The Cold, Hard Truth

Canada’s history of racism continues to affect us each and everyday, as it is something that I believe will truly never go away. It has been evident through the stories heard in the seminar today, Missing And Murdered Indigenous Women, that these cases are often over looked and are concerned more about who the murder was as an individual, than the individual who was murdered. This relates to my miskâsowin process as in order for me to find myself, I need to understand exactly what happened in Canada and in turn, how that affects me.

As a way for me to amplify these stories, is simply by educating. I can continue to tell the harsh reality of Canada’s past, in hopes to make a difference. Instead of staying quiet in situations where I am uncomfortable to speak up, I will voice what I know and I WILL stand up for these individuals. If no one is standing up for them and giving them the voice that they do not have, it is not wonder that there is no change. According to Cardinal & Hildebrandt (2002) “when Wisahkecdhk blew on the sacred whistle, the women were created by our Creator and were spiritually put on earth to join the men” (p. 23), which justifies why the male athletes from the University of Regina, Steven Kummerfield and Alex Ternowetsk, did what they did to Pamela Geogre. However, I feel there should be no justification for anything that has happened to Pamela and/or other Indigenous women. There needs to be justice. I realize this is apart of my journey as an educator as I feel through my teachings, I can teach the truth. The real truth. The cold, harsh truth. “Every time we do take action, we create change, and it may not be change that happens that day, or that week, or that month, but it is change” (Balfour, n. d), in which contributes to my role as an educator.