H1WeWon a No Show After the Game

Employers are amazed at the masses of workers showing up to do their jobs today after what many of the thought would be a massive reduction of staff due to the 24 hour sickness know as h1WeWon virus. While it was expected to hit Saskatchewan the hardest with projections of absenteeism as high as 85%, many other western provinces were also prepared to deal with an absent Rider Nation. Scientists we called and put on the spot were confounded at the viruses’ lack of bite this year after what was predicted to be the worst outbreak of H1WeWon since 2007 – the last time the Rider nation had anything to celebrate. But when asked for their expert opinion many of the scientists agreed it seemed that a sudden, almost magical strengthening of the Rider Nations autoimmune system is to thank for fighting off the virus – almost as if it had an extra autoimmune system helping it along.
Local doctors also weighed in with their opinions of the h1WeWon virus by stating that the lack of alcohol, cigarette, and casino spending may be a pretty good indication that h1WeWon was never a consideration after last nights game. ‘You see,’ Dr. Vegan Von Voogensmoogen stated, ‘in order for the virus to be effective it needs an extra influx of beer and other alcoholic beverages. By itself the h1WeWon virus is almost harmless but if it ever gets reinforced (which it often is) by alcohol it makes for one nasty hangover.’ Thankfully the Rider Nation has nothing to worry about today and employer’s can effectively and collectively meet their target goals and daily quotas today without any fear.
Mean while, armchair quarterbacks were asked for their opinions they seem to agree with Christopher, 'The Riders are able to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory and tomorrow my workers will pay for it as I get my whip out.' Ahh, the effects of the H1WeLost virus...

Faithfullessness

I cheated on you tonight, I went back to an old lover. Honestly, we’ve become bland together, predictable, almost dare I say - one. But tonight I was out with some friends when I looked across the room and our eyes met – for a moment I failed to recognize and should have looked away – back to you, but something tickled the back of my memory... and I lingered. It was in that moment the emotions came flooding back, the memories washed over me, and the excitement I felt was brand new. I could not control myself. For this I am sorry. I know I never told you about the way things were - but I never thought for a moment that the past would haunt me, no trespass on my present.

I don’t expect you to understand, nor do I deserve your forgiveness – it’s something I could never ask for. Indeed when I went out tonight I expected to come right back and be none the wiser, but oh how fortune twists our fates. The time that you and I have spent together has been the cool of the water washing over the edge of a cliff – the result has been pure beauty for all who see us... and I should have been content. But if I may, the old memories of the rapids crashing against the rocks and the power of midnight moon pulling us together was simply too much for me to overcome. For all the calmness of the ocean that I see in your eyes was scrubbed away by narrow twists and sudden turns of the mountain glacier melting around me. The freshness, the youth and the abandon – nothing mattered – only the night.

The deed is done and I wonder can things ever been the same between us. The reality of course is never as good as the memory, and I long to come back to normal with you – but can you accept my failure? Can you forgive? We’ve been together for so long now; will one night erase all we’ve worked for? All I can say is I’m truly sorry my old friend... Please oh please I promise next time I’ll be there for you Captain Morgan but for now I’m finding myself in the arms of Southern Comfort...

CHANGE YOUR STUPID COMMERCIALS!

Poppies, Voting and Veterans

I was told the other day that if I didn’t vote in the civic election I had no right to wear a poppy. At the time I thought it was a meaningless statement made by an ignorant thoughtless old man and the more I thought about it the more I personally thought it was an ignorant statement.

Every year I wear a poppy to remember my Moshum. You see, he fought in WWII and would always tell me the stories of his experience. I loved my Moshum very much.

Years later in university I would find out things that my Moshum never told me. In Indigenous Studies 110 I learned the treatment of the First Nations Veterans as opposed to other Canadian Veterans. Many of our First Nations Veterans tell stories of how when they first applied to be soldiers, many of them were rejected simply because they were ‘Indians’. But because they wanted to fight in the war they would apply under a different ethnicity – I have to wonder if my Moshum applied under Scottish heritage. Not every First Nation applicant had to enlist under a different ethnicity but there was enough to create a historic marker for our people.

