The people united will never be divided right?

The olympic torch is set to run through Six Nations on December 21st 2009.  This is an event that is bound to meet resistance. 

August 20th a meeting was held in Six Nations to 'inform' the community about the event and representatives from the four host first nations were invited to speak to their participation in the 2010 vancouver olympics.  Though encouragement was given to the community about its participation, the majority of community members present showed opposition to the torch passing through our Grand River Territory.  Six Nations women as well as representatives from Toronto's olympics resistance network spoke to the primary issues being focused on and were present to bring voice to the olympics resistance movement.  As a range of grassroots groups, predominantly indigenous ones supported us during the reclamation on Kahnonstaton 3 years ago, so shall we the grassroots of Six Nations support our brothers and sisters on the west coast. 

As it says in the title, the people, united, will never be divided...right?

One disturbing pattern that this olympics legacy has created, is the heavy division that has occurred...I cannot speak to the divisions that have been wrought upon other cities/regions, however I have noticed and do acknowledge the divisions I have witnessed within coast salish territory amongst many groups, struggling with multiple facets of the impacts of the games.  The inclusion of the four host first nations in the games has nourished these divisions and it's quite likely that was an intended result.

Everyone has their reason, everyone has their choice...are we here to battle each other?  I would like to think that any 'resistance' to oppression is a STAND FOR EQUALITY, PEACE, JUSTICE LIBERATION AND FREEDOM.

It is unfortunate that others do not see it as so, rather this movement is at times treated as an inconvenience that will destroy 'freedoms', deny 'peace' and ultimately thats not a very 'liberating' experience now is it?

The irony makes me want to laugh and cry simultaneously.

An event that in its mere preparation has wreaked such incredible havoc over so many diverse groups of people, not to mention the land, has few results to celebrate.  The glitter of such a 'celebration' has been marred by alarming rates of homelessness coupled with the ongoing criminalization of the poor (theorized as leading to mass arrests made during the actual games), the exploitation of women (and men) in the sex trade is and will heighten to unthinkable rates, enormous public debt, building numbers of human rights violations, destruction to the land for developments sake, exploitation of indigenous peoples and culture, the fact that native peoples are being targeted as terrorists and that the 2010 games will bring the biggest military/police operation in kanada's history within its own borders...may I ask for what exactly?

Considering these stark realities, (because they are very complex, visceral, traumatizing realities for many people at this very moment) how may this torch run in our already devastated yet empowered community of Six Nations be celebrated?

I recognize that not all Six Nations community members were participants in the reclamation movement, however every individual was affected.  Our sovereign peoples have been in a battle for many centuries and we saw the battle heighten in 2006 when we took direct action to reclaim our territories and the stewardship of our lands.  Aside from our triumphs (taking a stand our most significant), we have faced much racism, police oppression and ongoing 'threats' of military oppression, state oppression (court system degrading our sovereign identities), land destruction and loss, internal community and state corruption, factionalism, and lest we forget the violence, abuse and trauma that is embarked on our younger generations as a result of all these things.  Not to mention that the conflict is far from over and has had far reaching consequences that you don't read about in the papers.

I mention the young ones specifically because they are our next leaders and are we ensuring a strong fleet of Haudenosaune if we are not reinforcing them and providing proper support in light of this era of colonial imperialism?  (And though the fight for a youth centre and more youth based services is a noble one, youth empowerment as a soveriegn indigenous person has yet to be explored with greater significance)

I feel that for some, some eyes may have glazed over 5 paragraphs ago...I mention this because it feels that as soon as even an eyelash of this 'olympic truth' is released, the statistics are overwhelming, merely hearing this knowledge is as bombarding as the issues themselves to those who are affected by them.

