The Significance of Resilience in Identity Formation Identity is established by the culmination of the experiences and routes a person takes throughout their life. For the Indigenous peoples, they commonly overcome challenges to develop their identity. Through the stories written by Wab Kinew and Melanie Mununggur-Williams, they shed light on the nationwide and individual life defining events from different perspectives. Each story describes the process of identity formation from learning and adaptation over certain experiences. While the artistic works of “500 Years In 2 Minutes” by Kinew and the “I Run” poem by Mununggur-Williams vary through their perspective used to convey identity, both reveal that Indigenous identity is shaped by negative …show more content…
Particularly, Wab Kinew uses an investigative perspective to consider why certain events that shape Indigenous identity occurred. During his story, he expresses that “our parents and grandparents were molested in schools designed to kill the Indian in the child, so where did all of that go wrong?” (Kinew 1:43-1:51). Kinew highlights the life changing events which the government performed in the past and urges investigation into the cause of those events. Through this perspective, he questions and learns from historical events to build a future where the Indigenous are equal alongside other groups of people. As a result, resilience is reflected because of his mindset that the future should not repeat the past. If Kinew did not pursue this perspective, the past would adversely affect the future as there is a lack of information on what went wrong. Kinew’s viewpoint provides growth and improvement from history which exhibits the resilient identity of the Indigenous peoples. In contrast, Melanie Mununggur-Williams communicates the poem from an emotive and sensitive perspective to reflect on her experiences. Mununggur-Williams explains that when her own “life attacks from all angles like [she is] a paper bag in a thunderstorm, …show more content…
Within “500 Years In 2 Minutes”, Kinew explores the idea that the Indigenous peoples were ignored and treated poorly resulting in a resilient identity. Kinew expresses that “[the Indigenous peoples] had a reservation at a much smaller table out the back near the garbage cans…At [their] table, a total lack of benevolence. [They] got the plague, a plague of whiskey, and [their] parents and grandparents were molested” (Kinew 1:25-1:45). Kinew recalls that the Indigenous peoples were treated harshly through inhumane acts despite accommodating those who came to their land. They lacked the ability to make decisions for Canada as they were assimilated, silenced, and taken advantage of. Despite these hardships, the Indigenous peoples develop resilience by overcoming the government's mistreatment through prioritizing maintaining their core cultural values. Without this resilience, the culture or lives of the Indigenous peoples today would be ruined. The difficult past events strengthen their identity to continue their unique culture or traditions. Likewise, “I Run” by Melanie Mununggurr-Williams reveals that cruel environments and experiences support her identity to be further resilient. Mununggurr-Williams expresses that “problems find [her], they [chase her] down the way white authorities chase down brown skin babies, hold [her]
Despite what some might think, the oppression of Indigenous people is still extremely prevalent today. In Canada, the historical treatment of Indigenous people has been particularly horrible. Indigenous people have faced hundreds of years of mistreatment and abuse at the hands of the Canadian government; although it may not be as obvious now as it was in the past, oppression and racism are still deeply rooted in modern Canadian society. The Outside Circle by Patti LaBoucane-Benson brilliantly addresses this. The Outside Circle is a graphic novel that centres around an Indigenous young man named Pete, living in Edmonton with his brother Joey, their mother Bernice and her abusive boyfriend.
In Lee Maracles’s interview with Context: Beyond the Headlines, Maracle explains the healing properties of literature and how expression through poetry has helped her advocate for Indigenous people. The medicinal properties of literature are a sacred belief of the Stó:lō peoples. The power of poetry helps relieve the chronic wounding created by the colonizers. Maracle begins by addressing how the movement of colonialism caused irreversible intergenerational trauma among the Indigenous communities. She shames the Canadian government because none of the real people who evoked the damage had ever faced confrontation.
During this time, family members emphasized that understanding and honoring individuals whose lives were cruelly cut short necessitates a detailed accounting of all the ties that molded their loved one's life and that their loved one, in turn, shaped. Throughout the process, public community hearings were held, private statements were collected, expert panels were formed, and written archive records and existing studies on the problem were reviewed. This process aims to find the truth by gathering many stories from many people to have the truths woven together to show the world what violence really looks like for Indigenous women and girls in Canada. The National Inquiry reached out to put families first throughout the process rather than others who hold power, as well as being informed about the trauma encountered and making sure there is no further harm, and decolonizing where in they center Indigenous ways of being, knowing, and doing. The idea of cultural safety emerged from this process as a foundational principle of wellness.
Hilary Weaver argues in her piece of writing; that identifying indigenous identity is complex, complicated, and hard to grasp when internalized oppression and colonization has turned Native Americans to criticize one another. Throughout the text, Weaver focuses on three main points which she calls, the three facets. Self-identification, community identification, and external identification are all important factors that make up Native American identity. The author uses a story she calls, “The Big game” to support her ideologies and arguments about the issue of identity. After reading the article, it’s important to realize that Native American’s must decide their own history and not leave that open for non-natives to write about.
