There are two men that are totally different in the sense of how they perceive indigenous women. The differences are that one is Canadian and the other is a United States citizen. So, what is so different with these two men that can change the way our societies treat indigenous women like myself. Well, here goes. A few days ago a woman asked me to focus on this difference. As it show the significance in how indigenous men create their women, like sisters, aunts, mothers and grandmothers.
In Canada, we've had the Indian Act that was created to establish Indian Residential Schools. As much as politicians say it this very Act that we use to keep the Canadian Government accountable and yet look at the United States. They didn't have an Act to call on their government to systematically kill them off. We, in Canada, had a strong paper that was pull through as a form of legislation. It's probably that whole English attitude of giving that stiff upper lip and cheery oh type of mentality. It's like a protocol. We have this paper that is a form a law that all indigenous people are going to be affected by its ideology.
In the United States they didn't need a strong paper to tell them to kill off the American Indian. they just did; whereas, in Canada we all are so damn prim and proper like Indian Act. And, this is the difference.
When I met a highly educated indigenous man in the United States, he was a full professor. When we met he told me he was consolidating ten of his companies into one, to make things manageable for himself. He'd earned a masters in Engineering and a Masters in Business and a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. Oh yes, he had served in the United State Military before attending University. He had worked within Indigenous Organizations his entire life; however, he never used his indigenous status to acquire any of his wealth. He was a very humble man. He had political connections and helped me get my green card. It was horrible time. I was just fortunate that I could ask him for his help.
He had told me that he was proud to be an indigenous person. He had his status card; however, he said he never used it to get grants or loans. He said he know that there were other indigenous peoples who needed more than him. He wanted me to know that he didn't know what it was like for me being an indigenous woman growing up in a third world community. In the States they call them reservations and here in Canada we call our homes, reserves or First Nations Communities.
Okay, now here the other side of coin. This other guy got his education here in Canada. He joined the RCMP rather than the military like Tom. This other guy after awhile went into law school to become a lawyer. He worked in Ottawa. Both of these men are intelligent. Lets just say they are more intelligent than me; however, there is a difference.
Emotional Intelligence is the difference. One took care of himself both physical and mentally. I mean one would have to live in such a way that you earn a Ph.D. in clinical Psychology. It's a difficult facility to get into little alone graduate with honors. The other fellow, well did the opposite. So why bring up these two very different men into my discussion about attitudes towards indigenous women. Well, here the point. In order for any man willing to use his education or his status to help murdered and missing indigenous women, he must first be able to relate to us.
He must first have genuine pride in being indigenous himself. I've never met any educated indigenous man in Canada whose never lived on a Reserve or First Nations say that he doesn't or can not relate to me. Tom told me. He told me that he couldn't comprehend what it was like for me to live on a Reserve; whereas, this other indigenous man who has never lived within a First Nations community could not even give me any form of genuine pride of being indigenous.
He could not admit he didn't know what it was like for me to grow up within my community and within my culture. He would rather just not even be associated with Canada. He gave up his citizenship. I really can not comprehend what was so difficult for him to admit. He got himself an education and he worked for the Canadian government. I men Tom worked with Ronald Reagan and even baby sat for him. Yet, there is something the matter with our indigenous men in Canada. Our educated indigenous men. I wear my skin everywhere I go in this city.
I see relative drinking their lives away. I am there. I eat breathe and sleep within my First Nations Community. I know what its like to grow up here. From my research, I am seeing how the Canadian government has deliberately put obstacles in our way as indigenous girls and indigenous women.
My mistake with this man from Canada was to think he had it in him to help us indigenous women; however, in order for him to be able to do such a thing. He himself must be able to show compassion and genuine pride in being indigenous. My friend Tom, he's the most humble man I've met and I know there are many out there who've added indirectly to the general public about what it is to be indigenous. In a positive affirmative way in helping us all move forward.
This Indian Act not only is a law and continues to be a law that spread a negative or perpetuates a negative stereotype about indigenous women. It's people a paper to use as a racist tool. It justifies an attitude that it okay to behave a certain way to us indigenous women. Whereas, in the United States, like I said they didn't have a paper. They just killed for the sake of killing and used their amendments rights to kill Indigenous people. We in Canada are not different. In fact, I think we are more barbaric in how we treat our women than they are in the United States.
I just wanted to put this out there. There are reasons why there are so many murdered and missing indigenous girls and women. There are reasons why the inquiry isn't going as quickly as it could and there are reasons why we keep putting people in these positions that are incapable of helping.
We must wake up and ask ourselves some very serious questions about mental health. As I've said before this whole process of staying mentally well just isn't taking up a therapist when things start getting difficult. It's a lifetime process that we try to teach our children. This is process in self-love, self-fullness and self-awareness. Forty years ago we didn't have the academic we have today. So, lets start using their wisdom. Don't go for those who really don't give a damn and are all hype. As my late father in his own dysfunctional way would say and so would my dysfunctional uncles say; "Actions speak louder than words'
"Speak to me softy tell me know lie, if you don't know what it's like, to live in a First Nations Community, tell me know lies, I am an indigenous woman, my time fly's."
