Horrible Death of Young Woman in Sagkeeng by Teens

A horrible incident occurred in Sagkeeng First Nation Manitoba. A young girl was killed. She was brutally beaten. Beaten by other young girls while it was being recorded. 

Steve Julian You know I had a copy of the video in messenger. I made the mistake of asking to see it. I looked at it for 5 seconds. The image and sounds is now in my head. That night I couldn't sleep knowing the connections we have with them. It was my stupidity and morbid curiousity and just being a f**ing nosey person. I am so mad at myself and sorry for getting it. The brutality of death is nothing to search for. The poor families involved. I am surprised the guy who recorded the incident has not been charged?

Sagkeeng.
We can't deny the ugliness in the community. We can try and deflect it and say our community is fine and that this incident was an anomaly. It isn't. It may have been the extreme of ugliness and it is. There are many who are affected by the killing of the young woman. Lot of hurt people. Its tragic and its horrible. The poor families of all involved; victim and perpetrators. Its not a bad scene from a movie or from a different country. Its here in our home. Sadly our community has seen lot of death, either by killing of others, by taking our own lives or by sickness. Our community is is despair. We can do all the smudging and the vigil' now but what and where we were before? We need more of the good efforts and there are some but let's look at what is happening. The pill explosion has expanded to the meth disaster. We can point fingers for sure. You know the way other communities and reserves see Sagkeeng? We are dealers of death.Our community is so filled with bad that it glows at night. We can and try sanitize the reputation of the Reserve but we all can see and feel the way it is. Of course there are pockets of good in the Reseve, no doubt. But the ugly and the bad is like cancer; it grows and it kills. We need to actively try and change that. How do we that? First is to admit there is in fact an ugly. Then we can start to fight the ugly, the bad the evil. We need to acknowledge there is a cycle of ugliness. There are bullies who thrive in the dysfunction. There are rodents who prey off the sick and the addicted. There are opportunists just watching for any excuse to market themselves. There are those with integrity who just go along trying to make the Reserve a better place. I truly love my community and it saddens me to see what is happening. The old adage of a village raises a child is not applicable here. "Who the fuck are you to give heck to my kid?" "Fucking teachers calling cops on my kids." "Fucking crooks." "Someone gives heck to my kid I'm going to kick ass." 
I was speaking to a friend in the Reserve and he/she was appalled at the situation of what took place. No one intervened. No one checked. No one. 
It can't happen to me is not a safe way to live. Anything can happen to anyone. 
We are not immune to bad things happening around us. 
I for one know ugly. 
The big problem is we are not engaged. And its not the fault of anyone. The change just happened. From a community where everyone thought of everyone to where we are only concerned with our immediate group. 
The other thing is we know who people are and we care or don't care for what goes on. "Its not my business." Or we can turn away from what we see.
The justice system is not kind to us. So of course we distrust them-the police. Will having more police in the community cure the ills we face? Nope. Just have more folks in the jails. 
So what can we do? Where do we start?
Banning dealers? Perhaps a start.
More community involvement in people's business? Why not?
More discipline in the community? Curfews? Stricter rules of behaviour in school?
Are we afraid to say anything for fear of our own history?
We all have a past and we may have all made mistakes but does that now exclude us from having a voice?
Are we afraid if we say something, someone will say "but what about you, you fucking piece of shit?"
I feel bad for the families all our families. People will point and blame. That is not going to be helping. 
Sagkeeng is a beautiful place and does have good good people. At the same time we do have a great number of ugly things.

Let's Knock Down Some Heroes. Eh Folks?

It is true some people really need to be kicked off their high horse. Some not only need to be kicked off the horse but also to be stomped on for good measure. Still there are many out there, just regular people who shouldn't be knocked down. Many of them are not on a horse to begin with (for those literal folk, high horse is a metaphor for them trying to be all good, acting better than you). They are just people who for whatever reason are in the spotlight. Some are heroes and some are just part of a story in the media.

