Today HAS to be seen as one small seed in how the relationship between First Nations & Government requires transformation! In honour of the recent land decision of the Tsilhqotin and all the decisions before them it is important to remember the commitment of First Nations participation in fighting the system - why have we had to go to this extent? The answer sadly is to SURVIVE! Why as First peoples have we had to beg for a place in our own land? As always, this session today is met with hesitation, mistrust, & doubt. There are questions like: Is this a significant & meaningful agenda on the part of the government? How much more leverage through litigation will be enough and on whos terms? Should today be seen as one, opportunities beyond measure? Something we have only imagined todate? OR is it simply another tactic of government to continue to keep us busy! I suggest this will also be considered by many First Nations as war. What is the plan of the government? What interim measures will serve as the dangling carrot if we agree to entertain the ideology of transforming the relationship between the Crown & First Nations? Will anything be different? At this time and place in history this day could mean nothing, just as the many other token events have meant nothing to us, or this day could serve as a milestone overdue beyond measure. Overtime the Aboriginal Rights discourse has been ditched by many First Nations and we have witnessed an increase in direct action because the Rights discourse has entrenched us in a colonial framework that we can not exist in! We need to be realistic about the limitations of the concept as history has proven so in our relationship with government. Our relationship with government is no where near maturing to an ideology we can work with. It has locked us into an identity & niche within the colonial framework. For many of us, lining up at the door today to participate in this session still believe nothing has or will change. Today I am here as HEILTSUK. I stand here with all other First Nations who are not fooled. I suggest we as First Nations make our own plans as to what works for us! We drive the agenda as its time to turn the tables and stand up for what is rightfully ours and always has been. We will not act, however we WILL be self governing Nations, with each one of us coming from our own unique perspectives of our people and the lands we come from. We REFUSE the narrow parameters that the state believes they have a right to assign us. RECOGNITION is a code word for begging. How many times have we invested our dignity into begging for recognition? My message as a Heiltsuk woman, a life giver, a mother of two precious children, comes from my deep belief that my children and all First Nations children HAVE to live in a better world then we have. I honour my ancestors who have gone before us, those who sacrificed themselves in this fight with the same hope or better yet the same belief. We will no longer Beg!
Posted on: Thu, 11 Sep 2014 18:25:42 +0000
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