I am not Aboriginals

posted November 29th, 2015 at 10:06 PM

I am not Aboriginal, and like most people in Canada cared little to learn about their culture or history.(This isn't one single group, is over 630 different Aboriginal peoples). That is until it was imposed on me at University. I invite everyone reading this to learn about the residential schools, the Indian Act, and prison statistics on Aboriginals. I can no longer live in my blessed ignorance. We Canadians must do so much more to reconcile with this integral part of Canada. Division is not the answer, but before solutions can be offered, understanding is essential. This starts with open communication,and learning. Aboriginal history, laws and culture should not just be thrown as a last chapter on school book, it should be taught through out. To any first peoples who are reading this, I am sorry for my ignorance, judgement and for not taking the time before to learn more about your struggles.

3 Comments

I am Aboriginal

Nov 29, 2015 at 11:38pm

I say get over it. I'm sick and tired of hearing my people going on about what happened in the past. I'm also tired of hearing white folk twisting themselves in knots apologizing and beating themselves up over things that happened when they were not born. Really, it's done. It's over. We all need to stop moaning and obsessing over the past, demanding apologies from those no longer responsible, and making excuses on both sides. Get over it, move on and just live your lives.

Well...

Nov 30, 2015 at 6:51am

I'm also aboriginal and I agree with "I'm Aboriginal." And my family isn't some group of quisling aboriginals who registered with the federal government, we did what nature has in mind for people to integrate into a "diverse" society: we interbred with people and simply adopted the customs that were most efficient for our survival. We've done OK---some stats put like 50% of the BC population as aboriginal by ancestry, but you'd never know it from the White Guilt industry that wants to pretend everyone who isn't a registered aboriginal owes this huge debt to all of the aboriginals whose capacity to integrate was marginal, usually due to Big Chiefs.

The registered tribes that remain contain mostly big chiefs and their lackeys who were unable to assimilate, for whatever reason---plenty of us did, and it's insulting that we now get to be treated like we're white people responsible for aboriginal mistreatment.

I mean, isn't the postcolonial studies line that the Crown governments are illegitimate interlopers? So why are the aboriginals who _made deals with them_ the ones who get top billing?