There was this Doctor who got carried off a plane the other day. No fault of his. He was just selected because the airline sold too much tickets. He was hurt as the police carried and literally dragged him off the plane. The CEO blamed him and there was talk about looking at his criminal record. They wanted to bad mouth him; he was labeled belligerent and disruptive.  Its a common pattern when someone is in the news, to label them in a negative way. I remember when I saw the coolest Dude on the planet. He is Charles Ramsey, the good guy who helped rescue the three women in Cleveland who were captive for ten years. Not too long after his famous  interview on TV, there were those folks who started to look at his record and started knocking him down. There are numerous examples when someone gets attention there is someone to knock them down. Remember the Homeless man with the golden voice? He has talent and he has problems as well. His talent got highlighted and his problems were brought out as well.

In Winnipeg this guy is deceased now, Faron Hall, he got noticed and he got noticed for his heroic deeds. Not once but twice. He was beaten up because of his notoriety. "You think you're good".  Poor guy he didn't want the notoriety. The media likes a good story. His "friends" or contemporaries didn't like his good deeds and attention.

Not all folks need the notoriety of news story to make them targets. We will target them anyhow.

I admit I am quick to judge and can call down as well. Many a time I will use the ugly practice of passive aggressive attacks. I try to catch myself and check myself but... I'm a jerk. I own it.

The default position of people seems to be set on negative. We see someone or something and its almost a given we will look for the bad. Why? Are we so stuck in ugly that we just can't see the good? Or even look for the good?

In the smaller community, we do it to people we know and kind of know. We do it with no regard for how they feel or what they are doing.

I started this post because of the negativity we are witnessing in our community (Indigenous community) and was going to use some specific incidents in our province, city and Reserves but have decided to keep it left open.

So let's enjoy the coolest dude on the planets interview. Charles Ramsey.  Samuel L Jackson could do him justice in the movie.

Indigenous Woman Blasting the Big Drum

Had a visit with a friend of mine, Gladys.  She is a very good person. One of those kind generous giving folk. She is on a journey of good life; mino-bimaadiziwin. That life is honouring and following the Traditions of our Ancestors - Keta Anishinaabe. Today we talked about the Big Drum.
She is one of those women; the women who sit on the Big Drum. Women on the Big Drum is becoming more and more common. She also said Women are taking back the Stick.

There is a radio show on CBC called Unreserved. It is an Indigenous content one hour segment hosted by an Indigenous woman. On this one episode there was a focus on this young Women's Drum group.  A group of high school students in Regina is bucking the trend by participating in an all-female Indigenous drum group at Thom Collegiate. The discussion on the Facebook site of Unreserved had a number of Women commenting on the Drum and how good to see patriarchy challenged. A number of the comments seemed to leaning towards man bashing. That's fair in today's climate considering how the world is treating Women.  The trend of Women on the Big Drum is relatively new as the Big Drum was mainly men's territory.

One thing missing in the Unreserved segment was the Drum Teachings. The focus was more on Women breaking barriers or perceived barriers they face. It is true there is discrimination towards Women on the Big Drum. I do think the discrimination will subside overtime. However right now there are those who hold on to the Teaching of the Drum. I admit I am not a Powwow aficionado but I have been fortunate enough to listen when someone speaks. I had the opportunity to be at Teachings in Pipe Stone Minnesota years ago. The Pipe Stone Sundance was about to take place and there were days prior to the Sundance Ceremony for Teachings. Elder Eddie Benton was speaking on the Big Drum. The Big Drum is the Heartbeat of Mother Earth. The Big Drum was the Women's and they gave the Men the Right to have the sticks for the Drum. It was Women who gave the sticks for the Drum to the men and that is why they sit at the Drum. I asked Benton about Women on the Big Drum and he asked me, "Did Women take back the stick?" End of conversation. Another Teaching to note is that the Drum represents Woman and the Stick, represent Men. The Heartbeat of the Drum is life and it is Women and Men which make life (not Women and Women). So this might be why there is some apprehension with seeing Women on the Big Drum. Another note is the Women around the Big Drum when men are singing they look like back up singers and most call them just that, back up singers. The Women are the Drum and so are part of the protection and overseers of the Drum.

