It is no mystery that my family is one of the families at the eye of this recent eviction controversy. Part of me is thankful that I have been away in Banff at the banff centre, working with the Indigenous Dance Residency. I have had time to think, not just react, which I am sure I would have done if I was home in Kahnawake. Now I am ready to make a comment, not my final comment, but a comment on what I think about all that is happening. I want to start with the statement that so many of us have grown up with you marry out..you get out. If you look at that statement, the underlying aggression and violent emotion that those words imply have had a huge negative impact on the fabric of our community. By their nature and the way in which they are spoken, there is no room for debate, no room for discussion, it is black and white..no grey area. This statement is very terrifying and coercive. I have been reading Facebook statements, against the wishes of my family and friends. I wanted to read them, even the negative ones because I wanted to understand where people were coming from. What I have been seeing is a lot of pain, on both sides of the argument. The individuals directly effected and their extended families and friends whos broken relationships is the gravest collateral damage to this policy, the pain of wanting so bad to live and raise their families with their extended families, and to contribute and help kahnawake grow. We know that we chose to love a person whom isnt indigenous, but we havent accepted yet that Kahnawake as a community is willing to discard entire families, we are not willing to accept that we have to choose between our hearts and our community...the two loves of our lives. Many of those on the other side of the argument, the ones who say you chose your path..you knew the consequences..now abide by mohawk law and those who say well I was forced to leave because I was with a non-native..I respected the law I see a deep seeded pain, maybe stemming from their own experience of having a aunt, uncle, sibling or child have to leave, and voicing those harmful words to them you have to leave. This sort of experience doesnt leave you ever, that pain stays inside...and it eats at you. The intensity of the anger, that I see..it comes from that need to inflict the same pain on others...if they had to go through it..then you do too..why should you be different? It is from this understanding, I dont hate, I feel so much compassion. I have always tried to come from a place of love, and as hard as it is right now, I still strive to do this. We are all extended family, we are all related and I wont contribute anger to further help fracture our people. I will be strong, and positive and continue to state what I and my family are willing to contribute to Kahnawake, to the rebuilding of the Mohawk Nation. I will pray for all of us, and work to make Kahnawake the best, safest and most inclusive place on earth. I do believe that one day this fight will be a thing of the past and our children will live by the true law of our people...the Great Peace.
Posted on: Mon, 11 Aug 2014 23:23:35 +0000
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