ᒧᓇ ᐢᑐᐣᐱᐡ ᐣᑎᔑᓂᑲᐢ, ᐅᑭᒋᑕᑫᐧ ᐃᒪ ᐊᓂᔑᓇᐯᐠ ᓂᐦᓱ ᐃᐡᑯᑌ ᑲᒪᒪᐃᐧᓄᐊᐧᐨ. ᐣᑭᐱᔕᐳᐡᑲᐣ ᐊᓂᔑᓂᓂᐃᐧ ᐊᐊᐧᔑᔕᐠ ᑲᑭᐱᑕᔑ ᑲᓇᐁᐧᑕᑯᓯᐊᐧᐨ ᑭᑭᓄᒪᑎᑲᒥᑯᐠ, ᐣᐱᒧᑐᐣ ᐊᓂᔑᓂᓂᐃᐧ ᑭᑫᑕᒪᐃᐧᐣ, ᐣᑕᓂᔑᓂᓂᐃᐧ ᒪᐡᑭᑭᐃᐧᓂᑫᐧᐤ, ᒥᓇ ᐊᔕ ᐁᐧᐡᑲᐨ ᐣᑐᒋᐱᒥ ᒪᒥᑲᑕᒪᐊᐧᐠ ᐣᑕᓂᔑᓂᓂᒪᐠ. ᐣᑭᐱᐊᐧᐸᑕᓇᐣ ᐁᑌᐯᐧᐃᐧᓂᐊᐧᑭᐣ ᐊᓂᔑᓂᓂᐊᐧᐠ ᑲᐱᔑᑲᑫᐧᐱᒥ ᑲᑫᐧᒐᑭᐦᐃᑕᐧ ᐃᒪ ᐃᓀᑫ ᒪᒋᑲᓇᐊᐧᐸᒥᑯᐃᐧᓂᐠ ᐁᑲᐧ ᑕᐡ ᐣᑭᐱᒥᔭᓄᑲᑕᐣ ᑕᓱᑭᔑᑲ ᐁᑲᑫᐧᒥᑲᑕᒪᐣ ᒋᑭᐱᑎᓂᑲᑌᐠ, ᐣᑭᑲᓄᑲᑕᒧᐊᐧᐣ ᓄᑯᒥᐸᐣ ᑲᑭᐱᔑᐊᐧᐃᐧᑕᒪᐃᐧᔑᐸᐣ ᑲᓂᒪᐧᔦ ᐅᑕᐱᓂᑯᔭᐣ ᑲᐊᐊᐧᔑᔑᐃᐧᔭᐣ ᐁᑭᐃᔑᐃᐧᓂᑯᔭᐣ ᒧᐦᐊᐧᐠ ᐊᓂᔑᓂᓂᐃᐧ ᑭᑭᓄᒪᑎᑲᒥᑯᐠ. ᐣᑎᐸᒋᒧᐃᐧᐣ ᐣᑭᐸᑭᑎᓇᐣ ᒋᐅᒋᑲᓄᑫᒥᑕᐧ ᐃᑫᐧᓂᐊᐧᐠ ᑲᑭᐱᒧᑐᐊᐧᐨ ᒋᐁᐧᒥᑎᑯᔑᐊᐧᑎᓯᔭᐠ ᐁᑲ ᐁᑭᐱᐅᒋᑲᐡᑭᑐᐊᐧᐨ ᒋᐊᐧᓂᑲᑕᒪᐠ ᐧᐁᓀᓂᐃᐧᔭᐠ ᑭᑕᓂᔑᓂᓂᐊᐧᑎᓯᐃᐧᓇᐣ. My name is Mona Stonefish, Ogichidaakwe of the Anishinaabek Three Fires Confederacy. I am an Indian Residential School survivor, Traditional Knowledge Keeper, Doctor of Traditional Medicine/Traditional Practitioner, and life-long activist. As a witness to the truth of genocidal discrimination and as someone who has battled everyday to counteract it, I recount my grandmother's words before being stolen as a child and placed at Mohawk Institute Residential School (Mush Hole). My story is a reminder that agents of colonialism were not successful in taking away our identities as Original Peoples.