The discussion of Women being barred from the Big Drum is a cause taking up by feminist advocates. They are wrong. It's not a feminist fight. It's not truly about men taking power from the Women. I think the discussion coming from the Traditional women is the strongest argument on the situation. I have heard it now I think it is true; women are taking back the stick of the Big Drum. You know why? It is because men have lost their way. It's not that women are inferior. It is because men have forgotten the true role of Women and their place in our lives. Men (and Women) have bought into the tenets of Christianity where Women are made from man's rib and they are responsible for tempting man thus getting him kicked out of Eden and starting original sin. Women are less. When it's not the case. Women are the true powers of bringing life to our Nation. We don't live that life of honouring Women. We say we do but our actions show otherwise. Just look at our Leadership entities and the lobby groups. It is an anomaly to see Women in leadership roles.

With so much conflict happening in both our communities and what is happening to the land, the Women are stepping up to the battle. Men are too busy hanging to roles that establishment promotes; men in suits making high level decisions. When our youth are attacking each other, selling drugs, selling women, beating women, killing Women and men have abandoned the role of being a Dad. Many Mom's are left to raise and care for children without men. While many Men carry themselves in a very good way, there are many that are lost. Some even use the Drum in a bad way. Sitting at the Drum while high or hung over, or seeing as a way to get after Women or just earn money.

Women are taking back the stick and men need to see why.

Women are going to establish the balance which exists.

Julie WhitepigeonApril 20, 2017 at 8:32 PM

I heard a presenter share a teaching about how men lost more of their roles in Native life than women did. I believe that is why men suffered greater loss with the destruction of our culture & life ways. Men could no longer be the providers & protectors of their families. Men could no longer earn their honors as warriors, chiefs & hunters, spiritual leaders & wisdom keepers. How could men grow into roles that were main targets for attacks by oppressors?
But women could still be valued & honored as creators of life, nurturers & becoming the backbone of our families & communities. Today women are more involved with tribal organizations & employment in tribal government than men. I think women are seen as less of a threat to the European power structures so women have a better chance to succeed. As a Native woman, I can recognize the losses our men have experienced. I don't feel the need to take back the stick and sit at the big drum. Let our fathers, husbands, sons, brothers & nephews keep that honor.

Purita FéMay 25, 2021 at 10:53 AM

I have met one of The drum Keepers and families of the original Big drum(s) and teachings that were gifted and handed down through mostly women and their male siblings. These drums that were handed down were
made under the instruction and supervision by "Tail Feather Woman's vision. Tail Feather Woman and other of her Santee people traveled east and

brought the drums to Elder councils of several Nations. Both women and men sat as Elder councils and the drums were given to both women and men. When those drums were first made and given...it was meant to keep Peace between all People and Nations. The drum represented both men and women. That half of that circle was female and the other half was male. There is no whole without the balance of the people. It can't be one half to make whole decisions. The drum was not made for just the men. The story has changed many times especially after the 
Missionaries came and stripped Women, 2 Spirit, Midwives, Faith Keeper's, Medicine Peoples and Clown Socireties of all authority...to gain control over the people and their land. They reduced these powerful people and marked them as Whores, Perverts, Witches and insane. Missionaries shamed, tortured , jailed, raped and murdered these peoples and anyone who followed. Women were and still are caretakers and keepers of many Rites and it's belongings. Not to mention how pipes and other drums and rattles and ceremonies all came through Women who are the nurtures and Mothers of us all. 
When the European first saw the people...they saw how the women were the quickest way to get land and control was to marry up these women and have children that would inherit land and become patriarchy and the rulers under their rule. Like slaves in some way. Then they dilenced the women from any authority and went through the men. Then Outlawing Indian anything. With all the Residential and Boarding schools...It's understandable how so much of the traditional perspective got twisted and gender roles have become so shaming of everything.
Grandmother drums keep both boys and girls learning together...so they know the balance... and respect each other. When they grow up...their gender roles become defined for themselves. The world is at war with Patriarchy. It is not our way. Even the few patrilinial Tribal systems did not deny, reduce shame or disrespect their women or 2 Spirit, they praised them for their gifts. Everyone deserves to sing and pray and connect. So many young women say the drum has saved their lives. hope to see and hear many women's drums and even coed drums. They did exist!! The Prophecy says..."when the Women Begin to Sing...peace will come back to the Nations".

