UN Human Development Index for Indigenous people Canada ranks #48 yet for everybody else in Canada the index is 8. Did you know that racism amongst our Indigenous communities is the norm, not the exception with 46% living OFF the reserve having been a victim of racism or discrimination. “Initially, Canada refused to endorse the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which is an instrument established to ensure the individual and collective rights of indigenous peoples.” For a peace loving nation that prides themselves on being inclusive and multiculturalism why wouldn’t we want to protect our most valuable asset? If we are truly ashamed of what is now being brought into light why aren’t we trying to do better? Is is that hard to know how to treat a race of beautiful people who only wanted to embrace their culture and ancestral routes? Why were we so against a civilization of individuals who loved the land and each other and would do everything and anything to pay their respects to each other and the bounty that would harvest, collect and hunt? How can the European Monarchy lay claims to a land that was already inhabited? How can you force human beings to live in less than inhabitable conditions that even our livestock would have perished. For as long as I have loved history I was always confused in who gave the power to those in charge to eliminate entire races.

Imagine living your whole life in a country where those in your tribe work together to help each other survive. Everybody contributes to the well being of their neighbours in the most altruistic loving way possible. A successful hunt is shared with all and more food is added to the festivities as they danced and celebrated long into the night. Work and play worked side by side as the youngest learned directly from the eldest with tales handed down to the next generation. As a child I remember watching these peaceful Indigenous communities before the ships of steel and smoke landed on their shores in various movies. I couldn’t imagine being filled with such peace and hope and maybe a mild curiosity as you met with those that were now on your shore. Evil wasn’t a thing back then. Who would have thought these white men could have anything sadistic in store.

All the alarm bells go off in my heart when I read about the similarities between what the Germans did to the Jewish and what the first settlers did to our Indigenous. What they engaged in goes far beyond desecrating on Holy Land. They purposely led the buffalo into extinction forcing the Indigenous to sign treaties in order to get fed. They pushed them off into reservations taken their most prosperous land and raping the resources to send it offshore. Imagine the confusion as the land you sacrificed your whole being for paying your respect and thanks to is now infertile, just common dirt. Of course there would be anger and confusion but enter alcohol to calm all their nerves. We created a sub par race through demented mind control. This is typical Nazi type behaviour and it was right here on our shores. Doing all the things that Hitler would get satisfaction was alive and well before he was even born.

Yes I understand it wasn’t you nor do you have any blood connections to this violent past. The house you live in so comfortably was paid for in the blood of Indigenous Woman, Child and Man. We are obsessed with confirming our lineage to trace it back to royal roots? Why do you want to be an inhuman tyrant with enough power to restore civility that was stolen from an incredible race of people. No matter who you are in the world you have to admit that what was down was a travesty and we need to restore them back to who they once were. Do you know who hurts the most for this ideology to continue? Those that our heart bleeds for now it is up to us to prove it. Put your money where your mouth is and stop paying lip service. Do something to actually show that you are humbly sorry for all the children that were sacrificed for us to live the way we do. How would we feel if it was Hitler that took over Europe and commanded with a heavy fist? Oh yes it is ok because we have this false belief in our head that Canada is one of the friendliest places on Earth. Define friend just on your own and ask yourself are you a good one? I want to be friends with our Indigenous heritage because it is in who they are that I can relate with. I never liked much being told what to do and that is what they do best by making us work our fingers to the bone to pay taxes. Taxes set in place to destroy our Indigenous communities so we can bring over more tax payers so we can do it all over again.

This is not a fly by night fancy where I just speak up for a minute than I rest my head thinking I did all I can do better shut up and go to bed. I read something that hurt me so deeply and it reminded me all you need is one. What I read was a caption made by a strong, beautiful Indigenous woman and I haven’t felt the same since. I won’t quote word for word because I never asked permission too. What I will share with you is what I hear in my mind and what I see as I hear it because in sharing I hope you do to. Why we need to make a change and yes it can start with just you because what she said was, “Why don’t they like us Indigenous in Canada? We are some of the smartest, funniest, kindest, most connected individuals.” I thought about growing up and being a kid doing all the things that kids do. I found myself wondering if she ever had a sleepover with girlfriends the kind where you gorge yourself on junk food watching movies and staying up all night. When I thought about the Hollywood portrayal of the young girl sleepover I thought to myself I never had many of those myself. Not in the picture perfect way. In her warrior stance in front of the Kamloops Residential School I longed to be her friend. I know that our stories are different but true, selfless love always finds away. My willingness to learn isn’t to overshadow what they are going through or whatever it is that has been done. My wish is to only validate their existence like we should have done way back when.