ᓂᐣ ᑎᐱᓇᐁᐧ ᑲᓄᑕᐃᐧᐡ ᒋᑎᐸᒋᒪᑲᐧ ᐣᑕᓂᔑᓂᓂᒪᐠ ᑭᔭᐱᐨ ᐁᐱᒪᑎᓯᐊᐧᐨ ᒥᓇ ᐁᑲᓄᑲᑕᒧᐊᐧᐨ ᐅᑎᔑᑭᔐᐧᐃᐧᓂᐊᐧ, ᐅᑕᑭᐃᐧ ᐃᔑᓇᒧᐃᐧᓂᐊᐧ, ᐅᑎᐯᒋᑫᐃᐧᓂᐊᐧ, ᒥᓇ ᐅᑕᓇᐱᐃᐧᓂᐊᐧ. ᐣᑎᐸᒋᒧᐃᐧᐣ ᑲᑭᑭᓄᒪᑯᐣ ᑲᑭᐱᔑᑌᐸᐧᑕᒧᐊᐧᐨ ᑲᑭᐱᔕᐳᐡᑲᒧᐊᐧᐨ ᐅᑎᐸᒋᒧᐃᐧᓂᐊᐧ. ᓂᓇᐃᐧᐟ ᐣᑐᒋᑲᓇᐁᐧᑕᒥᐣ ᐅᐁᐧ ᐊᐦᑭ ᐁᑲᐧ ᑭᑭᐱᐅᒋᐊᔭᒥᐣ ᐁᑲ ᐃᐧᑲ ᑫᑭᑌᐱᐃᐧᒋᑲᑌᐠ. ᐣᑕᓂᔑᓂᓂᐃᐧ ᐃᔑᐦᐃᑯᐃᐧᐣ ᐊᔭᒪᑲᐣ ᐅᒪ ᐊᐦᑭᑲᐠ ᒥᓇ ᓂᐱᑲᐠ. ᐅᓀᐧᓂᐊᐧᐣ ᑭᒋᐊᓄᑭᐱᒧᒋᑫᐃᐧᓇᐣ ᒥᓇ ᑯᑕᑭᔭᐣ ᐱᒧᒋᑫᐃᐧᓇᐣ (ᐊᔑᐨ ᒪᐡᑭᑭᐃᐧᒋᐦᐃᐁᐧᐃᐧᐣ, ᑭᑭᓄᒪᑫᐃᐧᐣ, ᑎᐸᑯᓂᑫᐃᐧᐣ) ᑭᑭᐱᐊᐧᐃᐧᔭᔑᐦᐃᑯᒥᐣ ᒥᓇ ᑭᑭᐱᒪᓯᓇᐦᐅᑎᓱᑕᒪᑯᒥᐣ ᒥᓇ ᑭᑭᐱᑭᑌᑕᒪᑯᒥᐣ ᒣᑲᐧᐨ ᑭᓇᐯᒥᓇᐣ, ᑭᑎᑫᐧᒥᓇᐣ ᒥᓇ ᑭᑕᐊᐧᔑᔑᒥᓇᐣ ᐁᑭᒪᒋᑐᑕᐃᐧᑕᐧ ᒥᓇ ᐁᑭᓂᓯᐣᑕᐧ. You will learn directly from me through my own story that Original Peoples continue to thrive and remember our languages, our worldviews, our families, and our communities. My story will educate you about the truth of survivors’ testimony. We are keepers of this land and we have been here since time immemorial. My DNA is right here in the land and the water. Extractive corporations and systems (including health care, education, and legal) have swindled us and signed away our rights and personhood while our men, women, and children are being raped and murdered.
