Visit of Jumping Mouse to Field Mouse

Does a native need to abandon his culture to share or use new "white" Technology. As Dorty arrived in Montreal and saw the difference life of the local Natives; (Mohawk) she saw also how they seem to be hidden into the white world.

The story of a native seeking out the ulitimate goal of becoming a "Real Person" or An Anishinabek, in Dorty case, is told by Hyemeyohsts Storm in "Seven Arrows". Here, Grandmother tells a story of small "Jumping Mouse" on his quest of the "path to the Sacred Mountain". Explaining that tells how Jumping Mouse visits his nephew "Field Mouse" while on his voyage.

(The photo was builded by adding (with Paint) two satellite disk in front of the Souix teepee. This appears my view of native accepting technology)

Field Mouse said "Forget your passion to see them (the River (path) and the Great Mountains) which are his goal. "Stay here with me. There is everything you want here. It is a good Place to be" But Jumping Mouse said to himself "How can he say such a thing."The Medicine of the Sacred Mountain is Nothing One can Forget";says Field Mouse as 'he gathered all his determination and Ran hard into the open Prairie."

To me, a white wouldabe, I have lived here in the Montreal area and have seen how the Mohawk has accepted the whites. First I read of the history of the Mohawk and was suprised, even insulted, that in order to live they modified their lifes to the new approach to "Tourism". A new technology of inviting and entertaining the public; the Mohawks began in the 50's of doing PowWows. These traditional meeting of native, for quests and learning; became gatherings for the public, which would showed the native Indian as seen on the TV in the 50's. A show of Teepee of the Americian West and horses and Indian fights all to satified the need to show the white what they thought Indians were all about. Not native traditional dress and arts and Crafts. (Although some are still shown and sold)

Even as I started this blog and attempted to put on the ExpressVu Nature music for background music; I get the surprise of my television telling me that my ExpressVu box is now connecting with the Satellite and downloading the menu. (By the click of a button, menu, my life becomes a part of a machine sending and receives from space, information about the television)
Asin the case of Dorty, an ojibway whom is visiting in the Montreal area of the Iroquois Confederatacy, and lands of the Mohawk; we visited Kahnawake reserve and though that like back home in the North of Ontario she would find services reserved to Cardbearing Natives. What she found was that rights and privileges of natives as she knew them almost don't exist here in Quebec.

Seven Arrow tells the story as "Jumping mouse went to the Edge of the place of his life and all the mice and looked out onto the Prairie. He looked up for the Eagles, (the dangers of his life). The sky was full of many spots, each one an Eagle. But he was determined to go to the Sacred Mountains. He gathered all of his courage and ran just as fast as he could onto the Prairie. His little heart pounded with excitement and fear. He ran until he came to a Stand of Sage. He was resting and trying to catch his breath when he saw an old Mouse."

The lesson to be learned is Natives can accept the technology but should not change their beliefs and principles to become white. The maker gave us this earth and we are expected to protect and keep it. The maker expects a true person to respect their neighbours and greet them in the way of the true person. This blog entry will attempt to show how the Hualapai build a sturcture to show the beauty of the makers gift and use tourism as revenue; where as the Mohawks here have used their "Non-governement access control" rights to destory the poeple who gamble on the internet. The Maker expects us to do the best to improve this world and lands and poeple.

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Last week as I read of the development of the Grand Canyon natives, the Hualapai , I discovered them also changing their lives to the new world and technology. Here is their story as found on the net or in news.

