WIsh I was there! Wish you were here, Wish The son was everywhere, Happy New
Year here there and everywhere to my enemies, to my friends, to my lovers, to my
haters, to all of our children, let us start the year with honesty, humility,
and respect..HNY2U-All
May all your happiness, love and fortunes arrive at your doorstep, bank account, and in your home
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Sunday, December 20, 2009
#the+music+died?cid=rsstgam
#the+music+died?cid=rsstgam
Getting closer to the Beast, part deux
Well, I saw things like this coming as we moved closer to the beastI would say as in my DAM blog, identify the 2010 Olympic sell-outs, shame them for buying out for the big bucks, shame them for forgetting the less fortunate people of the world, of the Downtown Eastside. Tell them to contribute more than the minimal requirements the VANOCKIANS are doing now. [VANOC says one thing, their actions tell another. They say and publicize that they are contributing to the community as they say when they are giving jobs to residents of the Downtown Eastside, but in reality, they pick who they want to use to publicize their so-called good will, and leave the most vulnerable and most desperate ones in the alleys and jails, hypocrites who prophesize good will, but use clandestine secrecy to promote their real agenda, which in my opinion is the aggrandizement of the self and their greedy egos and pocket books.
So, shave off the edge of the capitalist, and use those remnants and your work to help the ones, time forgot, the ones 2010 Olympics use to aggrandize themselves along the edge of media falsidity. Remind the sell-out artist to use the grand stage to shake up the status quo, do not be afraid of VANOC and their propaganda, and remember my quote "Aboriginal art in the Age of Technological Authenticity" as opposed to Walter Benjamin's quote The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction. [Where the 21st century world believers of the Olympic beast use technology to authenticate and politicize what is indigenous to nature, and the quintessence of the human body, and whereas the world believers of the 20th. century used art as a means of reproducing a political means.] So this VANOC symphonic proposed lie which was rightly refused by the artist of the Symphony, is another indication that the 2010 Olympics is still caught up in the old world thought of containment and control instead of embracing the Great Spirit's essence of what the human body can be in maintaining the quintessence of the human body and spirit...So, we R getting closer 2 the Beast and it is scary. They will use illusions, transparent idols, and Olympic bric a brac 2 buy u ...off. Like Inuit artist/filmmaker ex-Wife Laila Hansen of Greenland said, they pay you big $ 2 SHUTUP! Good call Vancouver Symphony, you saw through the transparent veil of the 2010 Olympic illusion. O'Seim, Miigweech, Gila Kesla, all my relations!
Respectfully
Donald Morin, baFilmmaker/Performer/Educator
Getting closer to the Beast, part deux
Well, I saw things like this coming as we moved closer to the beastI would say as in my DAM blog, identify the 2010 Olympic sell-outs, shame them for buying out for the big bucks, shame them for forgetting the less fortunate people of the world, of the Downtown Eastside. Tell them to contribute more than the minimal requirements the VANOCKIANS are doing now. [VANOC says one thing, their actions tell another. They say and publicize that they are contributing to the community as they say when they are giving jobs to residents of the Downtown Eastside, but in reality, they pick who they want to use to publicize their so-called good will, and leave the most vulnerable and most desperate ones in the alleys and jails, hypocrites who prophesize good will, but use clandestine secrecy to promote their real agenda, which in my opinion is the aggrandizement of the self and their greedy egos and pocket books.
So, shave off the edge of the capitalist, and use those remnants and your work to help the ones, time forgot, the ones 2010 Olympics use to aggrandize themselves along the edge of media falsidity. Remind the sell-out artist to use the grand stage to shake up the status quo, do not be afraid of VANOC and their propaganda, and remember my quote "Aboriginal art in the Age of Technological Authenticity" as opposed to Walter Benjamin's quote The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction. [Where the 21st century world believers of the Olympic beast use technology to authenticate and politicize what is indigenous to nature, and the quintessence of the human body, and whereas the world believers of the 20th. century used art as a means of reproducing a political means.] So this VANOC symphonic proposed lie which was rightly refused by the artist of the Symphony, is another indication that the 2010 Olympics is still caught up in the old world thought of containment and control instead of embracing the Great Spirit's essence of what the human body can be in maintaining the quintessence of the human body and spirit...So, we R getting closer 2 the Beast and it is scary. They will use illusions, transparent idols, and Olympic bric a brac 2 buy u ...off. Like Inuit artist/filmmaker ex-Wife Laila Hansen of Greenland said, they pay you big $ 2 SHUTUP! Good call Vancouver Symphony, you saw through the transparent veil of the 2010 Olympic illusion. O'Seim, Miigweech, Gila Kesla, all my relations!
