Last month, I wrote about racism and how as First Nations, we are subject to it daily by external employers and supermarkets. Misconceptions, ignorance, and indeed, hatred affect how we are perceived as Indigenous people.
Forgotten or ignored are the actions of European forefathers who treated Indigenous people including children with such disdain and disregard that it affected the psyche of an entire race. It was necessary to dehumanize Indigenous people for it justified how my ancestors were treated.
In this column, I seek to humanize Indigenous people by discussing what it takes to host a feast. Feasts to honour those who have taken their journey to the spirit world are held each year. Preparation for this is a family affair and begins in June when wild sorrel is ripe.
The image of the ‘Indian’ that is perpetuated in Canada is that of a lazy individual. This is because work is only viewed from a monetary perspective in Canadian society. If you stop and look around our community, you will find that many people are indeed working.
Many young men in our community are hunters because it is a right of passage. Hunting is not simply about the kill. It is about learning how to track game and selecting the right targets. It is about learning how to provide for your relatives.
The harvesting of moose is a lot of work. Most Indigenous hunters do not simply send their harvest to the butcher. This is an rare opportunity for more experienced hunters to teach youth. Skinning is a talent for which men are proud of. Leaving hair on the meat was an embarrassment because that indicated laziness.
Another talent is to ensure hides are removed without blemish because they will be tanned and turned into leather. The tanning of hides is an arduous process and is a skill acquired by many Indigenous people.
The butchering process is also an education. The objective is to not waste any part of the animal. In this process, every part that will be used is carefully identified and cut. For example, parts that will be used for sinew are carefully extracted.
Once deboned, venison is often sliced for dry meat. Slicing is not an easy task and women earn high praise by demonstrating exceptional skill. Talented women can make dry meat that is thinly sliced yet tender.
As men hunt, women harvest berries throughout the summer. Blueberries, choke cherries, cranberries, and cranberries are picked in the foothills of these majestic mountains. Berries are necessary to make pemmican which is a feast favourite.
My point to you is that the Indigenous people who serve traditional foods at family feasts have worked hard since spring to honour their loved ones. Not only are they maintaining culture, they are maintaining our teachings.
The task of preserving culture in the face modernization is not an easy task. So, remind yourself, the young Indigenous men and women who are judged so harshly are likely skilled hunters and harvesters.
Îsniyes.
Tatâga Thkan Wagichi is a member of the Wesley First Nation, Stoney Nakoda Nation. A doctoral student in education at the University of Calgary, his focus is on the history of the Stoney Nakoda people and development of the Iyethka language. Author of the book "Nakota Community", he is also a regular columnist for the Cochrane Eagle and Canmore's Rocky Mountain Outlook.
