Indians Laughing At Indians

A Wake is a funny place. Well not so funny for the grieved but for visitors. My friend and his wife were at the Wake of their niece. The Wake was in the city of Winnipeg so my friends drove up from the Reserve. They had forgotten to pick up their daughter when they left the Reserve so she had her husband drive her into the City for the Wake. She had made it to the Wake and was sitting around with the family. The nephew, it was his wife's service came to visit with the Reserve family. My friend asked him who the lady was standing at the door. The lady wore a black suit outfit and was standing stoically by one of the entrances. The nephew looked over and said, "Oh her? She is the undertaker don't mind her." My friend's daughter said "The undertaker? I thought it was your wife's sister. When I came in, I hugged her, kissed her  and hugged her for a long time. I said how sorry I was for her loss. How she lost a good member of the family and to keep strong. The lady never said a word." My friend and the wife laughed at their girl; hugging and consoling a stranger of the family. That is what is suppose to happen at a Wake, someone is laughed at.

The same could be said about just going about your business in the community. My in-laws were telling me when they use to live up north in a Cree Reserve. They could still remember a few Cree words, like Awas (Awus). It is funny the word they remember means to get away, like when someone tells you to get away from them, Awas!  My In-laws were remembering about this couple who were from the community. The couple were opposites. He was a very large round fellow and she was severally thin. The people called them 10. I laughed really hard and thought this was classic Reserve humour. Can you vision the ten? 

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Sorry will come back to this when I can recall the stories. Sometimes the headspace needs to connect. These are the stories from friends. I have heard many many good stories from lots of folk and I want to share them. It's just my head has been filled with dread these last few months. 

My grand girl is 7 and has a poor image of herself. With isolation and no activity she has gained some weight. She was image aware before the shut down and was trying to eat healthy. Now she does eat relatively healthy but with no movement. It is my fault for not getting her out of the room and active. We stay in all the time. I purchased a new bathing suit today and gave it to her. She cried and said she think's I am wasting money. I was so sad for her because she won't wear t-shirts and wears sweaters even with the heat. So I am going to try and get her to walk, me and her. Starting today. 

I read the news and it is dreadful out there. Society is showing how ugly it is. Compassion is hard to find. I waste so much time on social media's Facebook, but I like to share pictures and comment on stories. It is like maybe some day I will change things but I know that is naive and impossible.  So while I want to share laughs and do laugh with my wife, in my inside I am dreading society and life.