Eva Cassidy: Its not your fault, your voice breaks open my wounds.

I was sitting in a little coffee shop on Davie Street in Vancouver in around 2004.  It was a JJ Bean shop on the corner of Howe and Davie, it's not there now. The young barista was playing some music and this beautiful voice played on.   The Coffee shop is a good memory for me. I asked the young man about who was singing on his play list.  He told me it was Eva Cassidy.  What album is that I asked. He told me she didn't have an album, he just made a number of songs from the internet and made it into a cd. The songs and the coffee house and the young handsome man are a good memory for me. I used to go and have tea in there with my boy, Donovan. Donovan stayed with me in the bachelor apartment on Howe Street off Davie. (Side note I subbed the apartment off Jody Wilson, the now Federal Minister of Justice.) My last memories of my son are mixed with regret and sadness. He was struggling in Vancouver with addictions. He went back to Manitoba in January of 2005. His Granny, my Mom died of Cancer in March and he killed himself in August. He hanged himself in the closet of his mother's apartment in Winnipeg. It was a bad time.

When I go to some places both in Vancouver and in Winnipeg there a couple of business places that remember me and my son. The JJ Bean barista asked me "where is your son"? It was difficult question to answer. Same with the hair dresser at Dimples on Sargent Avenue in Winnipeg, he had asked me about my son. I told him.  It wasn't too long after my Son's death when I lost my mind. I barely lasted six months until a complete breakdown. Still a struggle every single day. Most times I pretend and pretend to be happy, but inside my heart and my mind I am sinking to a darker and darker place where one day I will not be able to climb out of. For now I try hard to just be. I think many of us are trying to do more than just exist.

So Eva Cassidy a beautiful voice which had been ignored and then discovered after her death is a voice that reminds me of my Boy.

Its not her fault her singing breaks open my wounds each time I hear her.

Steve.

Throw Out Nice Stuff Done by Bad People

OJ Simpson gave you his football that he carried for his last touchdown. You own it. OJ has a notorious reputation; repugnant even.  So what would you do with the football? Would you attach sentimental value to it? Or would it be purely a dollar item?  Okay maybe that's not a fair question. You would be pissed at the decrease in demand and the falling price.

But what if you had a nice painting given to you by a friend. The painting is nice but the value is not monetary. The value is the more the pleasure you get from the painting. In addition the gratitude and good feeling and appreciation you feel when you look at it. Knowing it was given to you with no favour attached to it. Just a nice gift from a caring friend. Cool right? Now what happens if you find out the artist of the painting, did some dirty rotten deed. He wasn't convicted or even charged but an acquaintance of yours said the artist did something to his child. Now the painting is still very nice and has been on your wall for some years. So what becomes of the value of the painting now? Do you still feel the same way about the painting? Do you keep the painting? Do you get rid of the painting, regardless of the sentiment behind the gift?

The same thing happens quite often with gifts from your love. What happens when you get a nice gift from your friend. She or he gives you  something like a ring, necklace or watch; something personal for you. You fall out of love. Your friend runs off in the dark of night with your other friend. The value you placed on the item changes or does it? Do  you give it back or do you sell it off or do you throw it away. Or do you say heck with that noise I'm keeping this sucker its nice as all heck, so its staying.

The thing is if someone does the repugnant and you have something of value, how do you reconcile with it? You have a mentor and it turns out he or she is just as human as you. They let you down, do you discount everything your learned from the mentor?

Was thinking that's all.  There are so many examples of people out there that have done some stuff, bad and really bad stuff: Woody Allen, Robert Blake, Michael Vic, Peyton Manning, Mel Gibson, Hulk Hogan, Paula Deen and so on. There are so many ugly incidents by people.

