In my heart and mind

"American Indian thought, Philosophical Essays", Edited by Anne Waters, Blackwell Publishing, 2004. From the Introduction, pg.xxxii, on an essay by Laurie Ann Whitt. "Whitt points out that Indigenous knowledge and knowledge systems were initially deprived of cognitive standing by colonial agents. However, ..."commodification of Indigenous spiritual knowledge ..specialty of New Age industry...traditional medicinal knowledge...specialty of pharmaceutical industry, commodification of plant genetic resources and indigenous agricultural knowledge...specialty of commercial seed industry...traditional knowledge ...collectively known for generations...is being privatized and commodified at accelerating rates." This is sad as we must come to the terms of how much we have literally allowed to be stolen or absconded by bad intent from settler societies. I am guilty of assimilative practices in my lifestyle, knowing the value of what my family had given, gifted to

I woke up with that thought for a title.  Reminded of public school days of learning my Indigeneity from red-neck farmer kids and playing sports on 'white' teams. Non-Indigenous people or most Canadians, still pretend to know nothing of Indigenous realities but truth be known, they pick and choose what they need to know and can ignore the rest.  This I learned from the non-Indian parents of my "friends" who had very specific rules for my visits, even getting chased out of the house whenever the father came home.  He built his empire on indigenous lands but he chose not to see "those filthy people" outside of his business.  Takeovers were common on the Saanich Peninsula by leasing, municipalities, the province,and corporations usurping unceded territories.  Actions of the colonialist government divided up lands according to department of Indian affairs (DIA) surveyance and agents. Much has since been lost in dividing the WSANEC nation, the actions of DIA over

I hope that couple does not move to Vancouver Island  Washingtonmonthly.com   I was thinking how excited some people are about this but in my heart and mind...i say no way!!  It's not cool for them to come here and expect us, especially Indigenous peoples to see another generation of 'colonizer' coming in masked as an 'immigrant' and expecting the Canadian taxpayers to foot the bill for their life here.  We NEVER get asked for our opinion, we NEVER get consultation that actually includes dialogue where what we say is considered as suggestive of solutions, or even considered to be 'adapted' out of our 'nativity'. Whatever!!!Meghan has citizenship in the United States and I think she should take her husband across the border by the hair on his chinny chin chin.  Let them raise up their little piglets and enjoy american life...let her take on the PRESIDENCY OF THE U.S....She can't do any worse than Trump, or be any nuttier previous presidents.  SO

todays commentary: 1/22/2020  on article by CBC News - "I'm not being disrespectful, I'm just saying be realistic":  Horgan defends not meeting Wet'suwet'en chiefs." by Brigette Watson, CBC news, January 20, 2020. I want to ask, What and to who's reality do you refer to? The reality of the Wetsuwet'en is not the same reality of whence you speak Mr. Horgan.  It is not the same reality for other Indigenous Nations who have to sacrifice once again for the actions of Premiers and local government institutions and corporations that have made decisions that will greatly impact the relationships our people are responsible for maintaining in these territories. A multitude of nations in B.C. take seriously this relationship for the land and the sea. In every direction. For every living thing. The opposition to Coastal Gaslink is not only from the Wet'suwet'en Chiefs, this is greatly down-scaled as opposition is great on Vancouver Island, in parti

In my heart and Mind I wonder am I awake or still sleeping.  I open my eyes and see the darkness of my room and sillouhettes appear on my walls from the light which has snuck through the windows. It's very early, still, and dark and light are caressing one another oh so gently. Saying their goodbyes. I was watching HBO'S "the new pope"...loving the introduction with Jimi Hendrix's "All along the watchtower". And I think about the horrors of the 'church' and the link to the holy bible where Christian society has it's desire in bringing forth end times. As I read through Washington Monthly, an online subscription, the article by Nancy LeTourneau, "Pompei AlignsU.S Foreign Policy with Christian Zionists" generates a longing in me to inform the world, well, maybe just my little world. It sparks my memory and I return to my classroom days at the UVIC Indigenous governance program.  Sitting there I had been learning so much historical i