Pay our escorts
I recently had another experience of being a medical escort for a family member. Being an escort means assisting a family member from the Cree communities of Eeyou Istchee who needs to travel outside their community for health care.
Voices
ᐋ ᐄᔮᔨᐧᒫᓂᐧᐃᒡ
The ongoing genocide
It’s been 14 years since the federal government’s apology to Indigenous people for residential schools. A decade ago, the report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission was published. This year, Ottawa finally stopped fighting to deny its blatant discrimination against Indigenous children in the social welfare system and agreed to a final settlement to compensate them and their families.
As the seasons change
The school bus drives by with windows full of happy little faces, all going to school for the first time this fall. While it’s still officially summer, in the North the days are already getting shorter so technically it’s the start of fall, at least for the kids. For us older ones, who have either finished school or never went, it’s time for berry picking as it promises to be a bumper crop. As for me, it’s back to work.
Time is running out
It is the time of gatherings and festivals for my people across Turtle Island. Many Indigenous communities are making the most of summer after not being able to gather much since the Covid pandemic. There are powwows, traditional gatherings of all sorts, music and fun-time events and hundreds of non-Indigenous celebrations throughout Canada.
Aliens!
I have so much to say on the recent forest fires and how they’re a direct consequence of colonialism and imperialism, but I will spare you from another doomsday-flavoured column and pick something more lighthearted – aliens!
Mixed up and dazed
As we look to the skies and see a smoke-free environment, you know that summer is back but a little too late for us Northerners. This so-called climate change just can’t seem to make up its mind. Is it going to be good or bad for the environment? Who knows, you’d be better off reading a horoscope and using that instead of the weather.
To preserve and protect
The story that has captivated North America and the world around is the uneasy truth about Indigenous history and the relationship with the Canadian government, the church and the on-going efforts for reconciliation.
Powwow Fever
The Kahnawake Echoes of a Proud Nation Powwow returned July 8-9 after a two-year absence due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Powwows are a powerful gathering where multiple communities and generations of people come together to witness the pride of Indigenous dancers, drummers and singers. And this year it seemed that there were more dancers, more vendors, more drummers and certainly more people attending than I have ever seen in the past.
Recovery mode
As the fires wreak havoc with our summer plans and ceaseless smoke clogs our nostrils, we know that at some point the forests will yield and the wood that fueled this natural catastrophe is spent and deposited into a huge carbon footprint. I guess Mother Nature has its way to save any residual energy it has in its biomass and expending it with formidable fury. As any Elder has tried to explain before, just stay safely out of its way and let the rejuvenation begin its beautiful cycle.
Great people make great things happen
It takes people to make change for the better in our society. Happily, I have known many people over the past few decades who have devoted their energy to making life better for Indigenous people. One effort I have experienced really stands out.