Respectfully
Donald Morin, baFilmmaker/Performer/Educator
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Getting Closer to the Beast
Identify the 2010 Olympic sellouts, shame them for buying out for the big bucks, shame them for forgetting the less fortunate people of the world, of the Downtown Eastside. tell them to contribute more than the minimal requirements the VANOC-KIANS are doing now. Shave off the edge of the capitalist, and use those remnants and your work to help the ones, time forgot, the ones 2010 Olympics use to aggrandize themselves along the edge of media fasidity. Remind the sellout artist to use the grand stage to shake up the status quo, Do not be afraid of VANOC and their propaganda, Remember my quote "Aboriginal art in the Age of Technological Authenticity" as opposed to Walter Benjamin's quote The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction. We R getting closer 2 the Beast and it is scary. They will use illusions, transparent idols, and olympic bric a brac 2 buy u ...off. Like Inuit artist/filmmaker ex-Wife Laila Hansen of Greenland said, they pay you big $ 2 SHUTUP
Friday, November 06, 2009
Support The UMAYC youth centers
I would say, support the centres; very much so, give them the support they need and deserve. From my experience with teaching some of the Coast Salish Youth and Indigenous urban youth in filmmaking, I learned so much from their innocence, their desire for social and political change, and their desire to leave a legacy for future generations. As some say Architecture is politics in Stone. Our Indigenous youth today have the ability to transform Nature's resources into a social and cultural tool for changing the "diapers of the ruling class", through their activism, through their traditional and political/cultural creations, and through our support. As a survivor of the 60s scoop, my mother tongue came from the Queens institutions of the day, and they have tried to define me every day as the historical, stereotypical unban ndn, no matter how much education we obtained as we developed ourselves as fighters against the systemic racist values of the day. Many of our relations did not make it to today to be able write our comments for the world facers to see and read.
Their written history is in the statistical archives of a colonial born country that left our people behind to die on the streets, in the desolate areas of territory, and from the drug/alcohol stained veins of our cancer infested bodies living in a cancer infested world. Our youth know our people from all sides of history, the spectacle and the body. The human body in its many forms can build these Centres, because there is a dire need and urgency to build and utilize these centres as cultural/spiritual/educational grounding and healing place to help heal a troubled world. Miigweech, all my relations and give them the money they need to begin this great journey we can all share to our children.
Go to facebook at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=166709714366 and join today, tonight, don't think about tomorrow cause it does not happen then, life happens now!
Friday, October 30, 2009
Dreams from Hera’s Temple on Salish Land
From the 2,600-year-old Temple of Hera to the 2,600 years and more years Salish People have been on their territory, culture is re-ignited in every generation, in every dream and this flame is the beginning of something new to many, is the beginning of something un-liked by others. From watching the ceremonies and listening to the "dignitaries", it was appreciative to hear the acknowledgement to the people of the Salish Territory, From the Olympics' Furlong to the Mayors and the premier; then they introduce the PM Harper. He does his salutations to all, but when it comes to the first people of this continent, there is no mention of territory, only acknowledgment of race, "our aboriginal guests", so the Olympics may be intended to represent the best of the Human Spirit, the torch represents the best of the Human Spirit, and then the cauldron is to be lit for our global human family, but it only takes one with his political schemers to use a choice of words to define who holds the allocation of power in this country.
Yet, do these unabashed media portrayals of pride, determination, success, and futurist winnings help the less fortunate of our society on a daily basis. Does all the money spent each day on the physical, economical intellectual and technological devices to allow us to watch, read, and listen to this Olympic Dream Story feed, support or love: the ones who have nothing, the ones who live in the alleys, roach and sick infested houses of the countries? Does the money for these games and how the money is spent in covering, celebrating, hosting these games; help the families in the welfare slums of our territory as the flame dies in their hearts. Each of our four nations ask the hosting indigenous territory for permission to land, show their cultural strength and rightly representations of cultural protocol, but does pomp and ceremony help the starving child/man /person/who lives on stolen unceded territory, as bravados shows our class distinction, and the new pan-Indian canoes. We are still the dime store Indian as we are moved by digital dreams and the high dreams of social change. You are not speaking for me, Mister rep. of the four nations. Miigweech, wound a knee, break a leg, merde, here in "Canada"! Not!
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Thunder Bay mom wants answers after teacher's aide chops off son's hair
Check this story out!