"In their " Indian Village and The Hualapai Ranch" they created the First-Ever Glass Bridge, 4,000 feet above the Grand Canyon Floor. Visitors to "The Skywalk",debut to have open in January 2006 are offered a breathtaking panoramic experiences at the Grand Canyon's western rim. The Skywalk a glass bridge was part of the "Indian Village" and "The Hualapai Ranch". The announcement in August of 2005 was "The Hualapai Tribe is sharing their private land with visitors from around the world, so guests can join them in experiencing its uniqueness and untouched beauty. As owners and protectors of one million acres of land throughout the Grand Canyon's western rim, the Hualapai's main goal is to keep a balance between form, function and nature, while protecting the tribe's culture and values, which are deeply engraved in the canyon walls. The Skywalk will be the featured attraction once it opens to the public in January 2006. Visitors will be able to walk around the first-ever cantilever shaped glass bridge that will be suspended more than 4,000 feet above the Colorado River and extend over the edge of the Grand Canyon. Located adjacent to The Skywalk visitor's center at Eagle Point, The Skywalk Café will feature outdoor patio seating on the edge of the canyon. The visitor's center will also offer private indoor meeting facilities."

Today, almost all Internet Gambling is passed from the online servers of the Kahnawake company of " " where the reserve of Kahnawak is listed like Grenada, Liberia and Costa Rica as Gambling License suppliers from out-of-country (of-shore) countries. The Kahnawake Gaming Commission provides a ISP service and registers online gambling sites. The use of Native rights to allow internet companies to destroy the individual who has an gambling problem; seems against the intention of a GoodPerson traditional view.

Deep Water Poeple's Work

Is there a trade in this civilizated world for poeple of the Anishinabae 'Bear Island' Reserve. Called "Anishinabae" which means "Deep Water Poeple" Dorty's Clan animal is the Loon. Not everything has to be serious and as in a Bingo Hall when one Native laughs, everyone seems to catch the laughing; this blog entry is to let us laugh together.

(photo Clan symbols of TFN)

What is She doing now? Well as a good "Deep Water Person" she is washing the gravel. So I went all the way to Bear Island near North Bay to get a "Deep Water Person" to come and work here in Montreal washing my gravel and caring for my fish. She is now sitting on the edge of the bathtub busy washing gravel. Taking it out by the hand full, running water over it and put it a container. Yes the gravel must be clean for the fish to find their home beautiful and orderly.

As you can expect there is not much demand for "gravel washers"here in quebec but guess one could gravel for a dishwashing job if they really wanted to work. However, it is a professional job a "gravel washer"or fishtank cleaning person as they are called. Some people would pay as much as $20 an hour for a good tank washing. Of course need the proper equipment. But who is better at netting fish then a "Deep Water Person"

The fish are sitting on the livingroom table. No not watching television although the nature channel is on. Guess they are happy to be out of that old dirty fishtank and into the new bowl... Yes a bowl... No not the toliet bowl... ( I can hear the gravel being poured by Dorty in the bathroom, as the doorbell rings) OK Back... blogging visitors... or is that flogging... anyway... Dorty has become the friends of my two goldfish. They will never starve or will they go without a gravel cleaning. As we sit (necking) watching TV with the Wolf staring down at us she has been often heard to say "Do you think the fish would like to have the tank cleaned" Of course I reply "Fish don't think." but of course who am I to argue with a "Anishinabae", the deepest I have ever been is at 6 feet with a snocker mask.

While talking about the reserve and it poeple; it would not be complete without a description of the most breathtaking feat all children develop courage to do.

Near the teepee Village (a reserve tourist project) and just beside the house of Monty (dorty's brother) is a bluff of black rock with some parts of grass and trees. All the kids, every summer look forward to going here to "The rock" and jumping of it into the lake. How high is it ? Well about two and a half stories (dorty says, of course she is telling me in White terms); or 20-30 feet. (photo) " Wish I was old enough to jump" or "Next summer I am going to jump"

Running as fast as possible and directly into the open air of the lakeview and sky, the kids being full of corage and very brave, Jump. Falling for what seems for ever, into a deep lake below; it seems that they go down, down and down for ever. Will we have enough air we wonder as we finally bob up, and take a big grasp for air.

Swimming to sure and getting out at the flat part just below the path, it is push and shove to run with everyone laughing back up the side of the rock to do it again.. Of course some stay to see friends do their first jump as they yell encouragement.

