How Being Tied to a Culture is Helpful to an Individual
Being tied to a culture can be helpful to an individual. Coming together as a community between all Canadians has made us stronger. Different cultures are becoming aware of others, and accepting new ways of life. In the past, Canada has not had a great history with indigenous communities. Horrible things were done to them such as residential schools. However, not all events outcomes were bad. The documentary, The Oka Legacy, is about the 78-day Oka crisis that allowed Indigenous people to be able to identify themselves in Canada.
 |
| Kahnawake Warriors, https://warriorpublications.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/oka-three-armed-warriors.jpg?w=604 |
On July 11, 1990 in the middle of Kanehsatake Mohawk Territory village of Oka, police launched 6-12 canisters of tear gas. It started when Kahnawake warriors were peacefully protesting the municipality of a golf course expansion onto unceded Mohawk land, where a sacred burial ground was. The narrator, previously known as Sonia Bonspille, grew up in the middle of the crisis. Although only being eleven at the time, she felt between both worlds. Her mom is Mohawk and he dad is French-Canadian. Everyone's last name mattered. Saying a Mohawk name at police checkpoints would make you wait hours, but saying a white name they would pass you right through. But then the discrimination changed. Indigenous people stood up, banded together and changed Canada’s narrative.
The Oka mayor at the time, Jean Ouellette, wanted the provincial police to do the job. He said “the way they’re going to do it is not my concern, it’s not my job”. After allowing the police to use any force, an officer was fatally shot. His name was Marcel Lemay. Francine, Marcel’s brother, was influenced by the images portrayed by the media. She saw them wearing masks, looking strange and scary. Police continued to take action by pushing huge mounds of dirt onto highway 138 as reinforcement to the Mohawk barricade. It blocked access to the bridge for four weeks. The police also brought in large tanks and soldiers in an attempt to scare them to retreat, but it didn’t work.
A woman named Waneek was a motivational speaker, and she was a part of the Mohawks. Because of her faith and culture she was able to convince others to not shoot back at the the police. September 26th, 1990 a bunch of Mohawks walked out onto the highway. This created chaos. A soldier with a bayonet on the end of their weapon stabbed her in chest. The culture she is tied to gave her strength and the courage to continue fighting. After 78 days the siege was over, the expansion of the golf course was cancelled, and the barricades came down.
A book written about the history of Kanehsatake gave new light to many of those who didn’t understand. Francine was one of the ones greatly influenced by the book and finally understood what they had gone through. A run in with Mohawk women at her church allowed them to both apologise and reconcile. Being tied to a culture that was not treated with respect only made them stronger and more united. The Mohawks started a beginning of protests that let other cultures have a voice.
 |
| Johnny standing on the land he saved from construction, https://www.eyeoncanada.ca/media/uploads/projects/1286/rezolutionpictures-okalegacy-johnnyjones.jpg |
An archaeologist named Johnny was also tied to his culture. In Lil’wat, loggers wanted to do construction over a burial ground. Johnny was able to solely chase them away by chanting prayers. This led to his Land and Resource Department to have authority to block any form of resource development that might damage Lil’wat archaeological heritage. By being tied to his culture he was able to protect (and continue to) his beliefs and land. The narrator, Sonia, changed her last name to include her mothers name. She is no longer ashamed or tires to hide her culture, but she accepts it with open arms.
The Oka crisis got rid of the shame towards indigenous people, they got to retell their story, and fight for what was right. Ultimately, the crisis restored pride to the indigenous identity all over Canada.
I believe that being a part of a culture allows people to be unified and are able to share the same beliefs. Each culture should be respected and identified from the government and other people. Although not everyone agrees with certain cultures beliefs/ traditions, we shouldn't ridicule or treat anyone different for that
“I find I can do a lot more productive things with a camera than I can do with an AK 47” - Clifton Nicholas.
