Do We Talk About It, or Not Talk About It?

"Do we talk about it, or do we not talk about it?" We can, but we have do it with a bit of nonsense.

 I am disgusted with the way of the world right now. There is such an ugly hate filth stench in the air. The stench is the rise of the Right Wing ideology. It is a rise of selfish wants and actions. The humanity of the Earth is dying. Everyone seems to be standing on the throats of others just for their own ideas. It is an over powering feeling of dread and helplessness. It seems the only answer is to combat the ugly with ugly; violence with violence.  It is not a very promising outlook.  So what in the heck do we do? Are the protests, the petitions, the voting, the campaigning having an affect on the direction of the world? Or is the world doomed because of selfish, ignorant, hate filled arseholes?

If you look, you will see people are scared, frustrated and getting angry at what is happening in the world. For god sakes and milkshakes when you have good guy and science icon, Bill Nye saying "Mother Fuckers" on television, it tells you the Earth has shifted.  There are those like Bill Nye who are looking around and saying "holy shit in Walmart, the world is rotting and we have to do something." So you are not alone as you sit in your underwear (the comfortable ones) watching TV. We see Meghan McCain crying about Mexican's putting her dad in a steel cage at the border, and you spit tea through your nostrils and eye socket.  Take comfort there are many others spitting liquid out their collective orifice's. The World is not dead yet.

Where is the heck is Lola? She would take names and kick arse. I want WereWolves of London to come and eat some of those politicians, those Billionaires and the white suited Evangelists. The problem with the World is the Rich greedy trash bags are in power. They are supported by the politicians, the Churches, the stupid and cows (not sheep as some people use sheep as surrogate mates).

In our Reserve the Old People would say to us when there was a problem; Manoo. I think the Beatles stole this saying and made a song out of it, Let It Be. We are past the point of Manoo or letting it be. Look to the animal beings to see what is happening. Magpies are eating on road kill and they start with the arsehole and get to the shit quicker. Society is filled with Magpies. Those are the Rich, the Politician "licking the corporate hand" (as Lionel Ironstand used to say), and all those stupid cows. The stupid cows can't even recognize it's their bums getting rimmed. The Rich have shit all over their lips and love it, all the while screaming for more, more.

The answer to the rotting carcass? The rotting carcass in this picture is?
the poundin' of the drums, the pride and disgrace, you can bury your dead, but don't leave a trace, hate your next-door-neighbour, but don't forget to say grace,

You Know what is really weird, we live in a world where we have law makers, constantly making laws. What do those laws do? They restrict your freedom. Every year new laws are made. Each year the laws restrict your Rights and Freedoms ever more. Doesn't matter which political party or what kind of government is in power, it results in more restrictions. When a repressive power comes in and makes laws, the next power which comes in tries to undo some of the restrictions but never really does. So there is always two steps towards restrictions and one taken back. So what happens Rights and Freedoms are always in a deficit.

We think we are free and yell around about the freedoms, when actually we are controlled. We don't talk about it. Instead we hold our hands over our hearts while a tune plays at the sports game. The game where they pay super money to have them entertain you. You don't realize it's all part of the Rich man's power. We don't talk about it. Instead we see a homeless person, throw junk food at them and yell "get a job, you lazy bum." Not realizing this is part of the Rich man's power.

You really know what you don't talk about? Seeing someone getting theirs. Like the powers to be getting all buggered up, sodomized. That would be cool to see. Just like the TV show were the Prime Minister of England has to bugger a pig, live on TV. If he didn't the Queen's daughter would be killed. You would want to see that wouldn't you? Except it would the President of the States buggering his own daughter and he was getting buggered by Alex Jones, or some other racist nut ball. But we won't talk about that.

"There's no shame being poor, but it's no great honour either."

Circle Of Life Thunderbird House, Slowly Dying

Circle of Life ThunderBird House was a beacon of light in the City of Winnipeg's North End. The North End of the City had become the poverty community.  The ThunderBird House has become a victim of poverty: no money, no future, short future.