A big reason the First Nations people wanted to take part and fight in the war was by the advice of our elders, ‘What will happen to our treaties if this little what man defeats the Great White Mother who holds our treaties? We must help.’ To defend our treaties was a large reason we fought, historic records show that our people volunteered in a greater number per captia as compared to other Canadians. Because of the skewed reasoning of not enlisting First Nations as First Nations this number is believed to be greater yet.

After the war when the veterans came back home they expected a change for themselves and their families. You see, during the war while in the foxholes, or while marching for days, or dodging bullets it didn’t matter who you were, you depended on each other. The color of your skin faded as the fear and threat of death blanketed over you. The expectation became equally treated by the country you fought for.

The reality became ugly. Canadian Veterans got money for business or farming, land for homes, education and easy access to this help. The First Nations veterans were passed around from Veteran Affairs and the Indian Department of Canada, each claiming the First Nations veterans were the responsibilities of the other. This problem was compounded by the then current policy of Canada regarding First Nations people, ‘Indians still needed to get a pass from the overseeing Indian Agent before leaving the Reservation’, so to even get off the reserve to apply for Veteran Benefits the First Nation Veteran needed approval. This policy wasn’t changed until 1962, First Nations couldn’t even have a lawyer represent their causes in court – it was illegal.

When the reality of First Nation Veteran benefits began to appear, they were given a fraction of the money other Canadian Veterans received, the land they received was a quarter section ‘on reserve’. This meant they didn’t actually receive lands because land on an ‘Indian Reserve could not be bought, sold, or even owned’ in fact ‘Indian land’ actually is held in trust by the Government of Canada. First Nation Veteran ownership of reserve land was a misnomer.

My Moshum had fought in the war just like so many other Canadian Grandfathers and like so many – lost family and friends. The enemy made no distinction to who the Canadians were, their bullets killed indiscriminately. You would think the treatment of the survivors would be the same, but sadly some of those survivors were First Nation.

Today the First Nation Veterans are still fighting for equal treatment, the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations (FSIN) has worked for better implantation of Veteran rights and recently the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) has picked up the fight. There is much work to be done and disagreements exist between our bargaining parties. I don’t think it should be so hard, we just want equality.

In the light of this – why do I wear a poppy? I remember my Moshum who fought in a war. I understand the historic treatment of our First Nations Veterans as opposed to Canadian Veterans. I remember the unrest and disagreement between our own governments and unwillingness to acknowledge the equal sacrifice. If I don’t vote it’s not because I don’t care about democracy, it’s because I remember the sacrifices of the First Nations Veterans for this democracy. That is why I wear a poppy.

Lest We Forget

Our

First Nations Veterans

 

Longing

Sometimes I feel like the Thunderbird
And I wish I could say
Soaring above everything
Everyone
Close to the Creator
As only Thunderbird can

But it’s not like that
When I feel like the Thunderbird
Rather I feel
Alone
On a mountain of ice
Shimmering in the cold

Beckoning in the darkness
For all to come to me
But leaving the door to my lodge
Firmly locked

Sometimes I feel like the Thunderbird
Longing for to soar over it all
And
Sometimes I feel like the Thunderbird
Longing for all I soar over

November

Suddenly it’s November and our pitiful excuse for a summer has gone, even the leaves of the trees have changed color, falling to the ground to leave us with the inevitable promise of winter. Fall always seems a time of reflection for me, the space in between the bare trees and falling snow just gives me pause. You see, after any summer of hot beautiful days Fall comes to remind me that even though I’ve had good days this past year, there is no proof that it will always be like that. So every winter I look forward to a blizzard or two, a few times of frost bite, and even a cold or two because each problem becomes a new problem to overcome. Many of my friends hate winter and for many of the same reasons I look forward to it, but like an annoying buzzer waking you up from a peaceful dream winter forces us to consider life. We know it’s a cold time in life, we know it’s harsh and we know it’s coming. And because we know, we plan accordingly. The changing seasons give us an example of our lives, we don’t always have sunny days to splash in cool waters but no matter what we can make the best of our situations, like the snow boarders and children who make snow angels.

