Reclaiming Ourselves One Name at a Time
First Nations, Ojibway, Blackfoot, Indian, Aboriginal, Treaty, Halfbreed, Cree, Status Indian are all fairly familiar English words but none of them are the names by which we, the various Indigenous Peoples, called ourselves in our own languages.
Mindimoyenh & The Pipe Ceremony
When it became public in the days before #J11 that AFN National Chief Shawn A-in-Chut Atleo sent a letter to PM Harper inviting him to AFN’s January 24th, 2013 anniversary meeting of the First Nations-Crown gathering, I was immediately agitated. Was the AFN co-opting Chief Theresa Spence’s sacrifice and The Peoples (i.e. Idle No More ...
The Sucker Punch of January 11th
I am wondering if anyone felt like I did this past week: weak, hurt, angry, disoriented, disappointed and down right disgusted at what happened on January 11th in Ottawa.
The People United Will Never Be Defeated
This past Sunday I watched on-line as the exquisite beauty of the Grand Entry of singers and dancers, in full regalia, young and old, moved into the West Edmonton Mall (WEM). It was spectacular and there could not possibly be any sight more stirring or moving. As I watched I was struck by a number ...
Fish Broth & Fasting
A year ago, after the community of Attawapiskat had been dragged through the racist lens of the media for more than a month, I began to write about the situation. I wrote two pieces. One that was published in Briarpatch magazine that was political, and one that was a spoken word piece using the music ...
What Ceremony Can Tell Us
I remember my parents taking me to the ceremonies. They always took place at “Naytonggong” (the original place name for “the point”). I recall one time a medicine man had arrived from another community by boat to do the “jiiskaan” (shaking tent).
#IdleNoMore Provides Us With Opportunity to Examine Nationhood
I’ve been starting to feel a little tired. Like thousands of other relatives across Turtle Island and the world, I have been participating in actions and dialogue around #idlenomore. I’ve helped
Ready or Not – Languages Are Vital to Sustaining the Indigenous Movement
Someone I know recently described herself as experiencing an ‘emotional hangover’ after the mess of January 11th. This description immediately resonated with me. I’m sure many people are feeling the same. Idle No More came in like a lion right around the winter holidays,
Chiefs, Councils & Grassroots – The Struggle Within
As a young boy growing up on the reserve, we were poor. We had no running water, or fridge and stove, no electricity and cheaply built houses. In the winter time we couldn’t sleep close to the walls as frost came right through. Our house was typical of other houses back then.
Our Language Carries Us
First I want to thank Christi Belcourt for honoring me by asking me to add this post to this blog. I have much respect for her. Dreams are sacred to me and have helped me get through a lot in my life. Some are personal and some I feel I might do some good by ...
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