tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5151165459590603759.post2631377532247166261..comments2023-04-14T00:56:01.820-07:00Comments on Métis in the City: Making Spaces for Uncomfortable ConversationsMacBergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01719241770344056914noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5151165459590603759.post-31282481774030134482015-03-30T11:06:30.558-07:002015-03-30T11:06:30.558-07:00Thanks for your comment. I look forward to readin...Thanks for your comment. I look forward to reading you books and sharing opportunities for collaboration. MacBergerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01719241770344056914noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5151165459590603759.post-24874137365410318962015-03-30T08:33:58.169-07:002015-03-30T08:33:58.169-07:00I could not agree more Elizabeth!
In fact your wor...I could not agree more Elizabeth!<br />In fact your words reflect almost identically my own since my teenage years! I've shared my knowledge proudly all my life and continue to learn from our elders. I don't believe that we are ever too old to learn more, and to share it. I normally stay away from blogs and discussions because they either branch out in too many directions or latch onto disagreements that no one will ever win. <br />As a Metis genealogist, historian, and author of historical novels, I share my culture, knowledge, and life-long learning with my readers in a way that either awakens blood-memories or strengthens their knowledge. My readers tell me how my stories place them right in the heart of the scenes, and how they see and feel what I describe. Some have told me that my writing helps them understand things they knew and felt about their identity, but were denied. It's a powerful statement that warms an author's heart. The reverse is that some people imagine themselves as Native, but simple genealogy shows otherwise, and they're happy to learn about us, and to envy us :-) The non-Natives who read my books told me that it helped them understand us better, and also the perilous journey some of our ancestors experienced, and the continued struggle the Metis people face today. <br />With my first saga (7 books) under my belt, I realize how little we - as a whole - really know about our people, and how much work there is to do. Despite having taken early retirement to concentrate on my writing and help create a movement that unites rather than divide our Metis nation, there aren't enough hours in a day to do all the presentations, readings and lectures I'm invited to do, but I'm doing my best. Having said that, I would welcome the opportunity to collaborate in your effort to not only preserve but continue teaching our history. The first step is to recognize and accept that not all Metis share the same culture, then embrace those differences. When one is able to do that, one realizes that those differences are not all that far apart after all. <br />Together, we are indeed stronger.<br />Karole Dumont<br />Karole Dumonthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09711963061999930625noreply@blogger.com