A 19-year-old Cree man plans to claim England later this month in the name of Canada’s First Nations.
“Since it’s the first time I’ll be there, I’m going to say I discovered it,” said John McDonald, who will be studying at Cambridge University during July as part of an exchange program.
McDonald plans to find an open English field to stake his claim using a customized Canadian flag with a Maple Leaf and the image of a Native person.
He said he wants Europeans to realize that Canada and the rest of North America weren’t discovered by explorers such as English-backed John Cabot, Frenchman Jacques Cartier or Spanish-sponsored Christopher Columbus.
“You can’t discover anything when people are already there,” he told one newspaper. “I want society to realize there were people here first.”
McDonald said his actions will be similar to those of European explorers since he’ll be staking claim to a land where people already have an established culture, religion and justice system.
He hopes the British people won’t be offended and realize the stunt is simply to make a point.
“This is a comedic approach. It’s not a plan for global conquest — it’s to bring awareness.”
McDonald has a full scholarship to attend university in North Dakota in 2001.
He plans to study Native North American history.
While in Cambridge this summer, he will study the ethics of war and Greek rhetoric.