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/05/21/thunder-bay-hair.html
This is clearly an assault on a vulnerable child and a personal attack on the values of a first nation’s child, his family, their cultural and spiritual heritage, and an unfortunate reminder of the conditions that other native children experienced in residential schools, orphanages, and foster homes. Where a euro-centric validation of what constitute humans defined the affirmative culture and what constitutes family, churches, laws, states, and the orders of society, whereupon theses supposed care takers of our children called them infidels, heathens and savages, and cut their hair to kill the "Indian in the Child" After 500 and some years of worthlessness, of not worthy of "being" We first people of this continent survived your systems assaults against our being, but we lost much as so many of our people lost their sense of worth, their self-esteem, self factualization, and were positioned to skid row alleys, bars, unemployment, and barely secure low paying jobs, Fighting constantly in life to survive the racism, bigotry, physical attacks for the length of my hair, the colour of my skin and for me simply being Indian. This narrative included me as a baby, infant, child, teenager , man, and now a much older university educated man who had to work four times as hard to survive the tricks and weapons of the white person and his/her system of control and containment. Sue the assistant, the school the whole dam system for this assault on this vulnerable child. Miigweech, all my relations.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/05/21/thunder-bay-hair.html
This is clearly an assault on a vulnerable child and a personal attack on the values of a first nation’s child, his family, their cultural and spiritual heritage, and an unfortunate reminder of the conditions that other native children experienced in residential schools, orphanages, and foster homes. Where a euro-centric validation of what constitute humans defined the affirmative culture and what constitutes family, churches, laws, states, and the orders of society, whereupon theses supposed care takers of our children called them infidels, heathens and savages, and cut their hair to kill the "Indian in the Child" After 500 and some years of worthlessness, of not worthy of "being" We first people of this continent survived your systems assaults against our being, but we lost much as so many of our people lost their sense of worth, their self-esteem, self factualization, and were positioned to skid row alleys, bars, unemployment, and barely secure low paying jobs, Fighting constantly in life to survive the racism, bigotry, physical attacks for the length of my hair, the colour of my skin and for me simply being Indian. This narrative included me as a baby, infant, child, teenager , man, and now a much older university educated man who had to work four times as hard to survive the tricks and weapons of the white person and his/her system of control and containment. Sue the assistant, the school the whole dam system for this assault on this vulnerable child. Miigweech, all my relations.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Catholic Church Pope and A Chief, Our Survivors, Elders and others
"About 150,000 First Nations, Inuit and Métis children were taken from their families to attend the schools from as early as the 19th century to 1996."
The pope says some words as our people listen.
Chief Fontaine says , It's a "very significant statement..." .I disagree. As one colleague of mine says in our song, "...I don't need no apology from you...!"
Restitution and Proper compensation for the sexual and physical abuse, and much more for the murdered missing native children..
As for the all you racist people on this site who make fun of our Chief, Elders and others, shame on you all! . Your ignorance and lack of respect will be your downfall!
As for teh above statistics "About 150,000 First Nations, Inuit and Métis children were taken from their families to attend the schools from as early as the 19th century to 1996."
Whose initiative is devaluing our worth in words and numbers again? After the burning of church and school records, , and the abuse of governmental and societal power, I would estimate a much much larger set of children apprehended from their families.
Shame on Canada, in the past, present and future. Shame
Donald Morin, ba
The pope says some words as our people listen.
Chief Fontaine says , It's a "very significant statement..." .I disagree. As one colleague of mine says in our song, "...I don't need no apology from you...!"
Restitution and Proper compensation for the sexual and physical abuse, and much more for the murdered missing native children..
As for the all you racist people on this site who make fun of our Chief, Elders and others, shame on you all! . Your ignorance and lack of respect will be your downfall!
As for teh above statistics "About 150,000 First Nations, Inuit and Métis children were taken from their families to attend the schools from as early as the 19th century to 1996."
Whose initiative is devaluing our worth in words and numbers again? After the burning of church and school records, , and the abuse of governmental and societal power, I would estimate a much much larger set of children apprehended from their families.
Shame on Canada, in the past, present and future. Shame
Donald Morin, ba
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Prentice defends oilsands following National Geographic article
I just produced and co-hosted my radio show last night in Vancouver with three folks from Indigenous communnity, who aired thier concerns for thie communities affected by these tar sands. For Prentice to defend the practices fo this evil industry shows he, the oil industry or the government does not care about our health, our land, our water, or our air of which we all share. These tar sands, these new developments for the benefit of corporations and the wealthy has to be stopped or we and our future generatons are all dommed to death and misery.