WHAT YOU MAY NOT REALIZE AND I HOPE THE CAPITOL LETTERS WAKE YOU UP FOR YOU TO SEE THIS BUT YOUR APATHY IS THE ROOT OF OUR DIVISION, YOUR IGNORANCE IN CHOOSING TO NOT SEE YOUR BROTHER OR SISTER WHO IS STRUGGLING IS CREATING A LEGACY OF BLINDNESS FOR OUR FUTURE GENERATIONS, YOUR COMPLIANCE WITHOUT EDUCATION PERPETUATES STUPIDITY AND IF WE DO NOT JOIN HANDS SOON, THEN I AM AFRAID WE WILL REMAIN DIVIDED!

And joining hands DOES NOT mean we agree...

or that you MUST have the same opinion as me...

Frankly, I understand why most don't have the same opinions of me!  I'm pretty opinionated and also a tad extreme, however that is meaningless.  I have a right to my perspective and so do you...WHAT DOES MATTER is that I am willing to work with you to find a place where we meet...hand to hand...

to me that IS consensus...true democracy that lacks minority and requires all voices to be heard.

May we take the time to hear one another, to really hear...behind words, behind histories and past grudges, behind whatever judgements we may project, may I see you for your struggles, for your privileges, for your true inner power...may I know WHAT IT IS YOU REALLY WANT, for this world and for your life...perhaps there is somewhere in this that we are able to meet hand to hand even if we never meet eye to eye...

if you are turning from me, putting your back to me, giving me excuses for your compliance in continuing to hurt others, shaming or blaming me or attacking in any way...then I will not be able to join hands with you...

Funnily enough us activists get accused alot for doing those very things.  I find it ironic that these tactics are usually projections by small minded individuals who are content with colonization.  It is easy to CHOOSE to be colonized when you are willing to step over the truth and assimilate (exactly as they wanted you to be).

Of course that is an honest result of our oppression, many of our own immerse themselves willingly into our oppressors hands thinking they can 'change the system from within'.  My response to that is always...can you rehabilitate a psychopath?  (Not to be redundant, but really can you?)

A system with a foundation of theft and murder
A system built with our blood and bones, devouring our lands like a cannibal
A system that eats our progressiveness and regurgitates it as its own for its own selfish means
A system that never saw us as an equal, rather functions as an empire
A system that cannot exist without our oppression

And then the overwhelming bombardment hits once again...

And might I mention to those who are now uncomfortable and rustling around in your seat hoping that my next statements will be more encouraging, uplifting and indicative of hope...that I need this space for my peoples truth, my peoples fucking ugly truth...ugly in that it is painful and we are in need of relief not more judgement for merely speaking of it...

My mom commented to me today when we spoke of such issues that the olympic torch run has touched our community and instantly created more division.  It's presence in and of itself has now placed us in a position where there are only two options...

Either those of us who oppose its entry are silenced (quite unlikely)...which is an injustice to us ALL when voices are taken away...

Or we are again butting heads with one another to come to some kind of hand to hand understanding when most who are for the torch are shutting their ears, throwing accusations and unwilling to even acknowledge the struggles of others!  I heard from a cousin of mine who felt that this torch run is a relieving celebration amongst other struggles she has with her health...that her daily struggle is so overwhelming that she is unable to even begin to look at anothers struggle yet still would like to take advantage of the opportunities that contribute to that oppression.

But thats just a difference of opinion apparently?  I'm actually not so sure...

For one, I'm not confident that I was heard which was obvious in the response that contained no acknowledgement to what was said, another closed mind resulting in ignorance.  Illness itself does not necessarily create a barrier to consciousness (ask my mom about that one)...struggle may however if you have never had access to knowledge or space to absorb or process that knowledge...we would need much work to reach a place where these dots would connect...work on both our parts apparently...

Is there a way for us to come hand to hand?  Is it worth it when I am confronted with disturbing statements of "It is an honor for canada to host the games and an honor for the torch to come through our homeland" straight off a vanoc propoganda statement...I'm left with the OVERWHELMING notion that there is alot of work to be done on emancipating minds...

Bob Marley said it...

Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our minds...

This song brings back a recent memory...