Tracey Lindberg’s novel Birdie is narratively constructed in a contorting and poetic manner yet illustrates the seriousness of violence experience by Indigenous females. The novel is about a young Cree woman Bernice Meetoos (Birdie) recalling her devasting past and visionary journey to places she has lived and the search for home and family. Lindberg captures Bernice’s internal therapeutic journey to recover from childhood traumas of incest, sexual abuse, and social dysfunctions. She also presents Bernice’s self-determination to achieve a standard of good health and well-being. The narrative presents Bernice for the most part lying in bed and reflecting on her dark life in the form of dreams.
The objective of Story is to remind indigenous youth to grow by being given specific information in crucial periods in time of North American Indigenous history, and having the duty of passing on those stories to others when they reach adulthood. Cherie Dimaline employs oral history to relate the storyline to real-life events. “ We suffered there. We almost lost our languages. Many lost their innocence, their laughter, their lives.
The indigenous people are literally crashing into the buildings produced by the colonizing culture, “Look out! Bob shouts. There are Indians flying into the skyscrapers and falling on the sidewalk.” (King 63) and it adequately represents the lack of adaptability of the Native Canadians. Thomas King taps again into the effects of colonialism and notions the indigenous people as uneducated and an untamed species.
The summer before eleventh grade, I was given the opportunity to travel to Tsawout, a First Nations reserve situated in Vancouver Island for a week on a short-term missions trip. While assisting to run a camp for the children in the reserve, I was exposed to the mental and emotional burden for those whom had experienced, and were victims of residential schools. Many of the Tsawout Elders witnessed the death of their culture and the brutality these schools wrought on those impacted: families and survivors. The Elders expressed their outrage and past struggles with passion, laying bare their innermost thoughts and ordeals. They challenged me to open my eyes to beyond the reaches of my comfort zone.
The assimilative policies put forth by the Canadian government beginning in the late 1800’s had detrimental impacts on the lives of Indigenous peoples. The unwavering abuse and suffering inflicted upon Indigenous cultures through the use of residential schools and racism leaves Canadians with an unchangeable past. The continuous cycle of intergenerational trauma represented through the historical fiction Three Day Road written by Joseph Boyden tells the story of an Indigenous veteran on the battlefield and his later addiction to morphine. Through the split narrative told by Xavier Bird and his aunt Niska, the traumatizing experience of World War One and its aftermath are revealed through the stories told by each character. With the use of
State Thesis (central argument) Wagamese sheds light on Saul’s journey entering into and working to heal from trauma which emphasizes the importance of family in addressing hardship in Indigenous communities. Analytical Essay – Conclusion: Rephrase Thesis (in different words – do not copy and paste the thesis) Upon further examination, Richard Wagamese’s description of Saul’s endeavors as he tackles hardship emphasizes how families are a key determiner in Indigenous peoples’ inner
Despite the challenges, Indigenous peoples have demonstrated remarkable adaptability and strength in the face of injury and continue to make progress toward repairing and reorganizing their
The chapter vividly portrays the silencing of Indigenous voices, leaving these students feeling alone and without agency. The separation from their culture and identity further intensified the sense of dislocation and isolation experienced by Indigenous children in residential schools. Therefore, through this chapter, Downie highlights the need for awareness and understanding of the trauma experienced by Indigenous children, which has long-lasting effects, ultimately leading to the importance of reconciliation with
Throughout history, there have been many literary studies that focused on the culture and traditions of Native Americans. Native writers have worked painstakingly on tribal histories, and their works have made us realize that we have not learned the full story of the Native American tribes. Deborah Miranda has written a collective tribal memoir, “Bad Indians”, drawing on ancestral memory that revealed aspects of an indigenous worldview and contributed to update our understanding of the mission system, settler colonialism and histories of American Indians about how they underwent cruel violence and exploitation. Her memoir successfully addressed past grievances of colonialism and also recognized and honored indigenous knowledge and identity.
This poem’s structure reveals resistance because it shows that the words of apology extended to the Indigenous people mean nothing to them, if not backed up by action. I think this tactic is effective because it lacks unnecessary aggression, but at the same time does not excuse the
Modernity has been mainly characterized by its imperialistic policies and colonizing endeavors, which while creating the current legal organization of the world have largely marginalized the many indigenous groups who originally occupied the conquered lands (Andrews and Walton 600). Although post-modern societies have seen an increase in the awareness of these matters, American-Canadian author Thomas King has dedicated his work to throwing light on issues still not tackled. In his short story “Borders”, King tells the adventure of a Blackfoot mother and her child, who try to cross the border to the U.S. but refuse to declare their nationality. It is through his masterful choice of narrator and the careful depiction of the mother’s struggle to maintain her Blackfoot identity that the author conveys the many difficulties First Nations face in their effort to keep their heritages alive.