There are probably about 3-million aboriginal in Canada under the three different racist labels : First Nations, Métis & Inuit, which is about 10% of the population residing in the country.If you look at the U.S.A., you will find that there are about the same ratio of Blacks or Afro-Americans, to non-Blacks, for roughly 10% of the population, yet, in Canada ( and the USA ) the Aboriginal are like the Afro - Americans were back in the early part of this century.
One might wonder why, as an Abenaki Indian, I am concerned with the Blacks in light of the fact that they never supported our struggle for human, aboriginal and treaty rights, even though, we suffered the very same injustices that they did, including being sold into slavery and being victims of countless brutal acts of genocide
They weren't there for us when we fought for survival after they gained their freedom in the late 1800's ! They weren't there when we were forced to live on reservations, when we were murdered at such places as wounded knee, Oka and the hundreds of other battlefields.
They aren't there for us today ! We don't see then fighting to free Leonard Peltier or at the sides of our warriors in the forests or oceans from coast to coast .
Actually, I don't really give much thought to the Black minority because they don't give much thought to our cause unless it benefits them, but, I do realize that they came from a group of outcasts to a favored segment of the population in just a few years, and their method to achieve this might be the path we must also follow to achieve our own aims .
When one looks at the civil rights movement in the USA, one breaks it down into three stages or segments :
1....Recruitment
2....Organization
3....ActionRECRUITMENT The government will never deal with any opponent who is weak ! And the best sign of strength is sheer numbers . In the Civil Rights Movement, Black leaders organized huge rallies and marches to show they had the numbers .
( They still do that today to improve on the benefits they already have with such efforts as the million-man march )
If they had operated in small groups such as the First Nations are doing in Canada today with dozens of isolated groups such as the AFN, CAP, MNC, NAMI. CORIN, IBA, etc.. Nobody would have dealt seriously with them, but, they joined in one common effort and could easily gather hundreds of thousands to demonstrate that they demanded immediate change .
It is very obvious that we, the Off-Reserve Indians residing in Canada, are the majority of the First Nation population ! There are close to 2-million of us living throughout the country.
It is also very obvious that these other Indian organizations do not really represent our best interests . We are not part of the decision making process on any matter that effects us as a major segment of the Aboriginal population today .
As such ! It is obvious that we must recruit enough members to create the base for our own efforts in accessing our inherent aboriginal rights. ( That means the registration of all the off-reserve Indians who are tired of living on the fringes of white society )
When we deal with the federal government, we need to say that we are the largest and strongest Aboriginal body in Canada, and have numbers to back that claim up . ( and we must have have members who get involved at every level of the organization )
What we don't need are "white - Indians " who carry Indian DNA but are assimilated in the non-Indian culture, filled with white traits or attitudes. ( The real Indians are in tune with the creator and nature, the white-Indian is filled with greed, selfishness and individuality geared to help the corporate machine rape our land and resources . )
ORGANIZATION Once we get enough members, we need to put them to work for our cause. ( no room here for those sitting on the fence waiting to see which side has the greener grass )
Everyone was given a talent by the creator ! Nobody is useless in our cause, and we expect, No ! " DEMAND ", each member is actively involved in as many aspect of our community as they can handle.
We know that our destined leadership is within the off-reserve population ! We know these will rise from the rest and be guided by our ancestors, and that this appointment or assignment will be a result of fasting and the sweat lodge ! ( They will know their role In our struggle ! )
The organization must be a grass-root structure . It must be built through a tightly knit structure that allows communication from the street worker up to the very top of the chain . ( That is the way the Civil Rights Movement was organized, and how we must also be organized if we are to succeed )
We must never forget our ancestry ! We are not Europeans, but Aboriginals !!! Our leadership was, and must still be based on tribal customs, with " Chiefs", not presidents, and Braves, not soldiers !
We already have the framework for our chain of command in place . It will need to have all the positions filled before it is effectively functioning, but, that will come with increased membership. ACTION Talk is cheap ! Words are often meaningless, but Actions always speak louder than words ever can !
Our organization was created to cause change to occur ! It is an ACTION GROUP !! The universal law states that change only occurs when force acts on matter !
For 500-years,the matter that effects us has not been subjected to enough force to cause significant change to occur. That is why we have been forced to live like refugees on our own land, have been the subject of genocide, theft and barbarism from succeeding governments.The time is here for us to apply that necessary force to effect positive change for our peoples ! WE have waited for 500-years, and that is far too long a period of time to wait for miracles to occur.
Our creator gave us the fundamental law of nature : Cause & Effect Everything that occurs in our universe is the result of the law of Cause & Effect ! And that includes the plight we now find ourselves facing .
We are in our position today because our ancestors did not create the necessary conditions to prevent this negative change to occur !
Had they killed the first Europeans to arrive on our shores, the world would be a much different place today, but, instead, they made the mistake of welcoming them with opened-arms, and we are suffering the negative effects of that decision today.
Now, with the introduction of mass - communication, advanced science, and increased knowledge, we are in the position to partially reverse our present state of existence .
Our ancestors signed various Peace & Friendship Treaties with the different governments as sovereign Nations ! We were not a defeated race or people back then, and we bargained from a position of strength with a formidable military force to support our rights !
Over the years, this position of strength has all but disappeared ! We no longer are considered a military threat, and are thought of by the government as a beaten people .
Our leadership are mostly bargaining as beggars without clout or substance . And some are just "Uncle Toms" in Indian clothing ! Sort of puppets on a string, jumping to the tune of the occupying forces who stole their land, raped their resources and assimilated their people.
As a member, you are expected to do whatever you can to swing this tide in our favor ! As stated previously, everyone must get in tune with the creator who will give them guidance . ( You must regain your spiritual ties to your ancestors through our ceremonies and rituals ! )
We can only regain part of what was stolen from us if we work as a community guided by the Creator ! We cannot do this by passing the buck on to others in hopes they will do it for us !
This is your time - your -place - and your battle ! ( Nobody can do this for you, it is your debt to the descendants who will follow you as inheritors of your legacy ! )
The first step in to seek out your own Indian spirituality, after-which, you will be ready to join your family in the battle that has begun and will only end when we no longer exist as a people, or we have reclaimed what is rightfully ours !!
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