Yesterday the Valedictorian addressed School Administrators and her Community during her speech at Bayfield HighSchool, "Unfortunately, due to ongoing and very recent events I am unable to continue with my speech as planned. I am taking this opportunity to address my fellow classmates and students, parents, community members, as well as the staff and faculty of the Bayfield School. Boozhoo, Paa’kadewaasamoike nindizhinkaaz. Miskwabekong nindoonjiba, migizi nindodem. At this time I would like to respectfully ask my classmates, fellow students, parents, community members, and staff to please stand if you are Native American. Look around….we are the majority, we ARE the Bayfield School. So the questions I have are: why is it that Native students of the Bayfield School District are made to feel like they have to check their “Indian-ness” at the door? Why is it that a fellow student has been made to feel inferior because of her individual right and request to be allowed to practice her culture in the way she has been taught? Why is it that teachers who support students in speaking their mind and encourage their interest in their culture, are being targeted and disrespected for taking a stance for student rights? I don’t have the answers to those questions, but I do know that not one individual or institution is to blame. We all are to blame. Look around at each other, look into the eyes of the person next to you. What do you see? (pause) The Creator has made all of us as beautiful, unique, powerful and intelligent beings. But we have forgotten to stand united with one another. We have allowed anger, jealousy, ignorance, and ego to cloud our vision. I have been taught, as an Anishinaabekwe that we are given the responsibility to uphold the following teachings – Love, Respect, Honesty, Kindness, Humility, Bravery, and Wisdom. Please don’t misunderstand me. I don’t mean to be disrespectful. And I want you to know, this moment is not about me. But as I exit the doors of the Bayfield School for the last time as a student, I realize I am not standing here before you because of Bayfield School policy, I am not standing here because of what has been historically done at the Bayfield School, I am not standing here because teachers have been allowed to try to belittle and stifle the beauty within myself. I stand here before you, the valedictorian of the graduating class of 2013, in spite of all those things. And I do not stand alone. I stand here with all of my ancestors, my grandmothers and grandfathers, I stand here with all of you. I stand here, just as my ancestors did before me, with the hope for a better, more loving and more understanding future for those generations yet to come. At this time I need to call some ladies to stand with me. Out of respect for these Anishinaabekwe, I ask our men to stand in support. (Pause for them to stand in front of the stage) It is time to believe in, to love, and to respect one another again. To treat each other with dignity and compassion no matter what our beliefs are or culture we identify with. It is time to stop letting our differences divide us even further and come together to celebrate our individual uniqueness and let our similarities unite us. In closing, I take with me many things, many memories – good and bad, but the thing I take that is most precious to me, the thing that will always be there for me and help me as I continue on with the next leg of my journey, is the belief that outside of the Bayfield School walls my Anishinaabe culture will be allowed to finally breathe, grow, and thrive in the opportunities life will have to offer. There will always be struggle, but I have been raised to hold on to the things I believe in most no matter what. Our ancestors fought hard for each of us to enjoy the freedoms of today and it is our responsibility to do the same for the Seventh Generation. It’s my Indian identity and brilliance that will help me overcome any obstacle set in my path. I hope that when you find your own identity that it will do the same for you. Miigwetch." Victoria Gokee-Rindal
Posted on: Wed, 12 Jun 2013 13:21:06 +0000
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