Donald Morin, producer of When Spirit whispers on Coop Radio, Vancouver, 102.7 every wednesday night at 11pm
Donald Morin, producer of When Spirit whispers on Coop Radio, Vancouver, 102.7 every wednesday night at 11pm
Thursday, January 08, 2009
First Nations community struggling with the death of another child
First Nations community struggling with the death of another child
2-month-old child died last November at Yellow Quill reserve
Last Updated: Thursday, January 8, 2009 1:31 PM CT Comments0Recommend3
CBC News
The Yellow Quill First Nation, still coping with the freezing deaths of two toddlers a year ago, is now in the grips of another tragedy involving a child.RCMP confirmed Wednesday that on Nov. 29 they received a call about a baby who was not breathing. Police said the two-month-old boy could not be revived.Police are investigating and a coroner is also looking into the case. An autopsy has been ordered.Meanwhile, a social worker on the reserve has raised concerns about the safety of children in the community.Margaret Roper told CBC News that the latest death is not being discussed openly."This one, I think, was kind of, you know, … swept under the rug," Roper said. "It just seems so weird because, who's here to protect our children?"The results of the autopsy are expected to be available in February.The Yellow Quill First Nation is about 270 kilometres northeast of Saskatoon and has an on-reserve population of 900.My response posted along Web Story
My heart goes out to the community of YellowQuill, The parents of this late baby, and for the soul of this little child of our Creator. B 4 anyone begins their diatribe about the issues of this poor child's death, let us not forget how Canada's 1st. People where pushed into a position of containment, dependency, legislative apartheid, and left with useless parcels of land to live their lives in despondency and worthlessness for just "being". Why the death of this child was not acknowledged is tragic, but when assimilative social mechanisms like foster care, Department of Indian and Northern Affairs, and residential schools are utilized to kill the "Indian" In the child, we as a society are left with the aftermath of a failed colonial system which perpetuated genocide against our people merely because of the colour of our skin, our cultural and hereditary systems, and because we as a 1st people had the best land and resources when the "settlers came to town" to find the Canadian Dream. To acquire said lands and resources, the governments and churches of the day did their best to assimilate the "Indian" into society, residential schools, forbidding to speak their language, distanciation of former residential students from their family and relatives, 2 the denial of acceptance by the general population of Canada as "Indian" attempted to move to urban centres to find work or a standard of living similar to the euro-centric Canadians who settled into a country which was once part of our first people's ancestors. Needless to say, systemic racism grew larger and more insidious as grandparents passed on the racist views of their forefathers to their children and their children's children because of us simple "being". How did this affect our families, our notion of bringing up our children and providing a future to them? Well not very good as we look back at the statistics of Canadian History, U take away a language, a family, a culture, a land, and pushed them into a racist society of devious Indian Agents, uncaring social workers, and a racist population, bent on using any means of persuasion to subdue the "Indian through alcohol, racist laws, and arbitrary beatings and violence, then what does the Native individual take back to his people; Shame, worthlessness, violence, incest, and no sense of value to oneself because the assimilation and apprehension policies of Canadian Society worked in killing the "Indian' in Canadian society and Canadian History.
Donald Morin, ba
2-month-old child died last November at Yellow Quill reserve
Last Updated: Thursday, January 8, 2009 1:31 PM CT Comments0Recommend3
CBC News
The Yellow Quill First Nation, still coping with the freezing deaths of two toddlers a year ago, is now in the grips of another tragedy involving a child.RCMP confirmed Wednesday that on Nov. 29 they received a call about a baby who was not breathing. Police said the two-month-old boy could not be revived.Police are investigating and a coroner is also looking into the case. An autopsy has been ordered.Meanwhile, a social worker on the reserve has raised concerns about the safety of children in the community.Margaret Roper told CBC News that the latest death is not being discussed openly."This one, I think, was kind of, you know, … swept under the rug," Roper said. "It just seems so weird because, who's here to protect our children?"The results of the autopsy are expected to be available in February.The Yellow Quill First Nation is about 270 kilometres northeast of Saskatoon and has an on-reserve population of 900.My response posted along Web Story
My heart goes out to the community of YellowQuill, The parents of this late baby, and for the soul of this little child of our Creator. B 4 anyone begins their diatribe about the issues of this poor child's death, let us not forget how Canada's 1st. People where pushed into a position of containment, dependency, legislative apartheid, and left with useless parcels of land to live their lives in despondency and worthlessness for just "being". Why the death of this child was not acknowledged is tragic, but when assimilative social mechanisms like foster care, Department of Indian and Northern Affairs, and residential schools are utilized to kill the "Indian" In the child, we as a society are left with the aftermath of a failed colonial system which perpetuated genocide against our people merely because of the colour of our skin, our cultural and hereditary systems, and because we as a 1st people had the best land and resources when the "settlers came to town" to find the Canadian Dream. To acquire said lands and resources, the governments and churches of the day did their best to assimilate the "Indian" into society, residential schools, forbidding to speak their language, distanciation of former residential students from their family and relatives, 2 the denial of acceptance by the general population of Canada as "Indian" attempted to move to urban centres to find work or a standard of living similar to the euro-centric Canadians who settled into a country which was once part of our first people's ancestors. Needless to say, systemic racism grew larger and more insidious as grandparents passed on the racist views of their forefathers to their children and their children's children because of us simple "being". How did this affect our families, our notion of bringing up our children and providing a future to them? Well not very good as we look back at the statistics of Canadian History, U take away a language, a family, a culture, a land, and pushed them into a racist society of devious Indian Agents, uncaring social workers, and a racist population, bent on using any means of persuasion to subdue the "Indian through alcohol, racist laws, and arbitrary beatings and violence, then what does the Native individual take back to his people; Shame, worthlessness, violence, incest, and no sense of value to oneself because the assimilation and apprehension policies of Canadian Society worked in killing the "Indian' in Canadian society and Canadian History.