I like your thinking about how being tied to a culture can be so positive for someone's life. Do you think if you were in those situations you would see the good in things as well? I think that after all of these negative things happened in their lives they might have found it difficult to keep hoping that the future could be better.I noticed you said that you said the entire crisis got rid of the shame and stigma towards indigenous people, do you think that they wanted to be so publicly known for something that negatively impacted them as much as the Oka crisis? Do you think that the popularity of this crisis has brought more awareness to how the Indigenous people are treated throughout Canada? You have a really good way of seeing this crisis and legacy, because even in something so horrible and so inhumane there is something good to come out of all of the chaos. I wonder if the Oka Crisis would have gotten as much attention if one of the acts were removed or didn't happen, do you think if they didn't block the highway bridge it would have happened differently? I noticed you brought up how the narrator thought that she had been between both worlds. If you were caught between two cultures like she was do you think you would speak about this tragedy to make it more known? Or do you think you would take action to stop the events that are happening to the people and culture your mother grew up with? I believe you have a very good standpoint and opinion of the Oka Crisis and the Oka legacy as a whole, and do you think that Canadians now can do anymore to get this crisis more globally known?
ReplyDeleteI completely agree that the Oka Crisis had positive effects on Indigenous people. Even though it was a crisis, the outcome was positive for the Indigenous community. I made a similar point about how the crisis restored pride. After generations of seeing their land being taken over, they finally successfully stood up for their rights and put an end to the injustices against them. It inspired Indigenous people all over the country. While I agree that the Oka Crisis was beneficial to Indigenous people, I wonder if it made a big enough difference all these years later. With many communities still living in poverty on reserves, and the graduation and employment rates being so low, do you think the effect the Oka Crisis had on this country has worn off? Is it still a motivating factor for the government to improve the lives of Indigenous people and treat them better? Living conditions on reserves are still well below the national average, and the government has not come through on their promises to improve them. I think it´s a shame to have such a triumphant event like the Oka Crisis hardly lead to any improvements in the lives of Indigenous people. If you were Indigenous, would you be feeling the same hopelessness as you did before the crisis? What could you possibly do to open the eyes of the government for good? I believe the crisis had positive effects on the Indigenous community, but was it enough to end their struggles?
ReplyDeleteI like how you included different people’s stories in your post about how being tied to their own culture was helpful to them. It showed that no matter what perspective or situation they were in, they could still rely on their culture to bring them together and help in whatever situation they had come out of. I understand why it may be difficult to find how being tied to the native culture has been helpful to people, considering how they have been treated through the years due to their culture. I agree with what you said about the Indigenous community becoming stronger and more united, and I wanted to add to it. I think being tied to a culture that is shown disrespect makes the people more united and strong in the sense that they don’t want their oppressors to win, and that they are forced to stay together so that they can keep their culture alive. I think this connects back to when you said “the Mohawks started a beginning of protests that let other cultures have voices”. The Oka crisis made an impact on other indigenous peoples, and gave them hope to come together and stand up for themselves. What do you think has to happen for the Indigenous people of Canada to be recognized in the way that they want? It seems like this has only been possible through conflict and controversy. Do you think that this the only way to get Canadians’ attention on the issue? I know that people have learned from the Oka crisis, as more began to recognize that indigenous rights are important.There was a quote in the documentary of the Oka that comes to mind when I read your post. Sonia Bonspille-Boileau had said that the residential schools beat the Indian out of them, but the Oka crisis breathed new life in. I think this quote compliments what said about the outcome the Oka crisis, and what you summarized at the end of your post about how the crisis restored pride to the Indigenous identity all over Canada.
ReplyDeleteThe awareness that came from these events was very well represented in your blog and how you used multiple people's accounts of the crisis to support your idea. I agree with how they are turning the crisis into a positive is good, but should people really have to go through these terrible events for change to happen and for people to take notice? And how these indigenous people gained more recognition for how it is their land and we must honour their wishes. Due to how the archaeologist stood up and now in a way manages what happens to the land deserves a lot of respect as he alone stood up against the government and won. Even though this crisis occured indigenous people are still living in poverty and not treated like other canadian citizens. Which is sad because it says that we as a nation need something bad to happen before good can follow. In my opinion it would help if others like politicians or people of notoriety started a movement with other first nation people to get them the rights and respect they have earned from pushing through all of the wrong that has been done to them. In final, we as a nation must stand up and support indigenous people and help them, without needing something bad to come first, and prevent events like the Oka crisis ever happening again.
ReplyDelete