You don't know me

Music is really something. I remember a lot of the music that my Dad listened to and my older siblings as well. Dad liked the Hank Williams Sr. Everything sixties and seventies were heard from what Carol and Donald listened to.
I have to listen to the new music on the radio because I have a 14 year old girl who controls the music dial in the car.
Songs can take us places. Fond memories, sad reflections and very happy get up and move those feet tunes.

So just wanted to say it's time for "a little tune, I am sure you folks will love..."

Moondance by the great Van Morrison, one of my favorite songs. I tell my wife that this is our song. She's nope. It's someone else song as I have been with this song pre-her.

My wife likes a wide array of tunes like ABBA. And that's okay with me. :D

Saying goodbye to Granny Hazel

My mother-in-law passed away the other day. It is a sad day for our family.
Suz is doing alright, considering it has been a long farewell.
I am very lucky and blessed to have met this very good person, Granny Hazel. She was the very ideal in kindness and goodness.
We are quick to praise the deceased in most instances, but I know this to be the truth about Granny Hazel.
In your life you are lucky to meet a fine person, and I am very fortunate to have met a good number of good people. My Mom is one and so is Hazel.
I looked at some of Suz's grandparents pictures and the people are all Brown. Very brown. :)
Monday we will have a good visit with Hazel before she goes on.
We should be sad and miss her, but at the same time happy that we got to know her as we did.
Hazel was blind, but you would not know it. She was independent, resourceful and always working. The first time I met her, she was still making cream from the cows.
It was different for me, as Hazel and her family like to hug each other.
My baby Chloe was always on her knee and always being "babied" by Granny.
The home made bread, toasted on the stove element is still one of our fondest memories.
Food being served and tea being made was the norm and still is in the Spence household.
Have a wonderful trip Granny Hazel and say hi to my Mom and Don for me.

I've lied a million times...

Not really but I bet it is close. It's those little lies that we don't even know anymore if it was real or not. I've told a million lies, to myself, to myself. That is a great line from a Van Morrison song. I am not that hard evil loser that I once saw in the mirror. It is a lie. I am not that way. I want to laugh. Want to give everyone a smile. I want to tease and make everyone I come in contact with a laugh. They may not laugh at slack jokes or ouch puns. But hey, that's me.

I saw this line on face book, "what do a woman's arse and a nine volt battery have in common? You know it's wrong but sooner a later your going to stick your tongue there".

Bad medicine beats Good medicine

Kind words conquer.
- Tamil Proverb
There are those that say there is no such thing as "Bad Medicine". I am not sure if that is true. Or the saying that you were "hit" is true or not. Hit being that someone put medicine on you, specifically Bad Medicine. You hear a lot of this at Gatherings (like a Powwow) especially where money is involved or were there is an election of some kind. Some people who are "hit" are not active in any kind of activity that you would think they should be hit. They are not political, not into money or not in the public eye. Maybe it's the good old fashion jealousy thing. I suspect in some cases, they might be hypochondriacs. You know like one of my cousins', who has every aliment you can imagine. Just start telling him about your back ache and he has a slipped disc, or he has a pinched sciatic nerve. Actually I think when you get to a certain age, around 44, you start to talk mostly about health, sickness and death; It's genetic (or maybe social, but who knows). Anyway, back to medicine, I am sure there is medicine, whether we believe or not. What of those people that don't believe in anything except that we are in charge of our direction, our lives? You think that every decision we make is one that is part of your destiny?
Well, it's like this, say you are in control of every move you make, what's to say that every move you make was not foretold? You make an effort to change the outcome of what you normally would have done, normally what you would have decided to do. What if those changes are in the cards already, you will never know for sure if that is the grand design. A bugger isn't it?
What has this ramble have to do with medicine and practicing medicine? People engage in bad medicine all the time, everyone is guilty of putting medicine on others. When you think bad of others, when you wish them bad luck, when you wish they wouldn't win. You are practicing bad medicine. It is easier to practice bad medicine than it is to do good medicine. It is easier to wish bad rather than wish good on people.
Does medicine even exist, after all we can't see it? You can't see it but you can feel it. Ever go into a room where a couple of people are upset with each other. They may not be swearing over even giving signs that something is wrong but you sense it. You can feel the uneasiness, the burr of the coldness, the fire of some bad feelings in the air. Just because you can't see it, it still exists. Same with medicine.
If you are ever hit, you will go to a Medicine man (or woman) and ask to have it fixed. The Medicine person will ask you if you want to send it back to the person who sent it. You will say no, because it doesn't seem to make you look good. But really you want to. Who is to say that you shouldn't be the one to be the "round" in "what goes around comes around"? After all the bad that someone does must be paid in some way or fashion. Who's to say that is not how it should happen? I think we are (at times) the tools of faith or destiny. It is us that is the bad thing that happens to others. Doesn't make it right does it? But maybe it will make people feel a little less heavy for the bad things they do. After all even good people can make bad choices. 
People will tell you that there is no such thing as bad medicine. Well sorry but that is wrong. Bad things exist in the world. As do good things. How can we expect good things without recognizing that there is bad. How can you expect to receive blessings or kindness if you don't expect that there is an opposite? Of course there is an opposite. So we know it's there, but we don't have to feed it.