A few weeks ago at a youth arts empowerment camp, we were doing an activity that involved skits that depicted an issue created by oppression.  The youth in my group decided they wanted to focus on colonization and the lies told to new immigrants entering this country.  We created a skit that involved an orientation given to newly arrived immigrants by a representative of the crown...the crown rep proceeded to spread 'disinformation' about the indigenous peoples of canada, humorously pointing out some disturbing points.  At that point an indigenous protester storms the scene (such an unlikely scenario, have you ever seen a masked warrior storming the immigration offices??  Someday perhaps *wink wink*) and proceeded to try to voice the truth of the indigenous peoples in this country and the treatment that we recieve...asking them if they really want to pledge their allegiance to an imperialist oppressor or if they would join sovereigns in reclaiming indigenous power to the land...

We then proceeded to sing the above mentioned Bob Marley liberation classic...

At that point the audience responded and immediately the response referred to how the "representative of the state" could have "reformed" his actions to suit the needs of the new immigrants better.

Very predictable, it is unfortunate, but the point was being missed...

The overwhelming idea that someday the lands of turtle island would belong again in the power of the indigenous peoples is one that is almost unfathomable...yet at the end of the day is one of the most liberating places we would find ourselves in as human beings...

liberating yet frightening in all its uncertainty...

I told Jade yesturday that we are like cells, us individuals, we are unique and move to our own rhythms, yet we tend to be affected by the energy and movement by the whole...we are all cells in one being, how may those few change the course of us all...when the body of all life is heading down a road of death at human hands...

one cell at a time and with as much medicine as possible...we must be the medicine because it is the change from within the cells that kills cancer...

This is where it is uplifting...in order for us to be successful in this movement, in order for us to be the warriors that are needed for this moment in our story, WE HAVE TO BE OUR OWN MEDICINE, THE MEDICINE WITHIN AND WITHOUT...

Life is depending on us to be healed and then to heal...

A young comrade of mine named Dustin Rivers said that "the future generations must know that some may have participated, but that others resisted" (not sure if this is verbatim, apologies dustin if you read this)...in light of what we are creating with our present day 'compliance', what will the future generations feel when they see this legacy, when they are reaping the consequences of this generations poor choices and assimilationist compliance..what do our ancestors feel...

Liberated Haudenosaune cannot support oppression symbolized by a torch...

Healing comes from those of us who maintain that light of strength and truth that will shine far past our lifetimes and will honor those faces yet to come with our loyalty to freedom and peace...even if it is the hard road in this lifetime...

One cell at a time...

Danetoh!

Hippies with Crystals

I gotta ask, when is it appropriate to accept acts of charity?

So Sunday afternoon we decide to get ourselves some free lunch over at the Hindu temple. Being a famiy who must collectively forge for food in expensive vancouver is kinda tough in these times so when we can feed a family for less...hey it is a relief and one less stress to add to our day...which in this city, stress is tossed at us on the regular...

Whenever I go there I feel this incredible reverence, I don't understand the culture, nor the traditions...I want to be as respectful as I am capable of being. Perhaps it is knowing how disruptive, disempowering and often times a major drain it can be to see others take pieces of your culture and use it to their advantage without really having knowledge, understanding or genuine appreciation. I also feel this gratitude towards the fact that in the past when I've gone to temple on sundays for lunch, I often see the local homeless guys (most of which are native) waiting in line and think to myself...well if there is one place where displaced peoples are able to contribute to the onkwehonwe of turtle island, then hell a free lunch is a damn good start! Not the end of course cause obviously we have alot of work to do yet in terms of our relationships with one another on this land...I believe we have the ability to stand side by side, however it is crucial that we recognize our positions in relation to each other in order for that side by side relationship to even exist...perhaps this comes into my mind when I go to temple...

cause it is a needed service they provide to the community, when so many are hungry all the time...

Well me and Jade walked up to 11th, been looking forward to this meal all week. As we round the corner we are struck with this line up that consisted of concentric social clique circles that went as far down as two blocks! Now of course the thoughts pop to mind...

the economy is bad

the lunch is really good

other people require a break from 'buying' food as well...

