Land dispute struggles between Euro-centric Canadian's and the First Nations people of Canada is obviously not a new concept, it has been occurring since the white people first arrived on this land. Even by attending Wilfrid Laurier University we are participating within the dispute, as Six Nations owns the land surrounding the Grand River, which is exactly where we are right now. These disputes and fight just continue the oppression and the cultural ignorance that is seperating our two cultures, because they are so different it makes understanding and accepting so much more difficult. Our guest speaker Alex, who discussed his work at Grassy Narrows brought up an interesting fact that the relationship that the First Nations people have with the land and the environment is one that we may not even be able to understand for years. He discussed how he worked directly with them and still does not understand their ideas on the environment and the important relationships they hold. This is an important concept as I completely understand what he is saying, as I myself do not feel as if I could understand their ways of thinking.
For example, their idea's of 7 generations for land preservation. I do not feel as if this concept is realistic within our society, as it's the 21st century and I don't think that shit will fly, and it isnt. This concept of 7 generational land is at the forefront of disputes like the ones seen at Caledonia, where cultural dispute and ignorance is at it's highest. Perhaps we can learn something from the First Nations people in terms of the environment, but it may take some more time, and the elimination of cultural ignorance and racism. Once this happens, perhaps we can all live in the same country free of segregation and seperation, but it may take some compromise from both sides.
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I think the concept of seven generations is a positive view of our natural environment. But I agree that it would be a difficult concept for the majority of society to grasp. Today people need tangible evidence of the changes occurring, without this evidence people commonly believe what they are doing is not making a difference and they revert to their old ways. I think the concept of seven generations is good, but because we will never meet 7 generations ahead the plan needs to be more contemporary if the general public- who sees themselves separate from nature- is to adopt its principles. Or should it be the other way around, and we see start to see ourselves as a part of nature?
ReplyDeleteTo go along with the idea of seven generations were the ideas that the little girl had talking about in which she understood that nature was of value and how the environmental was a mother (member of her family). This is clearly a concept that capitalist society would not understand where the bottom dollar and economic progress usually controls everything. I think the situation in which the loggers continue cutting in spite of the promises made to the native people demonstrates the externalities that the government and corporations are willing to sacrifice for the stakeholders best interest.
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