creative forces

 Blog # 134...October, 2022

About fifty years ago I was dating a doctor who ran a medical service for indigenous communities across northern Ontario. Our dates consisted of him coming here (Toronto) letters and phone calls, and more significantly, me visiting there.

With so much attention on indigenous matters, and how they matter, I often think back to those visits, how uncomfortable they made me then and how I now have a much clearer idea of why.

As I’m putting this together, the CBC is dedicating its programming to the Day of Truth and Reconciliation and I’ve just heard a piece on reclaiming and preserving languages that the residential schools attempted to extinguish.

Language contains and reflects our culture, it also presents us and has a lot to do with our perception of ourselves…if you’re learning to speak  a new language and having to operate in it, you know what I mean. It’s the frustration of saying what you can rather than what you mean, feeling stupid at not understanding, and at a loss to find and get what you need. Removing language from the generations exposed to residential schools was one of many ruptures in relationships, families and culture. 

Going back to my time in the north, visiting Indian (as they were called then) communities, I was struck by how disengaged many of the Settlers (we weren’t called that then) were from nature, seeming to prefer sitting inside playing bridge. Our direct confrontations now with nature’s disruption of our lives highlights how important it is to regain that connection…hard for those of us who live surrounded by concrete!

But, look at this - Indigenous Tourism Alberta promises that you’ll  “Discover once-in-a-lifetime nature experiences that you will carry with you always. Look nature straight in the eye. Hear legends and tales over tea around a campfire in mystical heritage sites." 

Seems that areas of the country west of centre are doing a bit better in recognizing and giving indigenous people their due - Wab Kinew, broadcaster and author leads the provincial NDP in Manitoba. Anaesthiologist Dr Alika Lafontaine, newly elected  president of the Canadian Medical Association, of Cree, Anishinaabe, Metis and Pacific Islander descent, was born in Saskatchewan and practises in Alberta.

And, internationally, museums and galleries around the world are beginning to return artifacts to their indigenous origins…most recently, the Buxton Museum in the UK returned a number of important pieces to the Haida Gwaii Museum in BC. “It seemed the right thing to do,” said the curator.

I've just been reminded that the Maritimes too, when they're not dealing with climate devastation, are making a number of efforts to right the wrongs of the past...and in the centre also, we're all in this together.

So, although it seems that we’ve not accomplished enough in telling the truth and reconciling, taking the long view back to 1972, I can see a lot of changes. I wish I'd had the idea for indigenous tourism 50 years ago...and btw, the doctor and I didn't get married but are still good friends.                                  A la prochaine...