I put my card in the ATM, and it said to me, this card is no good. And I said, what kind of crap is this? My money is good everywhere. Then I discover that our own bank is on a mission to liberate our money from the grasps of the many banks that control our funds and make incredible amounts of money from interest. Kudos, I say, this is just a blip on the way of our very own First Nations freedom. Finally, our money is actually our own.
Although the ATM refused me, eventually, they will have to deal with reality – we have our own money and our own system to manage it. Don’t worry, things will settle down and we will appreciate the great sacrifice we make towards our own freedom of choice and how we manage our own lives. Managing our own money is just at start.
Thanks to creditable organizations that don’t care about the colour we are, I managed just fine, during the transition from dependence to self-sufficiency. The road to dependence is riddled with potholes and roadblocks. I make my way from my hometown to my final destination, which is Wendake, Quebec.
Wendake is a nation of Huron-Wendats who had to live with the values of a people who had to take the loser’s position, but this is what made them a strong people. Sometime, it takes a strong people to make what may look like a loser’s position who were offered next to nothing, to a winning position which makes them a vibrant and strong community. This takes guts and courage and never-ending hope that there is no end to hopelessness, to a position that there is a way to overcome the unfairness of a dominate society and come out on top.
In a parcel of land that measures a few squared kilometres, the Huron Eeyou (that’s about as close as I can come to the Wendats in English). This is probably the highest concentration of First Nations business in Quebec. This comes from an incredible pressure that originates from a war long lost between the main rivals – the English and the French. (Oh, who were their allies? Lest we all forget.)
The present state of Wendats teaches us that whenever a people are suppressed, they will find a way to overcome their oppression, and be the pioneers in the eyes of the rest of the world. Huron-Wendat people are not suppressed as the history books like to teach us. The Wendats have never succumb to suppression and are well on the way towards economic self-sufficiency. This did not happen overnight. They are fighters as are the rest of our Nations. As I finish my journey I continue to learn, grow and immerse myself in knowledge that not only empowers me, but which will empower my people, now and in the future.
The Wendats did not rest. Shall we all rest in the face of adversity? Shall we lay our big guns down and never lift the weight again. I know that the warrior in me continues to fight for you and all people. This message is for all those who wish to listen to me and think about peace. Peace out.
