Journal: Indigenous Women in Canada



Journal: Indigenous Women in Canada

Locating Ourselves and Indigenous Communities

Colonialism is subtly diffuse in our identity and our conduct towards the aboriginal community. We can argue it comes innately, dictated rather automatically from our sub-conscious. Our lack of awareness and naivety towards our imposing conduct is hard to fathom. In retrospect, sometimes we feel slight somber and guilt, though shrug it off as a white men's burden. Our compulsion to determine, change and impose the dynamics of social fabric on our social minorities. Our expectations for them to acquiesce to our sensibilities and social preferences are abominable. It's arguable and I may be stereotyping but I believe it is widespread amongst the settled community in Canada. This social, cultural and economic imposition needs to be flushed from the country's system. A change has to be initiated towards consideration, respect and equality towards the indigenous community.

Deep introspection on my unguided, unmeasured actions and conduct has led me to this guilt. It comes in view of my actions and its afterthoughts. This has left an acrid taste in my mouth. From childhood, our awareness of different communities and the differences are highlighted and thought. The confrontation and often mere presence of members of the indigenous, lead to change in our (family, friends and myself) demeanor. A first step in addressing colonialism and colonial empathy is to name it and acknowledge its presence. There is dire urgency to lobby for reparations. Governmental conduct towards indigenous communities unfortunately fosters this culture of colonialism through policies like the aboriginal people's relocation and some provisions of the Indian Act. These actions are leading to corrosion of the political, economic and social systems of Aboriginal people and nations. Indigenous peoples, are referred to as First Nations, Métis, and Inuit (Constitution Act, 1982), have lived ...