The woes of the ThunderBird House are many. A couple of neighbours don't do any favours to the House. The Manitoba Metis Federation is a neighbour of the ThunderBird House but have no interest in supporting. The Salvation Army has a residential long term treatment program as a neighbour. Another neighbour is the Main Street Project which is a temporary holding place for those who are impaired from alcohol or drugs. Many of the people who frequent the green space ( and concrete) are homeless, poor, suffer mental illness and are addicts. The TBH does not discriminate and welcomes everyone, everyone. Reality of society; people are uncomfortable with the Homeless, the desperate, and the ill. Society would rather have them stay invisible and not on the grounds of the TBH where they can be seen. TBH services everyone regardless but in doing this, it alienates others.

Salvation Army 

TBH Yard 

MMF Operations 

TBH Rotting 

The Copper Roof of the TBH is falling from the building. Panels fall and disappear? The bathrooms need repair. The organization structure has almost collapsed: a non-functioning Board of Directors. An Elders Council which quit or washed out. Numerous bills to be paid and a growing list of monies owed with little chance of repayment. No funding and no where to go for funding. Rental capacity limited, and the realization rentals alone cannot sustain the operation of the ThunderBird.

The TBH has structural limitations and limited options:
- non-desirable area for the main stream public.
- limited parking.
- "sketchy" neighbours.
- financial issues.
- age crumble.
- limited space.
- debt.
- no money.

The ThunderBird is an amazing House. It has the love of people in the community but this love has not transpired into cold hard cash, and we know cash is king. The people rely on the House for their needs. Cousins have had their Funeral Services there. Traditional Adoptions have taken place there. Wiping Away the Tears Ceremonies have taken place there. Missing and Murdered Missing Indigenous Women have been remembered there. Many important events, milestones and announcements have come from there. The people who have been involved with the TBH have all had good intentions and are working with kindness. It is just not enough. Sadly the TBH has to face the reality of how long can it hang on? How long before the doors are closed? How long before the beauty, the intent of the House is forgotten and is killed off?

The TBH is ailing and with sickness there is the possibility of death. ThunderBird should be revered in Winnipeg but it is not. Instead it is ridiculed, abandoned. The City of Winnipeg leadership, their Aboriginal section (liaison and Advisory group) have not been active with TBH. The area Councillor is new so no expectations with her. A local talk radio station attacked TBH for the lack of upkeep. The station compared the grounds of the Legislative Building to TBH. Quite a comparison when the operating budget of the Legislative grounds would likely fund the operation of the TBH. The mindset in Winnipeg and Manitoba is the Indians are no good. So anything associated with them is no good. This attitude needs to change if TBH is going to have a chance to live.

TBH could be writing to the Province, to local Indigenous groups, (even MMF, futile as that may be), the City, and the Feds for support. To look at avenues as to what could be done to make it sustainable. Perhaps a finance person could be seconded to come and try to help out?

Garbage Piling Up 

The House is a great place for the people and can be so much more. The City, the Province do not recognize its positive role for the whole community.

So much could be done here:
 - ample green space for Teaching camp outs
- Teaching Lodge Ceremonies in/out of the House
- Elders Gatherings
- Community networking
- Drop In
- conferences
- Funeral Services
- Baby Ceremonies - Walking Out/Naming


Time for the TBH "Board" to look at options. Rather than stay in a decaying Raptor as the rodents move about.

There's Cool and then There's Indian Cool.

Like many cool events and sayings there is loss in the translation. It is an oral thing. Cool doesn't translate well as a printed word.  It's about the mannerisms and the context of being there.
Still it is worthwhile to try share the groovy of Neechies.

Oh warning, sometimes cool is vulgar, well Indian cool anyways.

Indian: "Eh Boy." 

Indian Women are spectacular. Their mannerisms and their love of life. They put the ice in the cube for sure.

Indian Women flirting: "Mmmmm, look at you. All brown and gravy looking."


Married Indian guy talking about a girlfriend. "I'm not looking for anything serious." Because he's married.