"Ok, that is pretty clean now.."says dorty, as she clean the fish's tank and I blog... So I must go and get the money to pay this "Anishinabae" who is for the first time since being in montreal into the deep water.

No, she has taken a bath in the last few weeks... Not a dirty indian... Damm styotypes...

"Ok I coming.. I'm coming.." Must move the fishtank back to the living room and "Just need to put the pieces together." Guess fishtank assembly courses are not taught on the Island.

So what do "Anishinabae" do in the big city... they play Deep water worker cleaning fishtanks.

A good laugh ... A good laugh for a white is to hear the Bingo laugh... One old lady starts laughing and then another, then another and before long everyone is laughing... even the old men who are crushing the women. The noise is so loud and last so long that the announcer just waits... OF COURSE, NO ONE KNOW WHAT THEY ARE LAUGHING ABOUT...

China Town ( Montreal )

Well to talk about my living down in Longueuil, Quebec. Today,Wednesday- December 13th/06 . John said to me this morning after waking up from a nights work. Tuesday night he leaves and gets in from work at about 6 am then goes to sleep for a few hrs then later on, as with every Wednesday, especially today,we usually go out shopping and of course got somewhere for Dinner .

Well Wednesday morning when he woke up from a hard nights work the night before , he said "Dorothy get ready , I am taking you out today for a special treat" Well, I did not ask any questions but kind of had an Idea that he would of course be for sure thinking of something nice.

I did very much enjoy this, my dinner, which was a Buffet at the Chinese restaurant in China Town, in or near Downtown Montreal "Old Montreal" as he explained it to me. As one is in China Town, you just look over a few blocks , and you see there all the newer big high rise buildings which are close enough to us. Old Montreal, this seems like but why not that this is the newer part of Montreal's downtown.

Anyhow I was quite amazed to see a little place called China Town near a such a big City. (hidden) almost right in the middle of Big City Montreal it seems like that to me anyhow. It was like a little village of Chinese stores restaurants and gift shops and also Grocery stores .

As we were walking down one of the streets in China Town and as John was showing me around the Village, the first thing that was pretty funny to me was. All I could hear was a bunch of voices a group of men talking loud and yelling it seemed to me. This was why it caught my attention as I thought oh no, am I going to see a big fight happening here on my first visit to middle of downtown Montreal.

And as we got closer to the voices I looked and there must have been about 15 men trying to lift and push this big square box in a door that barely fit through the door way . When you looked into the door there was also this big set of stairs going up. Well, this big box, I guess they were trying to get that to go to the top of the stairs .

Well, it was kind of funny to me cause, there were so many guys trying so hard to lift and push this big box up a stairway with boards on the stairwell. So that they did not have to lift the box up step by step and just push up the box on the boards going up the steps. I thought it was funny as John and I stood there and just watched. Also. as well, as other people stopped to watch the doings, I was laughing with John and we were saying "Oh boy I wonder why it takes so many of them to do that".

That was something to watch in China Town, seeing there was just so many guys doing something together. As then John and I continued our walk through the China Town looking for a place to go and have dinner Buffet style.

Well, we went into this Buffet place and the place was pretty packed so I thought to myself this must be pretty good here. And surely enough I was very pleased with the Buffet we had chose to go to, as there was a big selection of foods to eat .

It was a special treat to me to had gone out there with John also , on the way out there I had another new experience to me also. Going there we went on the Subway Trains which was new to me also. I found it a very fast and good way to travel there . From downtown Longueuil , Quebec to Montreal we had to me, a very different kind of ride. Which takes us under the river that separates Longueuil, and Montreal, Quebec which was a new experience , but interesting .

My day was very satisfying and new to me. As my new partner and life down here in Longueuil , goes on. I am sure I will be experiencing more as I go along and get to know the place. Being with John is very good for me as I am also finding myself learning to greet the mornings and also getting back to my way of life as an Ojibwa person . "I am Anishinabae person after all",and I am feeling very proud of it also.