Travel to Cuba Should be about Making Relationships

William the Cabbie

 Well my Wife and daughter took me to Cuba for a trip. This is the second time they have taken me to Cuba. First Time was five years ago.    This time around I was so excited that I may have had my hopes about the trip so high. I was telling Suz that I shouldn't get too happy before we go because I would jinx the trip; making it not as fun as the last time we went.

Vivian's design

Worker cleaner. 

Alberto - maitre d

hydro pole

Havana tour guides & driver

Random Havana Resident

Darren Karen Donovan

My victim

Mike's Cafe

Frankfurt Couple

The thing about Traveling is we should all do it.

When I went to Cuba the excitement was about not the place we were going to stay at but with meeting people. We (Suz Chloe Aviree and I) started looking to buy stuff for the trip. The stuff we are talking about its gifts. I asked other relatives what we should take to the people. EJ and Eva Fontaine have been to Cuba a number of times. So we asked them. EJ said shirt ties would be good for the professional workers. I told my neighbours, Keith and Linda Farley about the trip and what we were intending to do. Keith gave  us a bag of about forty ties to take. We gave the ties to lots of folks there. We also took toys, nail polish, underarm stuff, and sunglasses. My cousin Allan Courchene said people like sunglasses. 

I guess the act of giving makes us feel good. For me it's kind of an arrogant thing to think I am some type of benevolent soul and gracious human being by giving token gifts. I mean it's not really life changing stuff to give a pair of sunglasses or a little bit of perfume. Still in my mind it was significant. In reality it's not. I had an image of being appreciated for the little gift. 

I was disappointed at the beginning of the trip. I was not meeting people as I imagined I would. When trying to visit the "locals" in the very nice resort, they were busy working. Imagine that. They were working 12 to 16 hours a day. And this old guy is trying to make small talk and be all intrusive about their life. So it was my delusional vision of being this "cool kind" guy being all generous to the local folks. That should not have been my focus but just enjoying the opportunity to travel and if it was to be, to have good conversation with anyone. 

So I altered my thinking and sure enough I started to loosen up and got to visit with different folks. I stopped trying to be critical of the resort, the tourists and the working staff. However, I did complain to Suz and Chloe about all those tourists sitting around the common area staring at their I phones. I would say, "how in the heck can you start up a conversation with those people, when their faces are locked on phones?" I complained about the hotel being boring with all those old people. I'm old but they were old as well. I complained about the lay out of the hotel. I complained for nothing. The hotel and the people were good. Mixture of tourists from Moscow, Sweden, Italy, Montreal, Czech Republic and the UK. 

I met some nice friendly people; a couple of young men from Montreal. These young men were so up beat and friendly.  Nice enough to be patient with my endless questions. I know I am messing up Dappies name. He and his friend Steve seemed to be having a good time as well.

Darren and Karen Donovan from Manchester, UK.  Well rounded travelers this couple. I met a couple from Halifax, Daphine and her husband. I asked them how the met. On internet they said. The man went to the Philipines to meet someone. They married after 4 months and they have been together for about nine years. She is 33 and he is 70. They look good together. He is a retired plumber and she works part time.  He had strong opinion on how to stop the Indigenous youth suicide. She was teasing him quite a bit. We met Alberto from Cuba and a number of patient serving staff at the hotel. We met Maria on the bus and she was from Dominican Republic.  we met  a very nice couple from Frankfurt at a bus station. I of course was a pest with teasing people at the resort.  My antics could have been mistaken for cute about 35 years ago but at my age its old creepy. At the end of it, the trip to Cuba was one of joy, pleasure and appreciation by me. I was so happy Suz and Chloe think about me and are able to spend time with me.

