1

. wemistikosiwi -micim
Cree Noun, Inanimate: White-Man's food as opposed to nohcimihk-micim or just micim: bush food or country food. This apparently simple distinction is perhaps one of the most important pointers to the profound cultural differences between Western European and First Nations cultures. Prior to contact and for a long time after (to the present day for many), First Nations material culture, especially food, originated from and represented negotiations with the land and all of the spiritual forces inhabiting it only some of whom are human. This is a major difference from Christian concepts that all human prosperity originates from a single spiritual force that created all things on earth for the potential benefit of people. All of the First Nations beliefs, ceremonies, rules and taboos concerning obtaining, preparing and handling food and other gifts from the spirits of the land differ deeply from those involving the bread host and wine as the body and blood of the human spirit Christ, the only Christian reference to a spiritual presence directly represented by food. The only Christian reference to animal spirituality is the Old Testament Golden Calf and it's associated "Pagan" rituals which were characterized as a tragic mistake and completely forbidden and eradicated.

The recent birth of the white Buffalo calf in Wisconsin has a very powerful and complex spiritual meaning for plains First Nations. Some have said that an important part of this message is that the time for cultural healing and respect has begun. It is First Nations peoples who have been forced to become bilingual and do the difficult translations of a foreign culture in order to survive. But we insist on much more than mere survival. It is now the turn of Euro-Canadians who must also become bilingual and contribute their share to the work of translation and understanding which may also, hopefully, transform their relationships to the land and all our relations living there.

click on #1 to return

2. David Murray, Forked Tongues:Speech Writing and Representation in North American Indian Texts, Indiana University Press, Bloomington and Indianapolis, 1991, p. 34-35 & 63
click on #2to return

3 . In this discussion of the non-First Nations contemporary Canadian arts community I refer primarily to artists and arts professionals of European ancestry working from a background of Western art traditions and historic resources. The struggle of First Nations cultures to be heard in the midst of often deafening Whit of often deafening White culture and media noise has much in common with other strong communities formed on the basis of historical marginalization such as the Asian, South Asian, Black and Gay and Lesbian communities. Many people from these cultures have done important work for their own communities that has also contributed to the growing foundation of tolerance, respect and acknowledgement that also benefits First Nations cultures. However, there is one element many of them have in common with Western European immigrants and that, to a large extent, is that they can also look to many generations of cultural development and historic support from homelands elsewhere than Turtle Island. Communities of colour with long cultural histories of urbanization, agriculture, and written literature appear to us far more similar to Western European culture than to First Nations cultures. The traditional cultural roles of what may be badly translated as First Nations Gay and Lesbian people are certainly far different from those in lists of "Famous Gay and Lesbian People" (almost always only White and often predominantly men). First Nations people are required to be bilingual in terms of the global cultures of our allies to form successful coalitions to continue our common struggle but far too few of our allies are taking on the task of becoming bilingual in First Nations languages, cultures and the complex relationships to the lands we now share. It is certainly not required as a condition of a full education.
click on #3 to return