God's majestic voice thunders his commands, creating miracles too marvelous for us to understand. Snow and heavy rainstorms make us stop and think about God's power Job 37:4-7

Showers and Residental Schools

I’m a residential school survivor. I went to Marivel Residential School on Cowessess Indian Band, it was down the valley and I attended for two years when I was 8 and 9 years old. I got 13,000 dollars from the government last year because of it. I remember a lot of things, forgot a lot of things, and buried a lot of things I never want to remember again. Now years have passed and I have moved on with my life leaving that experience behind me. I’m a successful 33 year old living a healthy lifestyle, I never let my experience at residential school keep me down. I’ve worked all my life and paid my own way, worked at and received my education, and have helped out my community in many ways. On top of it all, I’ve had a good life and I’m happy.

Last year while I was in university and where I like to go work out also because they have a world class training facility, the main shower/change room was closed for renovations. Not a problem as the university provided alternative showers in the Cougar Team’s locker room. That was fine by me so I went in there, changed into my gym wear, went to worked out, then came back and got ready to shower.
Unlike the normal university change room showers which had basically 8 shower heads in one open room, the Cougar Team room had concrete individual showers with a curtain for privacy – very similar to what my residential school had. At first I brushed my sudden fear aside as silliness. After all, it was years and years since anything had happened to me in a shower room, and I have since showered in public showers many times before – always group shower rooms though, never individual showers. It seemed unreasonable that this sudden minor change in my after workout shower routine should have any effect on me. Right?
So I got in and drew the curtain closed for my privacy, turned on the shower on, and began to wash myself. No big deal, I do it at home.
The voices on the other side of the curtain seemed to taunt me, laughing, and talking about stuff I chose to ignore. Other people would get in and out of the other shower stalls – turning water on and turning water off. Somebody snapped a towel at a friend and people giggle.
In my mind, I’m not at the university anymore – I’ve gone back to the residential school and I’m scared in the shower just before bedtime. I’m trying to hurry, I want to finish before anyone gets in the shower with me. I want to get out so I can dry off and put on my P.J.’s then jump into bed. I feel safe in bed because my bed is right in front of the stairwell – where the light is always on and I’m never in the dark.
But as I step out of the Cougar Team shower and look around, I have to tell my beating heart to slow down – ‘I’m safe, no one is going to hurt me.’ I have to swallow a lump of fear in my throat as I begin to dry off while thinking, ‘I’m a big guy now, and no one here is going to hurt me.’
I get dressed and walk out of the locker room but the experience is too much for me. I refused to go back to the gym until the renovations were completed – three months later.

Healing is a long journey, and the scars never go away. I hope when you read this, it helps you understand why the residential school system impacted the aboriginal people so much. I drank for the next while, trying to forget memories I thought I had forgotten.

Position Anew...

It’s a huge area and I don’t even know where to begin but yet it seems like a natural progression for me. I’ve accepted a position with another local organization to be a life skills coach with people who are dealing HIV/AIDS and other sexual infections. This includes and draws up on my previous experience of dealing with addictions, family, and personal growth issues in a positive and constructive way. As of yet I’m unsure what to expect from my position but I am looking forward to engaging my skills and learning new ones that university never taught me. I also look forward to writing about my new experiences in a thought provoking and educational manner. So I hope that having come this far with me you will continue to humor me as I continue down this road and try to make sense of this next chapter in my life.

Who is like the wise man? Who knows the explanation of things? Wisdom brightens a man’s face and changes its hard appearance. Ecclesiastes 8:1

12 Steps of Facebook

Step 1 We admitted we are powerless over Facebook – that our lives have become unimportant due to Facebook’s importance.

Step 2 Came to believe that only another social networking site better than Facebook could restore us to sanity... but we know that isn’t possible so all hope is lost...

Step 3 Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of Facebook and understand each status update.

Step 4 Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of all of our friends on Facebook and LMAO at them.

Step 5 Admitted to Facebook, to our friends, and family just how addicted we are through our own status updates

Step 6 Were entirely ready to have Facebook let the world know about these defects of character via status update, picture post, note or any other way deemed necessary

Step 7 Humbly ask Facebook to protect our privacy with the understanding that it’s hard to do when we’ve allowed so much to be published about ourselves in the first place.

Step 8 Made a list of all persons we harmed or were willing to harm through the ‘I’m keeping an eye on you’ application.

Step 9 Have poked, thrown monkeys at, body slammed, served a drink, even kinky poked when necessary.

Step 10 Continued to take personal inventory and when we are wrong promptly blame Facebook Drama.

