One of my fears in claiming my metis identity was the legacy of "going indian". There was this trope of people who took on indian identity and that this was bad. This fear was strong in my family and there was contempt for these people - perhaps internalized racism? Without context, it is hard to know if these were people coming to peace with their own pasts or something else but I deeply feared being that person. Even when I worked through that fear for myself and as we began to reposition our family to exist in a more metis world view I had someone ask me how my husband felt that I was" making him go indian?"
This question stayed with me for some time as it so neatly fit into my previous neurosis on this issue, but I think I have some answers now. In making the conscious decision to raise our children as metis my husband was an equal partner. We talked about it a lot and it would not work well if my husband was not supportive. He needs to know the stories to share when needed with the children. He needs to bring an aboriginal perspective to problems we are facing. He is the primary care giver at home and if he was negative about this it would be hard. What would circle times and teachings be with a part of the family angry somewhere else? I appreciate his support in this process.
The photos are of the finished ribbon shirt I made for Joel. He needs to be part of this path we are on and his ribbon shirt for special times is part of that. Joel is not metis or indian and he does not pretend to be but he is part of our family where we are consciously trying to raise metis children. Did you have this fear of "going indian" also? Where do you think it comes from?
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