Giving
thanks for the opportunity to host two dear friends from Whycocomagh, Cape Breton, who came to visit
and bring in the new year with us. One of
the highlights (besides making dream catchers with the community and listening
to melodious Mi’kmaq language floating through the house) was taking Judy and
Joe to visit the Carib Stone in Mt. Rich. In the presence of these ancient
stones I am mixed with awe and humility. However I also leave this site deeply disturbed
by the neglect. The ravine where these ancient stones sit is littered with
plastic chubby bottles, old tossed clothing, a moist smell of urine. There is a
small concrete building built over the ravine
for people to visit, pay homage, or simply witness the great art of First
Nation people, however this building too has been vandalized with garbage and
graffiti (not of the creative kind) and slowly cracking apart.
Joe
and Judy, Mi’kmaq Elders were not startled as they too have experienced much of
the same neglect and ignorance around their own history and culture.
They were grateful that graffiti had not moved down and onto the rocks which
Judy says has happened to many of their own sacred sites.
Who
is to blame for the neglect, desecration and forgetfulness of First Nation
people?
It
is difficult to blame the youth of Mt. Rich even though it is their marks left
on the building. If the youth and kids are not taught from an early age the
history of the First People, taught in a way that honours the sacredness of
ancient people, culture, history then why would they take the time to honour
and respect such a site.
I too grew up ignorant of Canada’s First People. I grew up playing cowboys and Indians, always
the cowboy never the Indian. It wasn’t
until years later I became aware of the history of oppression; history of slavery, colonialism, imperialism; a history and present day reality that continues to rob, destroy, confuse, ignore and oppress indigenous
people, cultures worldwide.
History is a breathing
living reality that lives within all of us. By knowing history we may begin to teach our
youth and children why our ancestral people must be honoured, cherished, respected
and held in great reverie; by doing so perhaps we too may begin to understand,
honour, respect the sacredness within ourselves and the people around us.