Step 11 Sought through prayer and mediation applications to fool ourselves into thinking we are having a conscious contact with God even though we know Facebook is slowly replacing Him

Step 12 Having an awakening to Facebook as a result of these steps we try to invite our family, friends and complete strangers to become addicted to Facebook and to practice poking, stalking, super poking, etc in all of our online affairs.

“You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods.” Exodus 20:4,5a

Aboriginal Horoscopes II

One of my more popular posts seems to be the Aboriginal Horoscope page so I just thought I’d update it for a new year. My original intention was to do one every month but you know how fickle I can get, but perhaps I’ll write a few more and get ahead of myself here. personally I really like the idea of an aboriginal horoscope. Here is my original post and further information on why I started writing an Aboriginal Horoscope.

Enjoy!

Kisê-pîsim – The Great Moon – January - Deer.

You gotta make a batch of fry bread soon, don’t be shy! Make lots! You got family and friends to entertain soon so show them a good time, maybe a BBQ, or order a bucket of KFC, what ever you do just make sure and give them your best. But you always do that anyway, don’t ya? Lucky Casino this month: Bear Claw!

Mikisiwi-pîsim – The Eagle Moon - Eagle - February

It’s summer time! Get out and play some golf, go for a hike, camp, ride a horse (or a cowboy), go to a strange pow wow, but what ever you do get out of the house and enjoy the sun. You know how short our summers are so don’t be afraid to disconnect from Facebook, or the Xbox360 – don’t worry, they’ll be there when you get back! Lucky Casino: Bear Claw!

Niski-pîsim – The Goose Moon – Cougar - March

Men in shorts sweating and grunting while groping each other might be your favorite viewing on television but being a UFC champ is going take so much more than learning the moves of a pro! Stop the Double Gulps and chips and get back to the gym, trust me – your pancreas will thank you. A mouse might try to sneak something by you later this month, crush them! Lucky Casino: Casino Regina, East Wing, North wall, near the corner!

Ayikî-pîsim – The Frog Moon – Beaver - April

Atee Ney! That’s still your Cousin! Leave them alone! Try your luck at the Painted Hand Casino instead!!!

Sâkipakâwi-pîsim – The Budding Moon – Bear - May

Go berry picking, slow down and relax – you don’t always have to be going going going! Take a breath and enjoy a bit of life, talk to your elders, play with you kids, spend time with your sweetie pie and don’t feel bad for doing it! It’s good for you, feel that tension leave your body at the Dakota Dunes Casino! But be wary of a cunning mouse.

Pâskâwihowi-pîsim – The Hatching Moon – Thunderbird - June

Still having problems with that old car eh? Maybe it’s time to move on, get a fresh start with a new beast – one that will actually be able to drive to the city and back without needing a tow! War ponies got old also and had to be put out to pasture, why not do the same thing for your baby, you know she’s served you well in your travels! For a possible financial boost consider a victory drive to the Northern Lights Casino and play the penny machines for a long time.

Paskowi-Pîsim – The Moulting Moon – Coyote - July

I see a vision quest coming your way! Four days of practicing self control, dealing with the mental anguish, physical exhaustion and long hours of denial… Oh wait… that’s just the in-laws coming for a visit… for four days! Try to get away and scoot over to the Golden Eagle Casino before they make you see red.

Ohpahowi-pîsim – The Flying Up Moon – Mouse - August

This is not the time to be a mouse, rise up and roar with all you got! Get your voice and your ideas heard, fight for every opportunity to advance your cause and do not give up! You may feel like a Deer is standing in your way but their inability to focus on the bigger picture only makes you look smarter by comparison and will get you noticed. Now, go get them, because you know you can! Once you’ve declared victory head on over to the Dakota Dunes Casino for some roulette and cover the spread.

Nôcihitowi-pîsim – The Mating Moon – Salmon - September

Feeling ill? Consult a doctor and follow their directions perfectly because lets face it, they know what’s wrong with you, how to cure it, how long it will last and you don’t. But I betcha you’re told to take three huge pills and drink lots water! You know where you got sick from too so make sure they know what they have to do! Because it isn’t normal to piss fire! Stay away from the casinos for a while!