Then the colors of the crowd unveiled expensive chuck taylor shoes, dime store jewellery coupled with a cotton t-shirt that has a screenprint that goes for like $60, designer leggings, expensive vintage clothing store finds...it was the land of hipsters...and what was really disturbing was that these people had called each other up in their hung-over stuperdom to hang out in groups and 'go for lunch' as if it were some midday party hour...AT THIS HINDU TEMPLE!!!

Now this does make me uncomfortable to say this, and I introduce this next statement with that because it is difficult sometimes to point it out when you know damn well it is really bothering you...

Every person in that crowd was white! Middle class...appearing...young healthy...without a family to feed as there were no signs of children or familial relations...tho of course it was difficult to see through all the neon colors and scruffy exposed chest hair to really know for sure...

Where were all the homeless guys I see frequent the place every sunday? The ones you throw 'the chin' at when you pass by them and say a few 'hey hows it goin's...

Probably walked away from this loud, brash, attention grabbing crowd of hip white people cause it was kinda disorienting and always intimidating to walk into a scenario like that...especially when you are not ONE OF THEM...

They stare at you, gawk even...look up and down your clothing...YA THATS RIGHT WE ARE WEARING OUR FUCKING SWEATPANTS!!

And they were really pissed when we proceeded to cut in line because it was obvious that this crowd was not going to be fully fed...there were like 3 times the people then normal...

Being the ever abnoxious native woman I am (and proud of that), I voiced my disdain to Jade (hey gotta be a mentor) loudly and without holding back...if they can feel good talking shit about my pants then I can feel good talking shit about their frivolous and rather white-privilege-soaked egos that seem to make noticeable gestures towards us to indicate that yes thats right, they ARE better then us...

Even as I felt myself fill with general frustration that this service is being blatantly over-used and under-appreciated (welcome any points to debate that), that the people making the food are often giving looks of disdain and frustration, (I wonder why)...I continued to walk that line, determined to get that lunch that will save us a few dollars so we can actually go to a movie today (family time doing something that we've been wanting to do for awhile) positive activities that a youth like Jade can enjoy with us, cause there are alot of scary alternatives...

It was too much, maybe I made it too much...maybe I'm sick of pretending to be okay with scenarios like that because I feel my elevated emotion is rooted in suppressing it in so many situations...

How many people get like that?

The apathy of this crowd reminded me of a recent incident here in Vancouver where Curtis Brick, one of our homelesss native brothers, died tragically after suffering all day in the open sunlight in record breaking hot temperatures! He was in a very highly frequented park, one where people rest on the grass on sunny days, hundreds of people probably passed him in that time, some sat right there with their guitars and blunts...BUT THEY LET HIM SUFFER!

And he died...

It hurts okay, it hurts and yes Sunday was a trigger to this truth...a feeling of BEING ALONE BECAUSE NO ONE IN THAT CROWD REALLY SAW US...or themselves for that matter because they are missing a piece of their humanity with that behaviour.

I had to speak to a youth I was working with at a camp a few weeks ago who believed that "Racism no longer existed in East Van"...

His experience of course...

Well I told him about being watched when I go into stores, that the likelihood of that happening tripled when my hair grew long. That I've had waitresses run towards me when I get up to pay the cheque out of fear that my family will commit a 'dine n dash'...how I gotta hear about all the indigenous and colored young people getting beat up senselessly by police at random times...for just being in the wrong place at the wrong time...

I continued to debate the fact that being 'color blind' doesn't eliminate this truth for me or for alot of people who don't have that experience...especially those of us who are racialized...

Eric Shweig, a native actor who was the first person to aide Curtis Brick before his tragic death expressed his disdain recently on his blog (link found below), where he referred to the 'Hippies with crystals'...he wished very awful things upon these people, and frankly I don't blame him...I feel him, I SEE HIM..HE IS NOT ALONE IN THAT FEELING...

And I don't think alot of us are alone in these feelings, the next question is...what are we going to do about it?

Are we going to continue to feel shame, guilt or embarrassment when we acknowledge the presence of white privilege?

Are we going to find a way to reveal our truths to one another in a way that will create healing and eradicate this ingrained societal disease?

