Radicalized

 

A lot of people have begun to remember when - and what - radicalized them.  For me it was a slow process, and there were many steps along the journey.  By age 16 I was already 'testing' as being left of centre politically, and over the years I have not shifted much.

But one of those steps was this book.

At the time I was working in the high school library and the librarian had ordered this book.  I was paid a pittance, with the benefit that I could call dibs on pretty much any book that came in.  When it was time to process this one, I was intrigued.

I lived at about the 54th parallel, so not exactly 'north', but isolated from large metropolitan centres.  I was raised with the attitude that the town I lived in didn't deserve services - like secondary education.  We had a small but active arts community who produced amateur theatre, there were ballet classes (yes, I took classes), music teachers, whether they made their living by giving lessons or did them 'on the side'.  Etc.  But there was little recognition beyond us locals that we *had* an 'arts' scene.

So I was familiar with the 'north' being seen - or should I say, *not* 'seen' - as worth much, other than the resources that could be taken from it.  We were hewers of wood, drawers of water.  Period.

But I was also awakening to some of the realities of the history of 'Canada', so when this book arrived in the library, I was interested.  

While I don't remember the entire book, one incident that the author related stood out.  Remember it was 50+ years ago and I may not be remembering entirely correctly.  I suggest anyone interested read the book for themselves.  It was enlightening.

A bit of background.  Ms Briggs was an anthropology student, interested in the people of the far north.  She managed to arrange to live with an 'Eskimo' (as was) family for over a year knowing about 8 words of the language they spoke to begin with.  She negotiated with them and was informed that the only way they could do it was if the family adopted her as their daughter.  She agreed, and they insisted she provide provisions and contribute to the family as they would be providing for her.  They agreed on things like tea, flour, sugar.  Once she had the provisions for the 'family' collected, she added more for herself.

When all was in readiness, the family, which was one of the few that still led a nomadic lifestyle, the mother of the family went into 'her' area and took the 'personal' provisions and added them to the 'family' larder.  When she realized that 'her' provisions were rolled into the 'family' larder, she protested that those were 'hers'.  The mother looked her in the eye and said that there was no 'mine', there was only the 'family'.

It was the final step in helping her understand that a communal lifestyle was not just a choice in such a harsh climate; it was a necessity.

And I began to understand that this is true, where ever you live.  

The book helped me understand Inuit society on a much deeper level, and I began to look at other First Nations communities more closely.

As a country 'Canada' has begun to recognize and begin to deal with the way the First Nations were treated.  We are a long way aways from 'reconciliation'.  But we have been inching forward.

With the world political pendulum swinging ever more to the 'right', I have no idea if that progress will continue - or not.  If Canada can hold back the tide.

If our neighbour to the south will attempt an invasion, or succeed at 'breaking' us economically.  Everything is up in the air right now, with no idea how it will fall down again. 

My choice is to resist.  Be the sand in the gears.  #elbowsUp