The Struggle…
It is cold during them winter nights, when you have nothing more than a bowl of flour soup to take the pain of hunger away. Waiting for the food bank to be open so you can get at least something to fill your tummy. This is common place amongst Indigenous people of Turtle Island. Yet the land is fat with its life giving nutrients, but still the people go hungry. I will never forget the land because she sustains me. Struggling to exist in the colonial system is the by-product of assimilation. I had no choice but to exist within this artificial system, I was born into it. I am not going to place blame for these circumstances. Mosom told me to never forget the land, because one day we will return to it. I never really understood what he meant when he first told me, but today is makes so much sense. I consider myself fortunate to have been through all I experienced. I look around at these beautiful lands of Turtle Island, I see these so-called leaders make decisions about the land. Many of these people see the land, not as a spiritual entity, but rather as a thing we are owner of. These Indian Elites never had to struggle like the rest of us, always had things handed to them. To them “The Struggle” is not being able to make a car payment, or getting paid $1000 for a gig when they were suppose to get $1200. These people whose feet have never walked bare across the land, they make decisions on my behalf. Endangering the future generations by making deals to get monies for their indian act bands. Selling resources that do not belong to us. The idea of ownership is vastly different between newiyawak people and the colonialists. The land will continue to provide us with a livelihood, as long as we live in a good respectful way of Creator’s gifts. The struggle I live with everyday gives me strength, I know many more of my brothers and sisters are facing the same challenges of a newiyaw in this modern colonial world. I will continue to stand up for the land and waters, just as my mosom has done before me. Hiy hiy ninaskomtin.
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