You Were Raised White

My parents were extremely proud of being Anishinaabe, of being Indian. They were born and raised in their community of Sagkeeng. My Dad was angry towards White people, especially the British, which he called Limey's. My Mom never showed a dislike to anyone.  She was cool like that, even-tempered but not afraid. She did have issues with Anishinaabek who didn't share her pride of being Indian. She never said it about anyone in particular but called people who "wanted to be White, Apples." There were several groups of families who wanted to raise their kids white or have them marry out to white folk. The Reserve community knows who those people were. I guess it was part of the times, life was cruel to Indian people. If you could get out of the cruel world, so I guess you really can't blame them for trying to dine on White.

I grew up with no doubt about who we were, who we are. My parents, my aunties and uncles and cousins were, are all Indians. It was the way it was and no denying it. There were those who said they were French. They wanted out so bad. It's funny now because lot of them have become Indians again. Their kids and grandkids are big Indians now, regardless of being "raised white."

It is a good thing. A great thing actually. Our people are coming home. The effects of being raised white are being challenged. Many youth who grew up white are looking at "de-colonization" and what it means. It is a hard thing trying to damper the "whiteness" in our character and attitudes. The effects of whiteness are huge. Whiteness is colour coded world. The language of Whiteness is a hard one to escape. It is in the cartoons meant for children. It is the songs and poems of the mainstream. It is in the Weddings and in baptisms. It is in the colour of emotions.  It is in the treatment of our family.  Being raised white is an exercise of erasing one's heritage.

So how do we face the person who has been raised white? Do we mock them? Do we accept them as they are? Do we try and change them, educate them? Do we laugh at their white accents?

We have no control over how we were raised. We are either so fortunate to have a strong family and heritage connection or we are unfortunate. We do have control (some) over our attitudes going on in life. We even have some control over how we raise our own children. So if we want to continue with the legacy of whiteness (in attitudes and behaviours and even values) we can do that. Or we can be like many and embrace the heritage. It is a challenge that is for sure. We have to become aware of where whiteness has influence. Whiteness is everywhere; in how Ethnic people are looked at. How white views the Indian, the Black person, the Brown person and the world.  It is a greedy view. A view of the individual over being part of everything living.

It may seem common sense that some attitudes are universal and it's not a white thing. Would you wear Red at your wedding? Would you baptize your daughter in a black dress? If not why not? It's the colour thing, right? We have certain attitudes on colour and where do we get those attitudes. It can't be just Billy Idol wanting a White Wedding, can it (as catchy as it is)? Or the Rolling Stones wanting to Paint it Black (I look inside my self and see my heart is black)?

The challenge of opting out of being raised white is largely an attitude adjustment and awareness. The awareness that being an Indian person means you are just as good and not lesser than anyone white. The message of white is right is deeply entrenched in the world. So it is not an easy struggle. So when we meet the Indian trying hard not to be white, embrace them, cheer them on. Let them cross the Red Line, and not be Yellow. Encourage them to talk the language of their people. 

As I have heard many a time, "Indigenous, coolest people on the damn planet."