What culture are we trying to protect? The Elders said that when a person married out they were interrupting the culture. This idea made sense when the clan system of governance existed. Since, the clans were tied to each other by natural family bonds, when a person was not related it caused a disruption in the decision making process. So, a mixed marriage caused the children to not have the ties of the grandparents, aunts and uncles on evey side of the house. Today, we dont use the clan system, so thats out. The non Mohawk person brought another language and foreign ideas that influenced minds in terms of power, money and inequality. Well, we already do that too, so thats out. The non natives living among our people brought different religions and patriarchal systems. We have embraced that too, so thats out. Residential schools were a means to break up the families and immerse the children in all of the non native influences in order to take the Indian right out of the child. We are now self assimilating them in outside schools. So, if we want to talk about maintaining our culture and punishing people for causing disruption then theres a whole bunch of people who need to be punished. That wouldnt be feasible do I guess we have to make this about blood or lineage which is very sad if thats all we have left. Waht about the culture? Everyone is responsible for that. Should we all be punished for not doing it or should we ask the question, Why are we personally not doing it? Its funny that those with hardly any blood are some of the most knowledgeable. Before we look at others for our losses. We should look at ourselves and ask another question, How can we all, and anyone who can help, even non natives, help to regain the knowledge of our past which is so relevant and vital today?
Posted on: Wed, 17 Sep 2014 18:04:15 +0000
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