There are similarities all over the place and some little differences you tend to notice. Like some of the hydro poles are made of concrete. The type of trees is different of course, with big cactus trees and many short ones and of course the palm trees. The birds singing beautiful songs, while the vultures look like ravens in the sky. The absence of kid's bikes. It's weird we look at the clothes drying in outside the balcony of apartments and we think it's odd. When in fact its normal. We like to see the same and the different in our travels. But the biggest thing is the people. The trips only mean something when we meet people. A good visit can make the trip that much more special. It's about the relationships.

Suz Chloe Aviree and I went by taxicab to downtown Varadero. William took us in an old vintage American Classic car with a Hyundai engine. It was 20 Cuban pesos one way. He waited two hours for us to walk around and he brought us back to the hotel a 12- or 16-kilometer ride. By the way the Canadian dollar is worth 67 cents on the Cuban peso.  We told William were wanting to go Havana. He spoke to a guy at the hotel security and arranged a trip to go to Havana the next morning - 150 pesos. Suz didn't want to take Aviree on a long trip; no car seat and long road trip for a three-year-old. We left Suz and Aviree behind, just Chloe, me and three Cubans; a driver named Enzo, a tour guide named Elvis and a tour guide trainee named Juverre. The tour was very fast. We went to a number of places in Havana. We spent three pesos on a lady wanting her picture taken with a cigar in her mouth. We went to eat at some restaurant outside of the city. Old style restaurant that was a house with tables and chairs in the courtyard. The tour Cubans were going to wait as many of the tour drivers waited outside as tourists ate inside. Weird. Mom always said you don't feed yourself in front of people. We all had a nice meal for $135 Canadian. Lucky for us we had enough cash for the meal. We didn't take a lot of money to Cuba, so the trip and the meal ate most of our tour cash.  The chance to sit eat and visit with these cool Cubans was one of the coolest parts of the Havana trip.

Like I said at the start of this blog, everyone should travel. Even if it's close to your home. We can meet people everywhere. All we have to do is say "hello" and start from there.

When Local War is Waged.

l

The "Alt Right" is a new term for an old theme.  The political Right seems to be gaining some of its historic brashness. The media calls the push for racism in politics as "populism".  The Americans have embraced the hatred they have elected a lunatic. Canada has had its own crazy with Stephen Harper and his Old Stock Canadians rhetoric and governing. Now that he is gone the political is going to fill his void with an even wackier version.

The world is sure embracing racism hatred and just plain ugliness. The media and many call it challenging political correctness. Funny stuff. I wonder where this will end up?

In the US police are assaulting Women, killing them in many instances and seems like they have waged war on the Black man. Let's not forget other people of colour. The Indigenous person is more likely to be killed by a police officer than any other group in America.

So again I wonder what will it take in this civilized country of ours for a War on the government to happen?

In many other countries civil wars break out when the locals have had enough of the pressure, the persecution at the hands of the ruling elite. We have seen micro-bursts of rage happen. The governments protect (at all costs it seems) the backs of the corporations, the resource sectors and the financial institutions at the peril of the ordinary citizen.

I think the government is prepared for this. Many of the police forces have been fully militarized and have begun capital expenditures for all sorts of big weapons. Makes a person wonder, who is  the local police going to war against?

They are preparing for war against the disenfranchised. Who are the disenfranchised?

Look in the mirror.

It may happen in our lifetime where you will start to see more and more unrest against the government. The same people who voted for Trump and who will vote Conservative in Canada are also the ones to watch. They identify with the hate promoted by the Alt Right but when the policies and laws by the government start to affect them as well...then you know they are going to wake up.

But for now the disenfranchised are the First Nations, the Black the Muslim and some other smaller groups. There is a point where someone is going to get tired of their kids being taken, their women being killed, their rights taken away. When they get finally see no alternative of their own. War will happen. It happened in the 1970s with Quebec; the FLQ and you will see it happen again.  It happened in the 1800's so its not new to Canada.

I guarantee you the police services speak about local wars and plan to address them.  I also guarantee you that there are many in the country who are itching to start a war.

Wonder when it will happen?

Will the Rich finally push the poor over the edge?
Will the Right finally push the poor over the edge?
Will the Government finally push the Indigenous over the edge?