The Manitou Stone

The Manitou Stone

I became aware of the Manitou Stone through new friends I have made from attending Idle No More events. The Stone is a meteorite that is very sacred to Alberta's First Nations, was stolen by clergy, and now resides at the Royal Alberta Museum awaiting repatriation.

‪Here is some history: The Manitou Stone is part of a meteorite that fell to earth centuries ago in the Iron Creek area near the Alberta-Saskatchewan border. Consisting mostly of iron, the Stone was taken to the Pakan Mission near Smoky Lake by Methodist minister Rev. George McDougall in the 1860s, then was moved to Lac Ste. Anne. ‬‪In 1886, the Stone headed east to Victoria University in Cobourg, Ontario, followed by Toronto's Royal Ontario Museum. In the early 70s, Minister Horst Schmidt requested that the Stone be loaned to the Royal Alberta Museum, where it has resided since 1972. It is currently on display as part of the RAM's Aboriginal gallery.‬

‪Today, the Manitou Stone is still considered a very sacred object in Canadian Aboriginal culture, viewed as coming from the Creator and a symbol of protection. ‬Some draw a connection between the removal of the Stone and war between the Cree and Blackfoot Nations, the near-extinction of the buffalo, and the smallpox outbreak which ravaged the population -- including two of Rev. George McDougall's daughters.

One of the distinguishing features of the Stone is that from a certain angle, it looks sort of like a buffalo head. The way it is displayed at the RAM certainly does not do it justice, as the metal braces obstruct its view.

A pipe ceremony to pray for the repatriation of the Manitou Stone was held at the Royal Alberta Museum on March 22, 2013. The ceremony was followed by an information session where invited speakers and community members could share about their thoughts and experiences concerning the stone.

This ceremony and information session is of utmost importance because it brought together members of both the Aboriginal community and the United Church in an effort towards healing and reconciliation. The connections between faith, culture, and social issues were definitely reasons why the Manitou Stone interests me so much.

Here is a film I edited of the information session, which highlights the most relevant points of discussion and also serves as a good introduction to people not yet familiar with the Stone.

How To Change Our Rape Culture

Teenage girl gets drunk with some of her high school's football players, passes out, and is sexually violated. The high school football players are charged, tried, and convicted of rape. The sympathies of much of the town, schoolmates, and even the media is given to the convicted rapists.

Yes, this is what has happened in Steubenville, Ohio, in a case resonating throughout the world. Oh, the poor young men whose lives have been ruined by this conviction. They had such bright futures.

What about the victim? Well, most of the attention was on the fact that "Jane Doe" was drunk. Yes, she was. Which makes these boys' actions even more despicable, taking such physical power over her in such a vulnerable state.

This isn't a Steubenville problem. It is a problem of our entire society which blames the victim and slut-shames and puts jocks up on pedestals. Somehow, the ability to run fast or catch a ball or slide around on ice chasing after a compressed chunk of rubber makes a person superior. Physical prowess is upheld as an attribute of masculinity.

If only we cared as much about developing sensitivity and respect in young men, especially towards those who may be vulnerable. If only we taught boys not to rape, instead of only teaching girls how to avoid being raped.

We live in a rape culture. How can change happen? When emotional and intellectual traits in men are venerated as much as physical power. When a victim can be a victim without blame. When victims can come forward without fear of retribution on her reputation.

Re-Victimizing Victims

A major news story in Edmonton last week involved a young Aboriginal woman who called the police to report an assault. The EPS who arrived at the motel room decided to act upon an old warrant and arrest her. According to the youth court worker who visited her in custody, the signs of her assault were visible. As well, he attests that the violations for which she was being held should not have resulted in jail time (read his blog post on the matter here.)

It was this youth court worker who broke the story on Twitter. His series of tweets resulted in much discussion and outrage, and yet the mainstream media ignored it. APTN did, however, and the rest of the media followed suit shortly thereafter.

Regardless of how the actions of the EPS are explained or justified, what happened is a major public relations faux pas on a number of levels. First of all, the subject in question is a young Aboriginal woman. This incident furthers a public perception that there are two levels of justice: one for Aboriginals, and one for everyone else. One need to only recall the incidents concerning Randy Frying Pan and the "sweatbox" case.

Secondly, what happened last week is an example of how a victim tries to access services, only to be re-victimized by those who should be helping her. Having a criminal record or a warrant should not be a barrier to access. I shudder to think that there are potentially those who are afraid to get help because they might get in trouble.

Re-victimizing victims is nothing new. Think of the sexual assault survivor who no one believes. The bullied child who is told she is just being overly-sensitive. The abused spouse who finds no community or social support in leaving the situation.

Policing is a difficult job which often involves making decisions on one's feet. I have known situations where the police have been wonderful and truly helpful. However, in this case, their actions and the resulting ripple effect is damaging and dangerous.

Tolerating Intolerance: What Idle No More Says About (Some) Canadians

I wrote a post yesterday explaining why Idle No More works so well as a movement and what community organizers can learn from it. On the flip side of the positive aspects of INM is the shocking reactions to the movement by many Canadians.

