I just had a pretty awesome visit with this woman Catherine, she is from South Africa and is an expert with their indigenous knowledge systems. Her job is to directly impact and influence her governments policy making systems and instil indigenous values and truths within its policies. Her message was simple, dominant culture, western society will not survive, not only that she had said they are going to hell. She said that the only thing that will save this world is the knowledge systems and the VALUES of the indigenous peoples. Ive heard these same messages when meeting with David Suzuki. She explained that it is different in South Africa then in Canada because the indigenous peoples are the majority, and they have direct voices of how their systems of policy are made. Canada is different because we only represent 4% of our population, I had made the comment that it will probably be a long time before we are at the South African level. She told me that as indigenous peoples, we hold the truths that will save humanity, these truths are more powerful then any numbers and will help us. I spoke about how our people dont like participating in Canadian systems because it takes away our sovereignty, she dramatically explained that while we are learning about ourselves, our identities, culture, ceremonies we must also never forget that the truths we hold will be what saves Canada. Saying screw their systems, lets work on ourselves and be sovereign is selfish in the sense that we will watch Canadians destroy themselves. We have to help them, not only that we must never forget that there is a greater battle going on worldwide, a global indigenous resurgence. We are not alone in this battle but we must be careful, she spoke of; after you have your roots, your connections your ceremonies, once you have your truths, use them and infiltrate the Canadian policy making systems. Strategically, and quietly but quickly. Learn how they operate and have a decent representation system of our indigenous peoples. Yes their system is broken but it is the teachings and knowledge of Indigenous peoples that will fix it. Not only did she share this but she had said that there cant be one way of winning this battle, there must be several. Our people WORKING TOGETHER, but in their own ways in final getting the truths out of our indigenous peoples and never forgetting the rest of the world. Find the truths of humanity, they are in the land, in language and ceremony. Protect them and share them with our brothers and sisters to save them from themselves. Thats pretty much how the conversation went, she is a very smart woman. Indigenizing Canadian policy making, sounds a lot like assimilation to me, but why allow anyone for that matter to decide when we lose who we are as Neiheyawak? Isnt that between us and the Creator? and what about Treaty for that matter? Wouldnt participating in their systems and losing sovereignty be dishonouring the Treaty on our part? Wouldnt that be breaking a promise with the Creator? Maybe we are meant to infiltrate Canadian government and policy making, it would save our lands and our peoples and most likely make way for harmony between nations. But Im not sure...
Posted on: Tue, 15 Apr 2014 20:59:28 +0000
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