Donald Morin, ba
Monday, December 15, 2008
'Top-level' panel to pick new truth commission head: lawyer
In response to CBC story December 15th, 2008 0n their website!
Good Day: Wound A Knee on the national stage, as you Canadian pundits banter out your informed/un-informed rants and raves! I certainly hope we as a global family can move forward each new day with honesty, humility, and respect. Now if only our government’s leaders can begin each day like that, then maybe we can heal the present, so we can prepare for the future. The Past is what it is, and apologies and compensation means nothing if the ignorant and the racist ignore the truth, honesty, and humility of themselves, and what was taught to them and their ancestors to make them think what they live, say and speak contains some sense of irrational truth.
As a first nations man, abused sexual and physically as a child under foster care, I am disappointed that the Alberta government is appealing the class action lawsuit launched against Alberta for Native and Métis Children abused as Wards of The Crown! Yet, I must believe that attitudes will change and the governments and churches, and Canadians responsible for the abuse against Canada’s First People's children will accept and acknowledge their complicity and involvement , and help healing the inter-generational problems that exist due to colonialism, and feuding of governing legislative ruling parties. I may not agree with how this appointment will happen, or that these two women from the original IRSS agreement are still on the board, but hopefully these women can begin each day with honest, humility, and respect, and not allow their ego get in the way of the common good. that goes for me too
Good Day: Wound A Knee on the national stage, as you Canadian pundits banter out your informed/un-informed rants and raves! I certainly hope we as a global family can move forward each new day with honesty, humility, and respect. Now if only our government’s leaders can begin each day like that, then maybe we can heal the present, so we can prepare for the future. The Past is what it is, and apologies and compensation means nothing if the ignorant and the racist ignore the truth, honesty, and humility of themselves, and what was taught to them and their ancestors to make them think what they live, say and speak contains some sense of irrational truth.
As a first nations man, abused sexual and physically as a child under foster care, I am disappointed that the Alberta government is appealing the class action lawsuit launched against Alberta for Native and Métis Children abused as Wards of The Crown! Yet, I must believe that attitudes will change and the governments and churches, and Canadians responsible for the abuse against Canada’s First People's children will accept and acknowledge their complicity and involvement , and help healing the inter-generational problems that exist due to colonialism, and feuding of governing legislative ruling parties. I may not agree with how this appointment will happen, or that these two women from the original IRSS agreement are still on the board, but hopefully these women can begin each day with honest, humility, and respect, and not allow their ego get in the way of the common good. that goes for me too
the first ministers will... [had ]been a major cause of ongoing native poverty.
"the first ministers will ultimately end the turf war between federal and provincial governments that has been a major cause of ongoing native poverty."
Tell us something we don't know!
Tell us something we don't know!
Friday, November 21, 2008
Brother of slain aboriginal protester gets Order of Ontario
"Sam George, the brother of an aboriginal protester killed by an Ontario police officer at Ipperwash Provincial Park, has been given the province's highest honour.
He received the Order of Ontario in a ceremony on Thursday at the Lieutenant Governor's Suite of the Ontario legislature for his work following the death of his brother, Dudley George..."
AllforEquality wrote:Posted 2008/11/20at 5:35 PM ET Booooooooo Bad Decision. This man is no hero and neither was his brother.
AllforEquality YOur abject denial of The Ontario Governnment decesion to honor our aboriginal activist is racist, shows your ignorance, and shows why Canadians like you do not deserve to be part of this great aboriginal land, which was systemically built on the colonial aspirations of previous governments, racist corporations, and the many colonial settlers who had no regard for first nations people which is stil evident today with systemic comments like your Sincerely, Donald Morin, ba Salish Terrtory
He received the Order of Ontario in a ceremony on Thursday at the Lieutenant Governor's Suite of the Ontario legislature for his work following the death of his brother, Dudley George..."
AllforEquality wrote:Posted 2008/11/20at 5:35 PM ET Booooooooo Bad Decision. This man is no hero and neither was his brother.