Cause I can't pretend to be nice anymore, I also can't pretend that I feel like "WE ARE ALL ONE" when I'm obviously not treated that way...though will often be chastised by my white friends who claim I am angry and likely to be the downfall of freedom...

FREEDOM = BEING ABLE TO EXPRESS YOUR TRUTH

Stop telling me what I can't say, start letting me say what I NEED to say...

and there is no shame or guilt or embarrassment involved in any of us doing that!


Grandview Park death of Native Man CTV coverage
http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20090816/bc_park_death_folo_090816/20090816/?hub=BritishColumbiaHome

Eric Schweig's Blog
http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=273528588&blogId=503048697

Curtis Brick Memorial Rally Wednesday August 19th 2009
http://www.youtube.com/user/tinacherilyn

An Invocation

This begins as a prayer.












Nya:weh Sonkwaiatison
for all the gifts you have given me

for my birth and the legacies that welcomed me onto earth
for my mothers, generations that stand behind me, may their wounds heal with my transformation
for my fathers, generations that lift me, may their wounds heal with my enlightenment and self empowerment
for the beads that they are handing me now

for blood and bones, the soil that feeds life's cycles
for fire and breath, the essence of life itself
for the womb of creation, the beating heart of Sonkwaiatison

for the sun, nourisher, our growth depends on you
for the moon, grandmother and leader of the waters and all women
for roots and leaves, our daily medicine
for the waters, pathways through our beings
for the animals, those who gift us their flesh
for the communities, and the relationships we build on earth

for the dead who's ashes lay at my feet and who's presence whispers in my ears
for the grandfathers (rocks) that send our signals
for the smoke, mist rivers passing our floating prayers

for the great mystery, the everyday gift to me

for the knowledge, my bundle that I carry with me, my integrity

For all of this Nya:weh Sonkwaiatison, may these gifts carry me further from today...

I am not here to claim absolutes, however passion may drive me to at times to do so (though I am a devout practitioner of self control, it is a continuing discipline!). I am walking a road with hard rocks and sharp edges and I'm looking for shoes. I'm becoming the corn unravelled, every husk that is lifted away reveals a truth...a teaching given to me by a respected elder whom I trust. Keep in mind that there are more layers to unfold and I thank you for reading these words this far.

I have discovered where I disconnect is where I reconnect and for that reason I may come off as contrary and sometimes difficult, it may seem easy to accuse me of ill intent. I acknowledge this illusion, I honor this reconnection and I request your compassion, openmindedness and honesty, these are things needed when I am misunderstood.

I love

I love very deeply and there is no truth that leaves these catacombs without being motivated by that very deep love. It is a driving force, one that has been with me through every ceremony, every frontline struggle, every community triumph, behind my words on the mic, behind my creations, behind every action, every relationship, it is my education and my credentials...We are in these words right now together because we are ready to see each other, however we may choose very different paths to take.

Together we may walk side by side, rhythms that are the same chord, however you may not agree with me, or maybe you will agree, or disagree sometimes, or agree half the time...we shall however remain side by side causing no harm to each others paths and working to see each other if we happen to collide, let go and move on if we are not ready. This is my commitment.

If you want to join hands in this, please read on

I am from the Onondagega Nation of the Haudenosaune league of peace, Six Nations.
My nation are the firekeepers of the league, responsible for taking care of the sacred wampums, for maintaining the council fire, for stewarding the lands where our sacred legacy of the Great Law of Peace was born. Our language is one of the most complex languages of the Haudenosaune dialects, a language that recognizes spatial reality as a whole rather then rooted in the individual. The Onondaga carry a legacy of immense spiritual enlightenment and transformation. They are caretakers, peacekeepers, they fulfill a sacred role of responsibility and honor. This is a piece of a vast knowledge that I am only beginning to learn.