Is it so difficult to admit that you don't know? As my late sister-in-law Julie would say: 'Get off the cross! We need the wood!"
(laughing out loud!!)
In Canada, we've had the Indian Act that was created to establish Indian Residential Schools. As much as politicians say it this very Act that we use to keep the Canadian Government accountable and yet look at the United States. They didn't have an Act to call on their government to systematically kill them off. We, in Canada, had a strong paper that was pull through as a form of legislation. It's probably that whole English attitude of giving that stiff upper lip and cheery oh type of mentality. It's like a protocol. We have this paper that is a form a law that all indigenous people are going to be affected by its ideology.
In the United States they didn't need a strong paper to tell them to kill off the American Indian. they just did; whereas, in Canada we all are so damn prim and proper like Indian Act. And, this is the difference.
When I met a highly educated indigenous man in the United States, he was a full professor. When we met he told me he was consolidating ten of his companies into one, to make things manageable for himself. He'd earned a masters in Engineering and a Masters in Business and a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. Oh yes, he had served in the United State Military before attending University. He had worked within Indigenous Organizations his entire life; however, he never used his indigenous status to acquire any of his wealth. He was a very humble man. He had political connections and helped me get my green card. It was horrible time. I was just fortunate that I could ask him for his help.
He had told me that he was proud to be an indigenous person. He had his status card; however, he said he never used it to get grants or loans. He said he know that there were other indigenous peoples who needed more than him. He wanted me to know that he didn't know what it was like for me being an indigenous woman growing up in a third world community. In the States they call them reservations and here in Canada we call our homes, reserves or First Nations Communities.
Okay, now here the other side of coin. This other guy got his education here in Canada. He joined the RCMP rather than the military like Tom. This other guy after awhile went into law school to become a lawyer. He worked in Ottawa. Both of these men are intelligent. Lets just say they are more intelligent than me; however, there is a difference.
Emotional Intelligence is the difference. One took care of himself both physical and mentally. I mean one would have to live in such a way that you earn a Ph.D. in clinical Psychology. It's a difficult facility to get into little alone graduate with honors. The other fellow, well did the opposite. So why bring up these two very different men into my discussion about attitudes towards indigenous women. Well, here the point. In order for any man willing to use his education or his status to help murdered and missing indigenous women, he must first be able to relate to us.
He must first have genuine pride in being indigenous himself. I've never met any educated indigenous man in Canada whose never lived on a Reserve or First Nations say that he doesn't or can not relate to me. Tom told me. He told me that he couldn't comprehend what it was like for me to live on a Reserve; whereas, this other indigenous man who has never lived within a First Nations community could not even give me any form of genuine pride of being indigenous.
He could not admit he didn't know what it was like for me to grow up within my community and within my culture. He would rather just not even be associated with Canada. He gave up his citizenship. I really can not comprehend what was so difficult for him to admit. He got himself an education and he worked for the Canadian government. I men Tom worked with Ronald Reagan and even baby sat for him. Yet, there is something the matter with our indigenous men in Canada. Our educated indigenous men. I wear my skin everywhere I go in this city.
I see relative drinking their lives away. I am there. I eat breathe and sleep within my First Nations Community. I know what its like to grow up here. From my research, I am seeing how the Canadian government has deliberately put obstacles in our way as indigenous girls and indigenous women.
My mistake with this man from Canada was to think he had it in him to help us indigenous women; however, in order for him to be able to do such a thing. He himself must be able to show compassion and genuine pride in being indigenous. My friend Tom, he's the most humble man I've met and I know there are many out there who've added indirectly to the general public about what it is to be indigenous. In a positive affirmative way in helping us all move forward.
This Indian Act not only is a law and continues to be a law that spread a negative or perpetuates a negative stereotype about indigenous women. It's people a paper to use as a racist tool. It justifies an attitude that it okay to behave a certain way to us indigenous women. Whereas, in the United States, like I said they didn't have a paper. They just killed for the sake of killing and used their amendments rights to kill Indigenous people. We in Canada are not different. In fact, I think we are more barbaric in how we treat our women than they are in the United States.
I just wanted to put this out there. There are reasons why there are so many murdered and missing indigenous girls and women. There are reasons why the inquiry isn't going as quickly as it could and there are reasons why we keep putting people in these positions that are incapable of helping.
We must wake up and ask ourselves some very serious questions about mental health. As I've said before this whole process of staying mentally well just isn't taking up a therapist when things start getting difficult. It's a lifetime process that we try to teach our children. This is process in self-love, self-fullness and self-awareness. Forty years ago we didn't have the academic we have today. So, lets start using their wisdom. Don't go for those who really don't give a damn and are all hype. As my late father in his own dysfunctional way would say and so would my dysfunctional uncles say; "Actions speak louder than words'
"Speak to me softy tell me know lie, if you don't know what it's like, to live in a First Nations Community, tell me know lies, I am an indigenous woman, my time fly's."
Is it so difficult to admit that you don't know? As my late sister-in-law Julie would say: 'Get off the cross! We need the wood!"
(laughing out loud!!)
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