AllforEquality YOur abject denial of The Ontario Governnment decesion to honor our aboriginal activist is racist, shows your ignorance, and shows why Canadians like you do not deserve to be part of this great aboriginal land, which was systemically built on the colonial aspirations of previous governments, racist corporations, and the many colonial settlers who had no regard for first nations people which is stil evident today with systemic comments like your Sincerely, Donald Morin, ba Salish Terrtory
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
John (Johnny) Brian Altinger
John (Johnny) Brian Altinger
I was shocked to see his picture in the news Nov 3rd as I was getting ready for work. I immediately copied his name email my son and asked if he was the man he knew. I worked as I normally do, trying to keep some sense of normalcy in my life. Dorian emailed back and confirmed my inquiry. I met John 1998 when my son Dorian, John and their other friend Shawn. Three young men moving to Edmonton to find their fame and fortune.
The only reason I remember Mr. Altinger was he was polite, respectful and going on a journey with my son, who was leaving the nest so to say at the time. I met John again around 2002, then again at my son's wedding 2006. Good man and I am saddened by his death. To see his picture and actually remember a man I met three times in his relative short life shows just how close we are all connected on this fragile planet. A body is space just as fragile as John's body in this space we live in. My condolences to his family, his friends, and co-workers who had the opportunity to know this gentleman. May the Creator help his family in this time and loss and we as his collective neighbour and human family must remember he is our loss as one in a society, and the society that raise him and the perpetrator of his tragic demise
Miigweech, all my relations
I was shocked to see his picture in the news Nov 3rd as I was getting ready for work. I immediately copied his name email my son and asked if he was the man he knew. I worked as I normally do, trying to keep some sense of normalcy in my life. Dorian emailed back and confirmed my inquiry. I met John 1998 when my son Dorian, John and their other friend Shawn. Three young men moving to Edmonton to find their fame and fortune.
The only reason I remember Mr. Altinger was he was polite, respectful and going on a journey with my son, who was leaving the nest so to say at the time. I met John again around 2002, then again at my son's wedding 2006. Good man and I am saddened by his death. To see his picture and actually remember a man I met three times in his relative short life shows just how close we are all connected on this fragile planet. A body is space just as fragile as John's body in this space we live in. My condolences to his family, his friends, and co-workers who had the opportunity to know this gentleman. May the Creator help his family in this time and loss and we as his collective neighbour and human family must remember he is our loss as one in a society, and the society that raise him and the perpetrator of his tragic demise
Miigweech, all my relations
Thursday, June 19, 2008
The Apology
It has been a few days since Stephen Harper spokes his legislative words of compassion, mercy and grace with respect to our people. Yesterday I was angry, today I was angry, I thought I was okay , working , doing what I had to do to work, rest, play, and everything else in between. Yet the slight mis interpretation of life, people, and the system, I raant and rave the injustices of this "white world"!.
From "Rio Island to the Great Spirit, I search for grace and our Creator of our times. Was I angry at Canada and its history regarding us NDNs. I cried like many as they spoke those words of asking for forgiveness, mercy, and what happened to us as children. God`s children hating and killing our children!. Kill the NDN in the child was a truism to me as us little indians working in the child slavery homes of foster parenting.
From my years as child, I cried and cried. Crybaby I was called when I was one , after that all I did was cry as I was shuffled through out the 16 foster homes of hell! Hate was an emotion I knew too well! Locked in rooms , pissing and shitting on the floor and in pails and boxes. I only know the dirty child NDN they made me be! Some fifty some years later I still remember the hate and the anger at me as i cried and long gone from my mother, and family. Get over it, they say!.. I`ll think about it as I take your children away from you forever! But then a young blonde man came to me as I scream out to people around. I understand your anger, I know your pain, You don`t realize who I am!...Was he an angel of grace, mercy, Oh I am a fool crying over you!
From "Rio Island to the Great Spirit, I search for grace and our Creator of our times. Was I angry at Canada and its history regarding us NDNs. I cried like many as they spoke those words of asking for forgiveness, mercy, and what happened to us as children. God`s children hating and killing our children!. Kill the NDN in the child was a truism to me as us little indians working in the child slavery homes of foster parenting.
From my years as child, I cried and cried. Crybaby I was called when I was one , after that all I did was cry as I was shuffled through out the 16 foster homes of hell! Hate was an emotion I knew too well! Locked in rooms , pissing and shitting on the floor and in pails and boxes. I only know the dirty child NDN they made me be! Some fifty some years later I still remember the hate and the anger at me as i cried and long gone from my mother, and family. Get over it, they say!.. I`ll think about it as I take your children away from you forever! But then a young blonde man came to me as I scream out to people around. I understand your anger, I know your pain, You don`t realize who I am!...Was he an angel of grace, mercy, Oh I am a fool crying over you!