We want to feed our kindness, our goodness. That is a task. We can easily think bad of others or wish harsh things on people. Why? It is a task to feel real, real gladness for the good fortune of others. It's like anything, if we want to be competent at something we must practice. Same with good medicine. If we want it to beat bad medicine, we must practice it. So the next time that old lady or old man yells bingo from across the hall, think "well good for them". Instead of saying "ah shit".


My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness.
- The Dalai Lama

Taking stock of Indian Politicians in Manitoba.

Manitoba's Aboriginal population is active politically. We have our share of Indians in main stream politics and a number of politic organizations engaged in the larger community.

Ron Evans is the Grand-Chief, Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs. He is elected by the Chiefs of Manitoba (64). I am not sure how much of the sixty-four votes he needs to be elected. He represents the Chiefs of the 64 Bands in Manitoba, and by default is seen to represent the People of those Bands.



David Chartrand is the elected President of Manitoba Metis Federation. Chartrand has just been re-elected as leader of the Metis. Approximately three thousand eight hundred MMF members voted for him. His opponent received less than eight hundred votes. Chartrand can speak Saulteaux (Ojibway-Anishinabemowin).



The Honourable Eric Robinson is a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for the Province Manitoba, and Minister of Aboriginal and Northern Affairs and Deputy Premier of Manitoba. Robinson represents the electoral area of Rupertsland. There are approximately sixteen thousand people in the voting area. A little less than ninety percent of those people are Aboriginal. Robinson has been elected as MLA since 1993.
He has enjoyed a loyal following from the people of Rupertsland, having received the largest percentage majority of votes in the province.

There are many Indians and groups dipping their feet in the political pool in Manitoba. For a larger picture of the many many players in the Manitoba the Turtle Island Native Network has a listing of groups.

There are a number of Aboriginal people that are currently players in the political arena: George Hicks, MLA and Speaker of the House Manitoba. Frank Whitehead, MLA The Pas. Morris Swan-Shannacappo GrandChief Southern Chiefs Organization (SCO). David Harper, GrandChief Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO). Regional Chief Bill Traverse for Assembly of First Nations (AFN). This is a small list of the people that are swimming in the political lake in Manitoba. I won't bother to list other's as they are minnows considering the size of the Lake.

Of the politicians for Aboriginal people Eric Robinson swings the biggest stick. He is clearly elected by the people. Represents more people and is in a position that directly affects Aboriginal people. Some would argue that he is provincial politics and it does not have the same measure as an Aboriginal (Native) organization. Those people are dead wrong and stupidly naive. Provincial politics sticks it's arm down the throat of Indian life, even if we don't want it. All we have to do is look at section 92 of the Canadian Constitution. In any case Provincial legislation is in our backyards and in our homes; even on the Reserve. We, as Indians have always said that our relationship is with the Crown.
By way of attrition our Rights have been taken over by Provincial legislation and policy. That is the major reason that Robinson holds so much power. His government holds Indians at their mercy.

Robinson is in a conundrum; he is a representative of the Provincial government and he is a Treaty Indian. He must represent the larger population and the follow the road-map of the government (his government) and their political ideology. He also has links to the Aboriginal community due to his heritage. His constituency is largely Aboriginal and those are the people that elect him into his position. The Aboriginal population's interests do not (mostly) jive with the provincial government. Robinson is accountable to his constituency and is accountable to his political party. The party is bigger than the individual. He has to deal with listening to his electorate, which is the north and Aboriginal, plus he has to listen to what the government (his political party) wishes to accomplish. In addition he is an Indian so his loyalty, integrity is always in crisis. The government aims to stay in power. In order to stay in power, their policies must please the masses. The masses are mindful of the government coin purse. Government can not bend to the wills of the Aboriginal lobby. Robinson has to look at himself in the mirror everyday and ask himself which master he is going to serve that day; heritage, constituency (which is Aboriginal), or the political party he is a member of. A very hard position to be in. One of the reasons I say a politician is a contortionist, he must be pliable.