Movie Star quotes -
Thomas Builds-the-Fire: Hey Victor! I'm sorry 'bout your dad.
Victor Joseph: How'd you hear about it?
Thomas Builds-the-Fire: I heard it on the wind. I heard it from the birds. I felt it in the Sunlight. And your Mom was just in here cryin'.

Indian Man flirting: "Your eyes are like Molasses in the sky."

Indian guy who used shelters in Ontario:  "The shelters are good, lots of fucking and sucking and letting the good times roll."

You know Ron Jeremy? Indian guy sitting in kitchen with his male friends and trying to impress them:  To his wife, "Hey! Get me a beer before I give you the Nine."  Wife says "I've had nine before and that's not nine."

Indian guy having wild unconstrained sex with Indian Woman in rear position and he slips into "other entrance":  Woman yells "Kaawiin Imah".  (Not here-there)

Indian (everywhere): Points with Lips.

Indian: "No, I'm only 1/8 white."

Indian (Anishinaabe): "I like that dog me." "I'm Ojibwe me." "I have a girlfriend me."

Indian: "It's a good day to be Indigenous."

Wes Studi (and every Indigenous person): "We have a responsibility to Mother Earth to protect her as much as possible."

I Burned A Church

Last week a tipi at a University of Brandon in Manitoba was set on fire.  It was upsetting for the people associated with putting up the Tipi. The University has a history of hosting the Indigenous community so they were upset as well. The symbolism is not lost, the burning down of Indigenous identity. I remember a little while ago, someone in a Reserve ran over a Sweat Lodge. A Sweat Lodge is a ceremonial place, a place of prayer.  Now this is significant. Seems like the place to attack is at a home of prayer.

Christ Church New Zealand, Kosovo, 16th Street Baptist Church Alabama, Charleston Church, Dar AL-Farooq Islamic Centre Minnesota,  Quebec Islamic Cultural Centre,  Hindu Samaj Temple Hamilton,   are a few examples of places of prayer which were attacked. Throughout history and as recent as last week, places of prayer are being attacked.  A 17 year old White teenager in St Louis broke into a Hindu Temple and vandalized it. The Hindu faithful said "when you go and touch what's sacred to us, that go people shaken up."

Attacking people at prayer is a despicable act.  Attacks are made on the places which are sacred. The Black Church is a target by the White Supremacists. The Mosque is a target for the White Supremacists and Islamic fanatics as well. Hindu Temples are targets for the White Supremacists.  Synagogues are actively being attacked by White Supremacists. Of course White Supremacists are not the only people attacking places considered sacred and home of prayer. People with hate will seek out anyone to hurt.

Lot of attention was given to the attack on the US sacred site, the Twin Towers in New York. The World Trade Center is a symbol of all that is sacred to the United States; Money. So it is not a complete surprise this place of worship was attacked.

The destruction of the sacred is a constant. Doesn't matter who is attacking, they know to hurt someone, you destroy their belief, their sacred.

I burnt a church. Not literally but in my mind and in my heart. The Church was a tool of attack to Indigenous people through-out the world. Colonial empires utilized the aid of the Church to try and kill the Indigenous folk. The tried and true method is to attack their sacred, their homes of prayer and worship. This method is still utilized today. So I will not take part in the Church. I physically let them be, but have no inclination to ever join them. I, however respect their being in our community. There are some good individuals in the Church and we can't paint them with the same ugly.

So I say to all the Indigenous folk out there, burn those Churches.  Not literally of course, but in your mind for a clean spirit.

Horse Standing Side by Side.

Driving on Trans-Canada Highway through Saskatchewan yesterday, I saw two horses standing side by side.  The horses were beautiful, big brown and one had a white face on its brown head. The other horse had a big black tail on its brown bum.

The horses were standing side by side, head to arse.

I was thinking, "hey this is symbolic, I know it is."
Symbolic of what?

I laughed at myself and thought of Donny and Melania, (as Donald called her Melanie) as they are the couple like that, face to arse.