Monday, November 26, 2007
Regarding Globe and Mail article and comments about Aboriginal highschool dropout rates
As long as we share the notion that we all have the ability to realize our potential, anything is possible, even for me, a Métis who survived the physical/sexual abuse of the fostering system of the 60s scoop, & the worthlessness that was bestowed on EVERY NATIVE &f METIS CHILD who was forced into the residential schools, fostering systems, abusive priests, nuns, social workers, foster parents, policing people, & all others who felt that they were above & better than native people because of their heritage, class background, colour of their skin, etc. As a media teacher, I always instill in my aboriginal students to realize their potential in life instead of settling with the status quo. It is a fight because racism is still a problem today even in 2007. I still struggle, it is life as we know it; our Creator gave us life to learn, from our mistakes, achievements, & failure. Who said it was going to be easy. Our native & Métis youth struggle because racism in the school system is evident, & carry on from the systemic history of colonialism & how colonialism is instilled in the education teachings, the family structure from grandparents to parents to the child, because of the old way of thinking. As long as we change the thinking & mindset of the old school elders of the colonial system, the education teachings, the family structure from grandparents to parents to the child, & critique the racist literature, & history books, then we can remove the barriers that are not conducive to the potential of our youth. Such problems do not come from the notion of some of the racist & stupid comments noted to this article, but from the mindset that derived from the racism that is subconsciously shared to others or directly taught due to bigotry & superiority over others because of either because they work, pay taxes, & they are entitled to share their uneducated view to others. Tolerance, peace, compassion, & love all others. I can learn & change too.
Monday, September 10, 2007
More comments on Harpers position regarding UN declaration
Violet, some people call it communism that is your opinion. Others see it differently, reading your comments; it appears that you would embrace the notion of capitalism entirely regardless if your ideals are helping propagate the notion of profiting from rape mother earth and her resources, leaving nothing for your descendents, your unborn relatives, and anyone else that will inherit the leftovers of a capitalist expansion system. No doubt, you seem relatively balanced as a person, but democracy in this country under your ideals will only implode an already self=destructing government bent on its self pompous positioning on the world stage. You are so worried about your taxes paying for reserve living costs, but you don't mention the fiduciary relationship this CDN government has to Canada's First People. BECAUSE the ancestors of Canada's first people gave up their land in lieu of what was offered in the treaties, the Canadian Government has a legal responsibility to our ancestor’s descendants, so get use to that! Race politics is insidious, but such ideals are needed to give native people and people of colour some leverage in obtaining some sense of opportunities and freedom in this country, Canada and BC have an obligation to settle the relationship between the provincial government and all the unceded territory BC first nations legally own, but no-one mentions how the land was outright stolen from the First People of this area. Maybe, if you were more knowledgeable of the exactness of Canada’s sordid relationship to Canada's First People, then perhaps others will not see you as one of this boards G and M nay Sayers. All my relations
Another Comment on PM signals Canada unlikely to back UN declaration
Gran2006 skipper, Miigweech 4 your comments, The UN Declaration was handed to me during the United Church Conference on the residential School Settlement Agreement issues in June 06. My colleague residential School Survivor Gunargie O'Sullivan and I broadcasted deconstructive reviews of the IRSSA and the confusing, and obscured hidden data in the agreement & subsequential media releases since April 07 on Coop Radio's When Spirits Whispers. The government, its lawyers, advisors & its courts have decided to settle with respect to their decision to not acknowledge their guilt and complicity in initiating cultural genocide against a people so they can take control of the land & its resources. Nothing has changed as of then, & the CDN government knows it is in an illegal position regarding the notion of landownership, title, aboriginal rights & their fears now are governing their lack of accepting the UN declaration, and Canada's relationship to International law parameters. Everyone these days has an opinion on native/non-native relations, & I am no different. Sure at times I fall and fail in my ideals, but then I was taught to be like the white man, get educated like the white man, & live like the white man, but if we as native people decide to asset our ideals as a cultural sovereign people, others begin their escalated critical review of our actions, intentions and economic initiatives. You are right regarding “Let's not blame Harper...regardless of who is in power." Nevertheless, Harper is too ultra conservative for my likings, and perhaps it is time the people of this country form a new political party to take on the conservatives, Liberals, Parti Quebecois, NDP, Greens & Others.. I an not talking about fringe lunatic parties like the Marijuana Party, but a party which is based on egalitarian reform, non-capitalistic development and an equal division of power, economics, & natural resources. Idealistic, even some natives will disagree with me.