I am from the Eel Clan, an animal that is powerful, strong, mysterious and otherworldly. Their life is in the water worlds. The eel transforms 4 times in its life. It's pathway from birth to death is full circle, they return to where they were bred in the ocean, thousands of miles on an unknown path in the dark of the night. They breed only once in their lives, dying immediately afterwards, a cycle of life and death, transformation and change. They are the only water life to live in all parts of the world, they are the only water life that breeds in one place mysteriously and sends their offspring all over the earth. It is the only fish that swims as far as it does in life and the female eels travel the furthest and become the strongest and the largest.

Eels turn silver in their final stage of life, just before they give life, they are said to be a 'serpeant' of the lakes...traveling from the worlds forbidden to us, returning one day to those worlds in the ocean. The Eel clan is one of transformational strength, having deep connections to the waters which are linked to the moon and our emotional depths. If there is change to be made in our world today by the Haudenosaune, the eel clan may play a significant role in this great re-birth we are experiencing.

This is what I know of the eel, it also is only a piece of vast knowledge that I am only beginning to learn.

With these clan beads being placed in my hands, I now invoke this legacy. I honor this responsibility and am humbled by it's presence.

Now to speak of women and what motivates me to explore Haudenosaune Feminism...

Power is a very complex energy, it IS what moves energy...how we percieve power collectively today is as a force to put over others, what may be deemed excessive and hyper competition (because healthy and unhealthy competition exists!)...I struggle with deconstructing these power structures in Haudenosaune Peace philosophy and cutural knowledge as I find that how it has been passed down, has adapted and is now informed by the dominant colonial state. YET, seeks to dismantle this unbalanced relationship...

One of the most tangible and immediate places in our Haudenosaune society that is in need of empowerment is the position of women. Our role has far reaching responsibilities and has been one that has been pushed down for many generations due this adaptation to colonial patriarchy.

Afterall our creation is characterized by a 'god'-like figure in Sonkwaiatison, but what about the 'goddess'-like figures of Sky Woman/Grandmother moon or Etinoha, the creator's mother...

Sonkwaiatison afterall is one of the scales of balance where the dance of light and dark create the world.

In my rough and rather skimply knowledge of the language, why do I hear the mothers of creation rarely mentioned? I'm simply asking because I really don't know...

Jigosaseh was the first clanmother, she was the first woman to service those who are in struggle. She nourished the ones on the frontline, maintained neutrality during war, was responsible for the corn that fed the warriors, has been painted as a 'wrong-doer' in this role, but was sought out by the peacemaker for this important position she held. It's really taken for granted these days what that means...to be responsible for feeding others! To be responsible for the food that we eat is a very important, honorable and sacred role. One which sadly is highly disrespected by the society today.

Providing safety, nourishment, abundance, inspiration, space to heal, space to create, space to connect, create acceptance and strength of will, to move and be moved are all roles that are encompassed by our matriarchs.

Clanmothers come from a long line of women warriors (in the true definition of warrior), those who were highly skilled, knowledgeable, with high integrity, strong and true, compassionate and loving, unable to be shaken, unable to be broken, so strong her weapons are (for the most part) internal and she is at the forefront of the line of defense, she holds the responsibility of overseeing the life being brought into this world (a re-enactment of the creation story every time) as well as holds the responsibility of saying when the weapons will be drawn (keeping in mind we buried the ones we use on each other as followers of Kaianerenkowa)...every piece of holistic knowledge was considered a gift that needed to be offered to these women who would draw energy to all roles in the clan family/community. Women held power because they held such incredible responsibility...who's gonna get their portion of the feast when they are being a punk!!! What everyday necessities may you be denied if you disrespect your mother!!! That fertile field women hold between their legs is but a sharp reminder that this is where all life comes from, this is a sacred place and the sons and brothers, husbands and cousins are obliged to respect this because this is where they began, and potentially also where they may meet their end...

A woman afterall is a walking seasonal cycle...powerful storms and nourishing growth...

So with that I now enter this walk into my womanhood, carrying these beads, creating focus on these sacred symbols, living the power of that Eel, always in the light of the sacred mothers, the creation that was born from her and am now opening a door that till today seemed pretty scary but I'm willing to see what happens. Who knows right?

Danetoh!
Ganonsononh