John is a type of person that makes me feel very proud to be who I am and appreciate things (Anishinabae) more so then ever did before . Love you dearly John you make my life complete as I ever wanted it to be.. Meegwetch.. ( Thank-You)

First Day's Greeting

Dorty has been shown the important of greeting the day and being thankful for the gifts. We had done a morning greeting over the phone a week earlier. As Dorty stood on her front porch and looked east and told me of her view (commercial buildings);
(photo view of Bear Island)

Now I was advising her to forget the actual view, the white world and in her mind return to the reserve where she had grown up. Dorty later told me that she was able to stand on the shores and look across the water. Watching the sunrise, (in her mind) she shared a morning greeting which I made (of the Seven Arrows directions). Dorty said afterward when we had finished having done the 4 directions; that she could imagine being on the island. Having appreciate this; her first introduction of my morning greeting,Dorty discovered that even on such a cold morning while standing on her front porch in the middle of downtown North Bay; she could return mentally to the Island.

Now as we drove toward Petawawa, from North Bay, in the morning light we began a morning pray. It was surprising to me that we should start the morning prayer, at such a time that the highway with nothing but a long strip of space ahead and behind us. As far as the eye could see was a black highway through the snow and tree. Our prayer seem to welcome (from the east) the new horizon and path we were beginning together. Ofcourse there was such little traffic as the sun came up directly infront of us; seeming to indicate so few problems and dangers on our path. The brightraising sun seem to say how blindly we were going into this trip of livewhich we had decided to begin on such a quick decision.

Because of my spirit type, it was in the east that we started our prayer, and this highway seem to be indicating where the great creator was taking us and from where we had come. (each of us a long road behind us as in the rear view mirror the road seem just as long.

And every mile seem to be a repeat of the past mile, with a view of four or five miles of highway behind and infront. To the south was a strong foundation of support and to the north was trees like standing sentinals giving wisdom on our new way. The side of the road lined with large trees all organized aqnd properly spaced. Anyone passing the Army base of Petawawa knows this view; which for miles of farmed 100 year old trees, seem like poeple waving "hello" or "Goodbye" as we passed.

The prayer asked Witcha Manitou to guide us on , this, our trip together into this new world of shared native rebirth. (Not only had Dorty become a town native, so also I had for years done so little except let my tail grow).

Dorty knowlong road as she often travelled the Mine road (view) to return to the reserve's boat landing area on Lake Temagami. While my memories of home (Nova Scotia) is more of a winding road; similar more to my path through life.

(Highway along the Cabot Trail of Cape Breton. which today is paved but I like to remember as a Motocycle dirt road in the 50s, from photo of older bike riders)

Spirit Bird Visit

As I guide Ojib-Dorty toward Whitcha Manitou and grow in my ways; I see and learn new things. It was a suprise to see Ojib-dorty visited by a Spirit bird. "What is a spirit bird?", you may ask. Well, I believe this was a visit of her ancestors through a bird during her first walk in the woods after her beginning of her Quest toward being a "Anishinabek".

Dorty and I had began a long walk into the woods and once away from anyone and really deep into the Park's consersative area a strange thing happen. A small bird came and began following her. I was a few feet away but it was always just immediate infront of her. It would land on a tree at eye level about a foot or two from her. The color of the bird which was about 2-3" (inches) was blue and white; and as the bird and dorty shared time it seem to have no fear of her. It sat on the tree's bark and turned it head left and right while I from a distance watched them.

After the visit was finished, Dorty told me she wanted to put out her hand to the bird but was not sure that she should. She told me she felt a closeness to the bird and I explained that it may have been the spirits of her ancestors visiting through the bird. I explained that because she was so close to her native way, her spirit was strong and the bird knew and saw this strong spirit. That the bird arrived on her first walk into deep woods since leaving North Bay, I explained it was a welcome of her ancestors to her quest of Anishinabek (a good person).