Commet on PM signaling Canada unlikely to back UN declaration
nYu non-indigenous folks may very well agree or disagre with Harpers stance, debate the ideological framework of Canada's government to the UN, BUT NEVERTHELESS, INDIGENOUS PEOPLE have been forced into a position of placid acceptance of the democratic initiatives circulating in the free world today. Where freedom comes at the cost of living in abject poverty, abysmal living conditions on the reserve and in the urban centres, and demographically separated by class division real estate allocations , financial buy-offs for the aboriginal intellectuals and economic developers, and others who see the "NDN" below their cultural worth due to the historical conditions which shaped this Country, and the euro centric descendants who were told to contain the NDNS straight down from their grandparents, to the blue blood elite who run the financial and political halls of power. Harper is only an extension of the status quo and should be eliminated. eradicated, disposed of and striped of any form of decision making, humiliated in from of the aboriginal residential school survivors, like we were in front of the nuns, the police, the judges, and teachers, when we did not fit into their assimilation plans and policies. The only thing that will teach the people in power anything about equality or fairness is the blade of a guillotine coming down to their neck. A cultural revolution is in order for Canada, so let’s just do that, okay?
Monday, August 20, 2007
Main stream Media and the IRSSA August 20th deadline
There is an Overall sense of MEDIA censorship to alternative first nations views regarding the Indian Residential School Sttlement Opting Out Deadline and its connection to the contemporary issues of our time. As a native filmmakers, artists, and radio producers, my colleague Gunargie O'Sullivan and I have constantly shared information to Canadians about the complex issues pertaining to the residential school deadline today (Aug 20th., 2007). We understand and respect that Elders and others have a choice to settle with the defendants in this suit. Yet after much study , debate, many of us recognize that the settlement and propaganda campaign was flawed, deceptful and the opting out portion of this settlment was hidden with layers of newspeak to confuse all who take it upon themselves to study this nine court approved series of public documents. Apathy and limited comprehension by the media, has created a false sense of potential closure to the "NDN" problem, and that the setlement will heal Canada to heal. That notion is so far from the truth, it is the same old trickery the governments and churchs used time and time again since contact. aboriginal residential school survivors, and their understanding of the issues surrounding the IRSSA and the opt out or settle clause. Even today, I discussed the deadline with one native woman by Coop radio She understood the issues, but was too high to do anything.
Colleagues, it is tiring as we deconstruct the idealogy of Canada with art and politics. Disheartening as we see less and less people in the media caring about the tragedy of the most dis-possessed people, Canada's First people and how trickery and red tape is used by ideologues, lawyers, and government servants designed to contain and maintain the status quo. We must provide and dessiminate alternative perspectives on the issues of our times. How does the MEDIA and her their hired hands expect to know Canada without supporting the first nations artists and people who volunteer, collect and research others ways of Seeing in this world we call a global village? Do you expect us to stay in the age of feathers, ink and rawhide? Or with trinkets and beads. Is the MEDIA and their people so short sighted that they can not see beyond their place of priviledge as responsible community members? Perhaps its time to throw out the old and bring in the new? Do we all have to wait again for the okay from the Great White Chief in Ottawa? No matter how arms length we position ourselves from government policies, initiatives, clandestine meetings and manoeuvring, there will always be some subversive directive in the background monitoring the politics, media, events, words and times of the everyday.
I have more pressing issues to look at regarding the most dispossessed Canada's First People of this country than my pitful needs. Meanwhile the politicians in Ottawa will pronounce their grand schemes and dreams, while Canada's First People get @#$(W by the colonial mindset of people who think we should settle with life and what others think is best for them.
IN our numerous attempts to show the alternative aspects of the IRSSA data, the main stream media and others ignored the truth and published the propaganda that is utilizing the new pursuasive tools of genocide! Miigweech, all my relations!
Colleagues, it is tiring as we deconstruct the idealogy of Canada with art and politics. Disheartening as we see less and less people in the media caring about the tragedy of the most dis-possessed people, Canada's First people and how trickery and red tape is used by ideologues, lawyers, and government servants designed to contain and maintain the status quo. We must provide and dessiminate alternative perspectives on the issues of our times. How does the MEDIA and her their hired hands expect to know Canada without supporting the first nations artists and people who volunteer, collect and research others ways of Seeing in this world we call a global village? Do you expect us to stay in the age of feathers, ink and rawhide? Or with trinkets and beads. Is the MEDIA and their people so short sighted that they can not see beyond their place of priviledge as responsible community members? Perhaps its time to throw out the old and bring in the new? Do we all have to wait again for the okay from the Great White Chief in Ottawa? No matter how arms length we position ourselves from government policies, initiatives, clandestine meetings and manoeuvring, there will always be some subversive directive in the background monitoring the politics, media, events, words and times of the everyday.
I have more pressing issues to look at regarding the most dispossessed Canada's First People of this country than my pitful needs. Meanwhile the politicians in Ottawa will pronounce their grand schemes and dreams, while Canada's First People get @#$(W by the colonial mindset of people who think we should settle with life and what others think is best for them.
IN our numerous attempts to show the alternative aspects of the IRSSA data, the main stream media and others ignored the truth and published the propaganda that is utilizing the new pursuasive tools of genocide! Miigweech, all my relations!
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