Ron Evans wishes to have what Eric Robinson has, legitimacy, power and influence. His master is the 64 Chiefs of Manitoba. He is elected by approximately 35 people. He has no real power or influence. Although he conducts himself as though he has power, in reality he is a glorified manager. It is probably frustrating for Evans as he was once Chief of his own community. In that position he could deal out favours at his pleasure, deal out punishment by with holding services and resources of the community. In his current position he must bend at the pleasure of the Chiefs. This must be upsetting being mastered by his once peers. I still see he is trying to conduct business as he did in his community. I understand that he can keep quite a tally on people that do not agree with his decisions. In any case the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs is an organization with potential. If they can become a legitimate representation of the Aboriginal people. As it is right now, AMC is an ineffective lobby group grappling with identity issues. Leadership that has no idea on the role of a visionary.

David Chartrand is the leader of the Manitoba Metis. He is the best at promotion. He promotes the MMF so much that the organization is now synonymous with his face. He makes regular appearance on radio shows, is in the news with soundbites with any issue that is related (and in many cases not related) to Aboriginal issues. He has an easier job that any of the other leaders. He only has to please a few key members of the Metis population. He is the manager of a lot of resources and uses that power as a sword (envision King Arthur wielding Excalibur). He is the king of the Metis and he rules in that manner.

There are many players but I think they all want to be king or queen. There are some very effective lobbyist working for Indians today. The problem with all the groups is that they are dependent on the larger governments for their survival; cash. How can our minds be independent when we have to serve that master? Each of the leaders want to be part of something that is grandiose, so they label themselves with titles that reflect this desire (the grandest grand). Sadly many of the grandiose organizations and leaders suffer from impotence. That impotence is due partially to systemic, structural shortcomings and also due to intellectual disability.

The problem with our players over here is that they are reactionary rather than proactive. They lack direction or initiative. The only time you see any type of action (with the exception of Chartrand who loves the media and promotes himself with abandon)is if an issue is in the news. Without any issue glaring them in the face they are sitting in the office or going out for photo-ops. No strategy or real identity for these organizations.

Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra Indigenous Festival

Suz and I went to see the opening of the WSO Indigenous Festival. We enjoyed the concert very much. The music director Alexander Mickelthwate (the conductor) and Festival Manager Vince Fontaine welcomed the mixed audience. I saw a lot of the old white people. You got to admire these people; they are the people that actively support the Arts. The crowd was mixed with youth, Aboriginal, visible ethnic groups and happy people.

Tonight's performance was entitled Ritual. George Gao played Capriccio #3 and Mongolian Fantasy. He used a traditional stringed instrument. I am not sure what it is called but you may heard some of the sounds on a movie like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. It is called a Erhu. The music is sweet and haunting. He played soft at the start and then he exploded into a frenzy. The WSO just complimented the wild sound of the Erhu. A very good experience. Makes you want to go out and purchase a copy of the movie soundtrack Hero. I really like those little yellow women. It's that old fantasy of Asian Women. If you ever see the movie Gran Torino with Clint Eastwood, you will see that cliche made fun of by Ahney Her. In the movie Hero there is a great fight scene with Jet Li, and all the while the Erhu is being played. It is awesome. George Gao takes it to another level. He brings up the tempo and varies the sound that you get pumped.

The second portion of the show had performance of Stravinsky's "Rite of Spring". Manitoba Aboriginal School of Dance joined the performance and interpreted the music piece.
All I can say it was crazy. Beautiful dance, complex sound and wild images come to mind. For me I the image I kept coming up with was the fight scene between Spock and Captain Kirk. The music and the tempo sort of resembles this television fight scene.

I don't believe I have had the opportunity to hear the WSO before tonight. I would go and see them perform again. It was such a good experience. We were lucky to go, my brother Donald gave us the tickets.

A day in Winnipeg Manitoba Canada.

We went out and spent the day going around the city. We started with a trip to the Assiniboine Park. It was off to the Leo Mol Sculpture garden which is in the park. We enjoyed the park and the many sculptures. I took a lot of pictures of the "nudes". There were busts of Pope John Paul and many other interesting bronze works. The park is adjacent to the Winnipeg Zoo, we didn't bother with the zoo, we are keeping that for a day with the grandkids. We went off to downtown Winnipeg and the Forks. We saw that they were setting up for the Aboriginal Day Festival at the Forks. Chantal Kreviazuk and a host of other Aboriginal artists were performing on the open stage in Winnipeg. Once we checked out the little pow-wow that was happening there, we went to the Exchange District. The exchange district has a number of heritage buildings and some new business ventures. There is a book store there in an old moldy building. Stacks and stacks of books. With an old hippy that runs the store. A used music store where you can still get vinyl LP's. A very trendy hat store. You can sit with the new age, social conscious youth at their self-run coffee shop. A number of small art gallery's, like the Urban Shaman gallery. We went in to Keep-sake to look at their art. The exchange district used to be a hot spot for working girls at night. They have moved long time ago. The cinematheque movie house is good for independent shows. There is also an outdoor stage all in a few couple city block area. No shortage of Indians, youth, social conscious exploring the venues.

Our baby is gone on a trip so we have to entertain ourselves and walking the district is a good deal.