When we think about it, face to arse is very common these days. I mean look at the politics of the world. We could be looking right at a horses arse in the leaderships of the world: Guatemala, Brazil, Doug Ford, Sweden (yes Sweden), Andrew Scheer, Benjamin Netanyahu and many others.

We could also look at some of our neighbours, colleagues, relatives or the police officer who is protecting the Pipelines of Oil.

It is all about actions, attitudes and the relative ease at which they do things with no regard for their surroundings, their community or their fellow human being.

For me I don't want may face right by your arse. Who knows when you cleaned that thing or what is going to come out of it?

The world is dying and it is rapidly dying.  Still people are denying the issue of a dying planet. There are those who actually think our next generation of people will be going to  live on the Moon or Mars. What the fuck is wrong with those people?

There are the ones with their head next to arse. The Earth is beautiful and they would let it die.
With head to arse folk, there is no reasoning with them. They have their face in someone's arse and there is no understanding that.



Head to Arse is what the world is experiencing. The world is filled with folks who are deep in the arse of no good people. Why are we letting them ruin the world for everyone else?

A Curse So Dark On You

Warning: Offensive Content. Bad Medicine.

My cousin pointed out how you can spot the people who use Bad Medicine. For you folks who don't know what Bad Medicine is, it is when a person or persons, uses the gifts out there to do some harm on others.  Of course there are nay sayers, who like to think Bad Medicine doesn't exist. Stupid arses, they must also think evil is the absence of goodness.

Anyways, getting back to the Bad Medicine explanation.  I heard some people will go out and offer some shiny stuff, like nickels, dimes to the bug spirits or some other spirit, like toads. They will send a message and name folks they want to get sick.  Those bug spirits will go searching for those folks. Sometimes they mistake a person and get them sick instead.  My cousin says, the shiny offering is seldom enough for payment by the bug spirits. Instead the bug will go and punish the person who wants to harm others. The bugs do it by targeting someone close to the bad medicine person. Many times it is the kids. The bugs, will wait for the kids to be bigger. They will turn their mouths crooked, make their foreheads get bigger and many times grow the noses. So the kids get ugly.

My cousin says if you see the parents looking normal but their kids are beastly, then you know for sure they are using Bad Medicine. It is the price they pay for their bitterness, jealousy, hatefulness, hatred and ugliness. The Curse is dark on them.

There are of course many other ways to do harm with Bad Medicine. You can unleash the ugly which hides in the deep water or is in the thick bush. The problem with unleashing the ugly, you might actually curse the wrong individual. Some Neechies are pretty smart or pretty paranoid, they take preventive measures. They will make sure when in large Neechie (Indians) gatherings, they will wear protection or put protection in their footwear. Neechies have been known to pickup needles just by walking over someone else's gear, outwear or belongings. The needle gets in their blood stream and gets them sick. You can see the sickness in their skin as it gets discoloured or breaks out. Some people will experience Bell's Palsy; the Crooked Face. The Crooked Face Bad Medicine was a well used on back in the day.  My buddy had a girl friend who had a Crooked Face. The relationship didn't last. I do not think my friend even knew his girl friend had the Crooked Face. He didn't realize it until an older lady in the Reserve asked him, "where's your girlfriend?"  He said, "What girlfriend?"  She said, "You know... the one with the crooked face."

I am cursed as well, having a big personality but light skin. Dark skinned Neechies dislike the light skinned Neechie. My friend since the Residential School in Fort Alexander is cursed with handsome looks, and brown skin.  A girl (younger woman) said to him, "Mmmm you're good looking. All brown and gravy looking."  This will never be the case for me. Instead I get the "creepy old white guy look" from the beautiful Neechie Women.

The good thing is, my curse is on me. I don't use Bad Medicine (except Gossip which is another kind of Bad Medicine) so my Kids and Grandkids are not ugly. The light skin is due to those old French Christians bastards who happened to come through our territory. Our territory was a major trade route. The result, light skinned Neechies in the Reserve. So the light skinned are not attractive but the curse is from coitus and not using the Bug Spirits.