Pinaskâwi-pîsim – The Migrating Moon – Turtle - October

Feeling out of place? Are things happening to slow for your liking? Does everyone else seem to be in the groove and getting things done? Perhaps you’re out of your element. Turtles are free in water, fast and nimble able to avoid pit falls and predators with ease but feel slow and cumbersome on land – caught easily if they wander too far from their stream. Think about it at the Moose Jaw Casino this weekend!

Iyikopiwi-pîsim – The Frost Moon – Wolf - November

The little people are going to come visit you soon! Put out spoons and forks in low places so they can reach them easily. Don’t be afraid of them they just like your shiny things but you might want to lock up any precious metals for a while, you know – just in case they mistake your shiny earrings for a gift. Once they’ve out stayed their welcome and have taken every last utensil forcing you to use plastic cutlery, put out some tobacco on the floor. Wanna see them get wacky? Mix in some of your special green herb with it. The gifts you give come back to you at the Northern Lights Casino.

Pawâcakinasîsi-pîsim – The Frost Exploding Trees Moon – Spider – December

Get a hobby! Bead, Paint, photography, tan hides, make canoes anything! There’s so much more to life than working all the time! What are you gonna tell that sweetie you meet when she asks you, ‘so what do you do for fun?’ The truth? You’ve been working and sleeping for the past three months! Stop it! Strong webs need more than your silk, expand your interests and find new skills to have fun with! You might enjoy it. Look for a bear of a partner while enjoying the Dakota Dunes Casino.

Sasquatch or 'Elder Brother'

I have never seen Bigfoot, or Sasquatch, but we call him ‘Elder Brother’ for he was here before we were. Winter and winters ago he would help us and talk with us, hunt with us and swim with us but never war with us or battle beside us. He chose to let us deal with out own affairs offering his wisdom and help only in times of peace. He was a spiritual leader – offering prayers and guidance, often disappearing for days or months at a time to seek the creators counsel. In times of need he would offer warnings – floods, droughts and storms would be made know to us before the happened. His spiritual foresight often helped our people to survive these times of need. We respected him, never trying to impose our will on him – we understood he was more spiritual than physical.
It was the brotherhood that bonded us together. He had watched out for our needs and we treated as a relative. Since time immemorial this was the way it was, but this was to change with the coming of another people. Being ‘Elder Brother’ he knew the trouble we would have to endure and how long it would last before we would again find out footing and reclaim our own destiny. During this time ‘Elder Brother’ felt the changing dynamics of the land would require him to go into hiding for a people who caged animals for show, trained animals to make money and hunted for sport or fur would not understand the offerings of ‘Elder Brother’.
So, slowly as our people were caged on to lands without walls or fences, ‘Elder Brother’ backed out of our lives. But before he left he opened up a way for our elders and medicine men to continue to seek his counsel and wisdom. In times of need a gateway was opened up for us to seek him out and even though he’d be in the deep woods, or trekking though the mountains he would not abandon us. You see, inside the sweat lodge with the turtle shell rattle and moose hide drum we could sing the song to open the spirit door. In the darkness that blinded us, the steam that overwhelmed our smell and the rattle and drum buried our ears with an earthquake of sound our elder would go though the spirit door. The deep vocals of his song would change, becoming more primal – harsher to the ear. Inhuman. If though the dark you could see you would not believe – or maybe you would as you saw the elder grow till he was 10 or 14 feet tall, as the hair forced its way through every folic of his body to cover his nakedness, and as his hands and feet grew large and strong.
The flap to the lodge would open and our elder would leave – we were to wait and sing until he returned. Our elder had changed, crossed over into the spirit realm – more spirit than physical; he could now travel over the lands in huge strides that ate the land beneath. Alone our elder would hunt our ‘Elder Brother’, with eyes sharper than a hawk, ears keener than a mouse listening for a hawk; he would range from forests, to hills, to rivers, and mountains. Once ‘Elder Brother’ was found together they would discuss the problems faced – sometimes if the elder was lucky more ‘elder Brothers’ would be found and council could beheld. Within this council much wisdom could be gleaned and direction far in to the future could be known.
Once all the answers were discussed a plan could be made and the elder would return to the sweat lodge. Hours may have passed and the ones left behind singing would be exhausted from the singing and the sweating in the dark, but stopping meant our elder returning to his physical state where ever he was and perhaps being lost forever. ‘Elder Brother’ promised a day when we wouldn’t need this power anymore, but for now he hides.