ᒥᓯᐁᐧᑲᒥᐠ ᐊᓂᑭᑫᑕᑲᐧᐣ ᐅᑫᐧᓂᐊᐧᐠ ᑎᐯᒋᑫᐃᐧᓇᐣ ᒥᓇ ᑕᓇᐱᐃᐧᓂᐠ ᑲᐅᒋᐊᐧᐨ ᑲᑭᐱᐊᐧᓂᐦᐊᐊᐧᐨ ᑲᓴᑭᐦᐊᐊᐧᐨ ᐃᒪ ᐅᒋ ᑲᓇᑕ ᐅᑭᒋᒪᒪᓂᑲᑕᑫᐃᐧ ᐱᒧᒋᑫᐃᐧᓇᐣ, ᐁᐅᒋᑲᑫᐧᒐᑲᐱᓇᓂᑯᔭᐠ. ᑲᓂᐱᒥᑭᑫᑕᓇᐊᐧ ᒥᔑᐣ ᐊᐊᐧᔑᔕᐠ ᐅᐱᒪᑎᓯᐃᐧᓂᐊᐧ ᐁᑭᐱᐸᑲᓂᓭᓂᐠ, ᐁᑭᒪᑲᒥᑕᐧ ᒥᓇ ᐁᑭᐅᒋᓂᔑᐊᐧᓇᒋᐦᐃᑕᐧ ᐃᒪ ᐊᓂᔑᓂᓂᐃᐧ ᑭᑭᓄᒪᑎᑲᒥᑯᐣ, ᐊᐊᐧᔑᔑᐃᐧᑭᒪᐃᐧᓂᐠ ᒥᓇ ᑯᑕᑭᔭᐣ ᑲᑭᐱᑕᑕᔑᑲᓇᐁᐧᑕᑯᓯᐊᐧᐨ ᐅᒪ ᑌᑎᐸᐦᐃ ᑲᓇᑕ ᐊᐦᑭᐠ. ᐁᐧᒥᑎᑯᔑᐃᐧ ᐅᓇᔓᐁᐧᐃᐧᓇᐣ ᐅᑭᐅᓇᑐᓇᐣ ᑲᑭᓇ ᑫᑯᓇᐣ ᒋᑭᐸᐦᐃᑲᑌᑭᐣ. ᑐᑲᐣ ᐅᐁᐧ ᒪᒋᓇᑲᐧᐣ ᐁᑲᐧ ᐅᐁᐧ ᒥᓇᐧᔑᐣ - ᐁᑲᐧ ᑕᐡ ᑲᓂᑲᑌᓇᒥᐣ ᑲᑭᓇ ᐅᓀᐧᓂᐊᐧᐣ ᒋᓂᓯᑕᐃᐧᓇᒪᑭᐣ ᑲᑭᓇ ᑭᓇᐃᐧᐟ ᑭᑕᔭᒥᐣ ᐊᓄᑭᐃᐧᐣ. The world is learning about the family and community members who have lost their loved ones to Canada’s violent colonial and eugenic systems, which have attempted to eradicate us. You will begin to learn about the many children whose lives were forever changed, stolen, and even extinguished by Indian Residential Schools, Children’s Aid Societies, and other residential institutions across this country. Settler colonial nations have put up barriers for everything, “This one is bad and this one’s good” – we can eliminate all of that by recognizing we all have a role to play.
