhai
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RAVENSONG
Coast Salish poet Lee Maracle writes ‘RavenSong,’ a novel which depicts an aboriginal girl in a small town of only Canadians of European decent.
-Hussain Alibhai
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JOSEPH BOYDEN
Metis’ writer Joseph Boyden was inducted into the ‘Order of Canada’ for his works highlighting the Native experience, as well as his contributions to Native charities.
-Hussain Alibhai
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MONKEY BEACH
Haisla author Eden Robinson writes ‘Monkey Beach’ in 2000, which highlights the experience of living on the Haisla reserves.
-Hussain Alibhai
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RICHARD WAGAMESE
Richard Wagamese is a late Ojibwe writer, half of his published works are award winning, including the ‘National Canadian Newspaper’ award, making him the first Native person to do so.
-Hussain Alibhai
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INDIG-CURIOUS
Aborigine play-write Jane Harrison publishes the essay ‘Indig-curious’ which discusses Aboriginal identity in the medium of theatre.
-Hussain Alibhai
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DREAMING IN URBAN AREAS
Aborigine writer Lisa Bellear publishes ‘Dreaming in Urban Areas’ in 1996, which is a collection of poems highlighting the Indigenous-Australian experience.
-Hussain Alibhai
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