Cultural Identity

Mr. Relf put up on the board a picture of a little boy, who looked to be about 10, in two different outfits. In the first picture (both the pictures were side by side as one) the little boy was wearing a very traditional Native American wardrobe. Long hair, leather shirt beads threaded into it, skirt with a design embroidered on it. A boy in his cultural wear with a gun in hand. There is more to the picture but it was the one I was least focused on because beside it, the next picture, was something that made my heart ache.

It was the same little boy but without his heritage shown proudly on his back. The little boy was now dressed in a sharp outfit. Hard cut lines of material that made him as westernized as the people around him wanted him to be. Whoever put him in those clothes also cut his beautiful hair.

Now there stood a boy who looked like any other "western child."

The class found out later, after much discussion, that this boy was put into a school to be educated and therefore was stripped of his native american garb and his ideals. Mr. Relf explained more about Canadian History and his picture.He told us how some Native American children were taken from their families by intruders to be given a "better life."

This happened in Canada. In my country.

Usually I am very proud to be a Canadian. I am very proud of the cold nation that I was born in. But when we were learning about and talking about this photo I was not proud. Not in the slightest.

Canada was "discovered" by a man called Jacques Cartier.

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He was a French explorer who declared this huge expanse of land (that people already lived in!!) for his own country. Canada's history should not be glorified. The Europeans took over a land and forced the Native American people who lived there to bow to their cultural ideals instead of being allowed to continue their own.

This picture of the little boy is an example of the mistakes that were made in history. Some people describe what happened as "cultural genocide" and in a way they're right. People took these little boys and little girls from their homes, their families, their lives and forced them to abandon their ideals,culture and traditions in favour of their own.

I can't even begin to imagine what that is like. I am free to practice any religion I want, to wear what I want, to express my opinions, to do what I please with myself and to forge whatever life I want for myself. I have a right to my own thoughts, my own body, my own culture, my own life. I am extremely, extremely, privileged. I cannot imagine what it is like.

It's heartbreaking to me that this happened at all. Even more so that it was in my country. If people were not so afraid of difference or change or anything remotely unique, perhaps these little boys and little girls would have been left to grow up with their families and learn from their elders.

We, as a world, have come very far with respecting other cultures and traditions. Today over 6.5 billion people are on this earth. There are 4,200 religions that are being practiced. People all around the world are still suffering but so many people are trying to help them. This world is filled with so much love, it's unbelievable.

A person's culture/traditions/beliefs should be their business. They should be able to practice whatever they believe in as long as it does not harm others. A person's identity is tightly entwined with their culture. It is heartbreaking that this little boy lost a part of his identity because of his culture. This part of Canada's history is dark and disgusting and unnerving, but it's part of it's history. It happened and it is not right in any way but it something to learn from.

Let people worship whoever/whatever they want. Let people practice their religion in their own way. Let people embrace their culture. Let people love their heritage. Let people learn about their traditions. Let people have their own culture/religion/tradition because it is nobody else's business.

Do not ever, ever, make someone feel like less of a human being for what they believe in. Learn from them, be accepting.

Don't repeat history. Make your own in which you are kind and accepting of everyone.