Those of you who are ugly through no fault of your own, blame your parents, they are the ones using Bad Medicine.  Your beauty is the price they paid.

There are many people out there who only practice good medicine. They are quick to praise others. They will go out and volunteer for others. They will say good things about others. They will work at making others feel good. Those folk are everywhere. The Spirits and Ancestors recognize them and gather around them.

Dad, Are You Evil?

Dad??? Are you evil?

Holy heck this made me laugh. My oldest daughter asked me this question as we reminisced over our life.  So how did fun moments of recollection become "are you evil?" Perhaps it was the discussion over my past sins and recent actions.

I answered my daughter with "no I'm not evil." Actually I'm violent or can be violent, or have been violent. Or as I used to disguise the violence by saying "I was volatile." Like being volatile is better than label than being violent of abusive. My girl asked me if I was mad. No I wasn't mad, it was actually quite funny. I know I'm a very good individual; kind generous and thoughtful of others. Still I have a lot of faults and real ugly faults at that.  Does it mean I am no good?  To some perhaps. To me, not really.

I remember going to a film showing and panel discussion. It was held in the Winnipeg Art Gallery. The film was about the Women initiative called "Dragging the Red." The volunteers of Drag the Red are family members of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, men and boys, and by working together on the initiative there’s a community that’s been built around it, which shares anger, hope, and fear, said MacPherson.  The discussion panel was filled with strong women and women who had personal connection to the violence women face. Being who I am (jerk aka paachak) I chimed in with my opinions. I said we men, love our women so much that we beat them, we hurt them, and we kill them. It was a facetious comment. Anyway one of the women on the panel did not like the comment. She objected to the violence again women. She said, men who do this, don't like women, they hate them. I of course tried to explain my comments as asinine and was meant to convey how wrong women are treated. So it was not a good situation from there on. This woman who was next aisle from me thought I should sit down and stop. I was thinking, "hold on here, I'm not a monster, I thought I was on your side." I guess I wasn't. I have a lot to learn with the whole ally thing. I'm not evil, but I am opinionated and stupid. Which is still not evil. I was told to sit down but I didn't agree with the men hate women statement. I think men are stupid, ugly violent, jealous, weak, and yes, some are monsters. 

Growing up I saw violence. I think many of us have. Violence was normal. Not an excuse to keep it going though. My Dad was violent but didn't mean he hated Women, or us. I worked for a friend who I swear was one of the meanest persons I ever met. Thing was he never thought himself as mean, never-mind evil. Even at his meanest out bursts and actions I don't think he is evil, just cruel. I also know this fellow who is loved by many, but he might be evil. I do know he is selfish to a high degree. There are mean people I have known, cruel people and maybe even some evil people. I have known two vey evil individuals. One is now deceased and one currently torments the community. The thing about them is they are evil to some and friends to others. I think evil works that way.

Okay back to my girl asking me if I was evil. The question came about while we were visiting. When we were talking some stories came up as to my actions. A few stories, some a while back and some more recent recounted some of my misdeeds. In one situation, it is alleged I went into a house of Meth users and did some hurting due to violence. She said the story was upsetting because of the violence which took place.  Evil would be taking pleasure in the harming of others with violence, no matter if the outcome turned out to be funny. Is violence the gateway to evil? My girl asked if I was mad she asked if I was evil. Of course not, it was funny. Made me think about who I am.  The violence is part of who I am. It is a big part of the regret which haunts me especially when I am alone with my thoughts. It is a part, the ugly part of me.

I know who I am. I know what is evil. I'm not evil. It is quite a thing, to have your own girl ask if your are evil. It tells me violence can be seen as evil. If I don't want to be seen as evil then I should stop with the violence. I can rationalize violent acts but it still doesn't mean it is right.

I am evil to some that is true. To others I am a jerk, an arsehole, while others know me as kind generous thoughtful and good.