Perhaps it is because it is such a high-profile movement, but lots of people are giving their two cents about INM on social media and in comments to article appearing online. Speaking from my own experiences, of all of the videos I have posted on YouTube, ones relating to INM have received the most comments, and some of them, quite frankly, are sickening. Tweets and Facebook posts I am also seeing display a level of ignorance, racism, and the redneck attitude that has stereotyped Canadians, particularly from the Prairies.

From racial epithets aimed at First Nations to the claims that "they get everything for free and don't pay taxes" to comments about having so much time to be "idle" and partake in protests - to me, as a non-Aboriginal ally to the movement, these comments are embarassing and infuriating. And yet, such sentiments appear to be tolerated. Even from on high, the Harper government has been shockingly silent about the movement in general, thus fostering this racism.

At the same time, we don't hear these same voices proclaiming their outrage over those owners of corporations who are in the top income bracket in the country, yet pay little or not taxes thanks to breaks aimed directly at them. Ones who rake in the profits while paying their workers barely above a living wage (and who actually have to pay taxes on their meager earnings). Ones who have these benefits thanks to the government in power, the same one all but ignoring the Idle No More movement. In other words, the Conservative government under Harper. If anyone wants to complain about people not being fairly taxed or receiving money off of the hard work of others, think about those corporations. Then, think about Stephen Harper. Then, when the next federal election comes along vote, and don't vote for the Conservatives.

If anything, the frightening undercurrent of racism pervasive in our society which INM is revealing demonstrates just how marginalized Aboriginal, First Nations, Inuit, Metis peoples actually are. It is yet another layer of proof (sad as it is) that INM is necessary.

Here are some excellent resources to explain some of the myths and fallacies concerning First Nations taxation and related issues:

First Nations taxation

The Free Housing for Natives Myth

Idle No More commenters could use some lessons in critical thinking

What if Natives Stop Subsidizing Canada?

Why Idle No More Works

The Idle No More movement has been making waves in the media since its first day of action on December 10, 2012. Since then, flash mobs, round dances, marches, rallies, and other forms of protests have been springing up all over the country - and beyond. Support for this grassroots, Indigenous movement is coming from our neighbour to the south as well as overseas.

Whether one agrees or disagrees with the motivation behind Idle No More, or the tactics being employed, the movement has become an unqualified success. I have attended a number of INM events as an ally and citizen media reporter and witnessed first hand how well-organized and well-attended they are.

As a community organizer in the peace movement, I would dare to say that those of us who are activists have a lot to learn from INM in very practical ways. Here is a list of reasons why INM is working so well - and what we can learn from it.

Organization: The events are well-organized. Speakers are contacted well ahead of time. Events start at the advertised time and end within a reasonable amount of time. Things don't drag on. This is especially important with winter outdoor events.

Social Media Revolution: INM a social media revolution. Facebook and Twitter are being used to their maximum potential to promote events. The crowds are rife with people taking pictures and videos, posting them online afterwards on YouTube, Flickr, Facebook, and Twitter. If you are online at all, INM cannot be ignored.

Media Connections: There has been lots of media at INM events. This can be attributed to the fact that news of these events get around quickly (see above) and also it is important to have an up to date media list with press releases sent out in a timely fashion. I can't say for sure that this is what has been happening, but the results speak volumes. At first it was like pulling teeth getting media out to INM events- it was almost like there was a media blackout. Now they come out in droves. Yes, a lot of the reporting is a smear campaign, but some of it is balanced, and some even in favour. As well, never discount the importance of citizen media.

Attitude is Everything: The atmosphere at many INM events is welcoming, warm, and inclusive. Organizers take the time to speak with people attending, especially "settlers" and allies from other organizations. A major statement of the INM movement is that Bill c-45 is not just about Aboriginal issues - it affects all Canadians, regardless of race. Hey - clean water is important to me and I am a first generation Canadian.

Momentum: A priority of INM seems to be keeping its issues in the public eye and up for discussion. Organizers are tirelessly planning the next event, event after the drums and cants from the previous ones are still echoing.

Variety: INM events include rallies, speeches, round dances, flash mobs, drumming, singing, chanting, and speakers - sometimes all within the same event. This keeps things from getting dry and losing audience attention.

Leadership: One of the reasons why Occupy fell apart in some places, was the lack of clear leadership. Too many people were going off in different directions or trying to co-opt the movement for their own purposes. While the leadership in INM is not strictly formal, there appears to be groups of organizers regarded as leaders through whom decisions are made concerning event planning. Again, this appears to be a very inclusive process, with people being able to bring concerns and ideas forward.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T: While many ethnic and social groups are fragmented by politics, the people involved with INM appear to respect each other - even when they disagree. Case in point: an elder disagreed with the location of a major INM event and expressed why. Although the event took place as planned, it led to dialogue and an understanding of that person's perspective.

Focus: When I attend an INM event, I come away with a clearer idea of what the issues are. Many have dealt with Bill C-45. Some are specifically to support Theresa Spence. These are not rallies for the sake of having rallies. The shorter events, like the flash mob round dances, are more for raising awareness and getting attention.