Being a bird watcher and having the Audubon Society Field Guide of North Americian Birds at home; I tried to identify this species but did not find it in the book.. This seem strange as all birds are listed... but guess a spirit bird would not be there..

The Meeting of Boyfriend John's Grandchildren

Well, I came down to be here with boyfriend John on the 16th of November/06' . And I am sure it was probably a few days after being here in Longueuil, Quebec then John's daughter Tina called up and wanted Papee' John ( Grandpa) to go and meet with the Grandchildren and take them to the corner store and then to the park. So I was happy to know that I was going with him to meet with the Grandchildren which are four of them. The oldest being Marie-piere ( Girl 10 yrs.) Roxanne (Girl 8yrs.) Kevin (Boy 7 yrs.) and then of course Little Lily-Jane ( Girl 3 yrs.) Who all four children to me are very dear.
Was very pleased to meet with them all. They all are very nice and cute Grandchildren of John's , little later on while we were at the park playing with the children on the swings and other playground equipment John then said to his Grandchildren in French. Dorothy is Ojibway , Meaning Native person.
The Grandchildren were happy to know that about me. Very anxious to learn there first ever word in Ojibway Language . So , then John says to me say "Hi" to them in Ojibway , so that they can learn cause they are wanting to learn different languages . So I said to them Kwa-Kwa , They looked up at Grandpa and smiled , then there Papa as they call "John" said to them there now each one of you take your turns and say to Dorothy Kwa-Kwa , so then they all each took there turns of looking at me and saying to me Kwa-Kwa , Which was such a good feeling to hear and look at them taking each their turn to say "Hello" me to in a different language to them . They all done very well, saying it I told John . I was so proud of them to say that to Me , especially being the first time meeting them in person.
Just goes to show the appreciation each and all of them had to learn to say something in a language that was new to all of them.

Later on down the road we were walking with them back home to there Mother's place from the visit with us that they enjoyed so much for that afternoon. They had known that earlier at the corner store I had bought some gum . So, as I was walking down the street and playing with the two younger kids of the bunch , I guess one of them asked their Papa if they could ask me for a gum and then John comes to me and asks me so, that he could tell them how to say "Thank-You "I told him it is "Meegwetch" So then he told the kids before they had asked me earlier on how to say "Thank-You" which is "Meegwetch" and therefore on the way walking home with the kids they had asked me for a gum each. And they had all asked for a gum then Kevin the boy comes out and surprises me by saying to me "Meegwetch" meaning "Thank-You" Well, right there and then when Kevin said that to me it just grabbed me by the heart and made me feel so good. It was so nice to hear that coming from a young boy he was also so proud that he had said that to me .

Well, as we almost reached their Mother's place where we had walked them home to , we stopped on the corner on the side of the street close by the house . Their Grandpa was saying to them all in French , now before you go in each of you take your turns and say something to Dorothy in her Language , so then they all took their turns to look at me , and say something to me even though it was just one word each , it was the fact that they all were very proud to learn a new word or two in a different Language "Ojibway" was a big thing to them all.

So they all finished and when each of them said something to me it was all different words that which they had learned that day on our first day of meeting . When they were all done we had walked them to the door and then John said we are going in to Meet with Tina , Dorothy come on in and I will introduce you to my Daughter okay. So then John and I with the children walked in and The children all started to talk French to their Mom saying I guess that they had learned some new words in a different Language , So then John told Tina his Daughter that I was an Ojibway person . And that the children had learned some words in my Native language , So then the kids starting saying "Teme Augama Anishinabae" Which is one of the words they learned while out that day. Which means "Deep water People" . Which said because, my reason I think it is said alot is because, I was raised near the Lake ..Which is called Lake Temagami, which is a deep water lake.

But, yes the children kept on saying Teme-Augama Anishinabae from the time we got in the door until the time we had left to go out the door.

And apparently all during that day were repeatedly saying that new word they learnt that day. Which I guess was something new for them and something for them to be proud of learning which is good for them to learn. There Grandpa says they have the knowledge of learning new Languages .