ᐅᐁᐧ ᑭᑭᓄᒪᑫᐃᐧᐣ ᐊᓂᔑᐃᐧᑕᒪᑫᒪᑲᐣ ᒥᓇᐧᒋᑫᐃᐧᓂᐠ ᒥᓇ ᒋᐅᓇᑐᔭᐣ ᐸᔦᑕᑭᓯᐃᐧᐣ ᒋᓇᓇᑕᐃᐧᑭᑫᑕᒪᐣ ᑎᐱᓇᐁᐧ ᐅᑕᓇᐠ ᑭᑎᐯᒋᑫᐃᐧᐣ ᒥᓇ ᑭᑎᐸᒋᒧᐃᐧᐣ. ᑭᒋᓀᑕᑲᐧᐣ ᐅᐁᐧ ᐁᑲ ᒋᐱᒥᓂᔕᐦᐊᒪᐣ ᐣᑎᐸᒋᒧᐃᐧᐣ ᒋᐅᒋᐃᐧᒋᐦᐃᑯᔭᐣ. ᐃᔑᑭᑫᑕᑲᐧᐣ ᐃᐁᐧ ᑐᑲᐣ ᐊᓂᔑᓂᓂᐊᐧᐣ ᑲᓇᓇᐱᓇᐊᐧᐨ ᒥᓇ ᒥᐦᐃᒪ ᐊᐃᐧᔭ ᐁᐅᒋ ᑲᑫᐧ ᓂᔑᐊᐧᓇᒋᑕᒪᐊᐧᐨ ᐊᓂᔑᓂᓂᐊᐧᐠ ᐅᑕᑭᐃᐧ ᐃᔑᓇᒧᐃᐧᓂᐊᐧ ᒥᓇ ᑲᐃᔑᐱᒧᓂᑎᓱᐊᐧᐨ. ᐸᑲᓂᓭᓂ ᐃᐧᐣ ᑲᐊᓄᑲᑕᒧᐊᐧᐨ ᑲᑲᑫᐧᑭᐁᐧ ᑭᑫᑕᒧᐊᐧᐨ ᐅᑐᑕᑲᓀᓯᐃᐧᓂᐊᐧ, ᐅᐊᐧᑯᒪᑲᓂᐊᐧ ᒥᓇ ᐅᑕᓇᐱᐃᐧᓂᐊᐧ ᐊᐱ ᑲᑭᐃᐡᑲᐧ ᑲᑕᒪᐃᐧᑕᐧᐸᐣ ᑲᑭᐱᐅᒋᐊᐧᐨ ᐃᒪ ᐁᐧᒥᑎᑯᔑᑲᐠ ᒥᓇ ᐅᓇᑯᓂᑫᐃᐧᓂᐠ. This module begins to mend and build ᐸᔦᑕᑭᓯᐃᐧᐣ (peace) by asking you to learn about your own family history and your own story. This is important so that you do not take my story for your own personal benefit. This is known as cultural appropriation and is one process that has been used to try to destroy Nishnaabe worldviews and sovereignty. This is different from the work of individuals to reconnect to their identities, families, and communities after being deprived by settler colonial and eugenic policies.
ᓂᑕᑦ ᐊᐃᐧᔭᐠ ᑭᔭᐱᐨ ᑕᓱᑭᔑᑲ ᐅᐱᒥᓇᓇᑭᐡᑲᓇᐊᐧ ᐁᐱᒥᑲᑫᐧᒐᑭᐦᐃᑕᐧ ᐃᒪ ᐃᓀᑫ ᒪᒋᑲᓇᐊᐧᐸᒥᑯᐃᐧᓂᐠ ᐅᒪ ᑲᓇᑕ ᐊᐦᑭᐠ. ᔕᑯᐨ ᒣᑲᐧᐨ ᐊᐁᐧ ᑲᓇᑕ ᐅᑭᒪᐃᐧᐣ ᐁᐱᒥᑲᑫᐧ ᓴᑭᒋᐡᑲᐊᐧᐨ ᓂᑕᑦ ᐊᐃᐧᔭᐠ ᑭᑕᑭᒥᓇᓂᐠ ᒥᓇ ᑭᓂᐱᒥᓇᓂᐠ, ᑲᐃᐧᐣ ᐃᐧᑲ ᑲᑭᐅᒋᒐᑭᐦᐃᑯᒥᓯᐣ. ~ ᒧᓇ ᐢᑐᐣᐱᐡ Original Peoples continue to face genocidal discrimination everyday in Canada. But while the Canadian government is squeezing Original Peoples out of our land and our water, we are not disappeared. ~ Mona Stonefish
