[lit-ideas] Re: Canadian aboriginal women
- From: Michael Chase <goya@xxxxxxx>
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sat, 9 Oct 2004 19:10:59 +0200
Le 9 oct. 04, =E0 18:22, Ursula Stange a =E9crit :
> Sins of commission followed by sins of ommission.
> Sadly true for far too many aboriginal women and children.
> More true out west than in Ontario, I think, but also sad here.
M.C. Don't know how things are nowadays, but a few years ago an uncle=20
of mine, who was a doctor in Kenora, used to organize night patrols in=20=
the wintertime, because aboriginal people would get drunk, fall asleep=20=
in a snowbank, and freeze to death.
The situation of First Nations people in Western Canada is =
appalling.=20
They have a choice=A0: they can remain on the reservation, where=20
alcoholism is rampant and unemployment abut 90%, or else they can move=20=
to the big cities (especially Vancouver) and wind up as drug-addicted=20
hookers.
There are some glimmers of hope. Most universities have Native =
Studies=20
departments now, with a few First Nations people enrolled, and on=20
Vancouver Island some peoples, such as the Kwakkwakiwak (formerly known=20=
as the Kwakiutl) have been having good success at getting young people=20=
interested in studying their own languages and traditional ways. But=20
there's still a tremendous way to go to erase the number one Canadian=20
source of shame.
When I was eight, I went to a silly pseudo-English boarding =
school at=20
Shawnigan Lake, Vancouver Island. Two of my best friends there were=20
Raymond and Darrin James, members of the Cowichan Indian Nation from=20
the Reserve near Duncan. I lost track of them for a few years, and met=20=
them again in Junior High at Duncan, where they were members of a gang=20=
of young Native toughs who beat the tar out of any white kid they could=20=
find. I escaped their fury because of our former friendship, but I=20
remember thinking that if I were an Indian, I would probably have done=20=
the same thing, and wear a "Red Power" patch on my jean-jacket, just=20
like they did.
When we were both 16, Raymond stuck a loaded shotgun against his =
chest=20
and pulled the trigger with his toe. It took him several hours to die.
>
>
>
Michael Chase
(goya@xxxxxxxxxxx)
CNRS UPR 76
7, rue Guy Moquet
Villejuif 94801
France
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