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| phrenology | Louis Wain Métis Hope 85: I hope that your cat does not take up phrenology and make fun of you behind your back. |
Tuesday, February 28, 2017
Métis Hope 85
Monday, February 27, 2017
Little bits
Came across Jay Odjick who is an Algonquin graphic artists who is illustrating a book for Robert Munsch, the rock god of kid lit and is using Twitter to share his indigenous language.
There is a Symposium on the Daniel's case in Ottawa March 21 and 22.
Halfbreeds Reasoning has another awesome poem up on her blog.
There is a Symposium on the Daniel's case in Ottawa March 21 and 22.
Halfbreeds Reasoning has another awesome poem up on her blog.
Saturday, February 25, 2017
Friday, February 24, 2017
Reflections Part 3
I had a look back at my postings from April 2015. Here are the highlights for me
- We need a book about decolonization for children. I imagined one and shared my first discussion on this issue with my children.
- I was blessed to receive some story medicine from a worm.
- I first experienced the writing of Richard Wagamese and felt the power of his story medicine.
- I struggled with my anger and tried to understand why rap speaks to me.
- I took on the fear of "going Indian" and worked through this issue for my family. With all the reading I have done in the past few years and my experiences in Indigenous spaces, it is not Indigenous people who are cautioning you about "Going Indian". These words appear to be coming most often from non-indigenous people who are concerned with policing the borders of identity. I see these words as being more about their own fears than anything to do with me or my family. However, that is not to undermine the importance of respect in claiming identity and being willing to deal with difficult questions that might come up along the way. I had to do this when I stopped listing Cree in my identity after we learned more about the family history.
Thursday, February 23, 2017
Manegerial Perspectives on a "good indian"
I have been getting back to reading a worked through " THE CONCEPT OF THE GOOD
INDIAN: AN ALBANY RIVER 19TH CENTURY MANAGERIAL
PERSPECTIVE” by M Elizabeth Arthur last week. The author reviews Hudson's Bay records for 50 years in the 1800s in the Albany district, in order to examine ideas about what was considered to be a, "good Indian". This article is from 1985 and feels its age. It is a pretty straight forward recounting of what is in the records without any additional theory or dis discussion of what her findings mean. Despite this limitation, it was interesting to access the voices of the fort managers and peer into this little slice of bureaucracy. I found it tempting to draw assumptions from this text, but I don't think this would be fruitful without would further theoretical grounding. This screams for some Foucault to me.
Arthur reviewed the records of 30 manager (5 Métis and 25 Scottish). She finds the Métis records notable for their strict application of reporting standards and were lacking in any of the personal reflections included in the reports of the Scottish managers. For workers, she describes that there were standards for the different functions, for example, a good hunter was one who brought in the equivalent of 100 or more beaver pelts. But that these standards were not strictly applied.
A rating of goodness included things such regular appearance at the same post and most managers would describe extenuating circumstances when an Indian they considered worthy, had not met a particular rule. There were also cases where the personalities of the Indians were taken into account, such as one man who was described as troublesome but very useful once he was humored and flattered.
Interestingly, she highlights that problem drinking was not one of the charges brought against Indian workers. Only three employees, all Scottish, were identified with problem drinking and in two of these cases, information from Métis managers were used in the determination on these cases.
Arthur notes that the term half breed was not often used in the records. She suggests that it was not because it was an offensive term, but because it was a characterization that was not important in this context. Overall she finds, that the concept of goodness was " ...adapted to the needs of their trade and the realities of contact with human, beings..."
Thus leaving us with a perfect segue to speculation and contemplation on the role of residential schools in the creation of the modern stereotypes of Indigenous peoples. I won't go down that path. However, as a manager, I did find it interesting how unchanging the ideas of a good worker are even over all that time.
Arthur reviewed the records of 30 manager (5 Métis and 25 Scottish). She finds the Métis records notable for their strict application of reporting standards and were lacking in any of the personal reflections included in the reports of the Scottish managers. For workers, she describes that there were standards for the different functions, for example, a good hunter was one who brought in the equivalent of 100 or more beaver pelts. But that these standards were not strictly applied.
A rating of goodness included things such regular appearance at the same post and most managers would describe extenuating circumstances when an Indian they considered worthy, had not met a particular rule. There were also cases where the personalities of the Indians were taken into account, such as one man who was described as troublesome but very useful once he was humored and flattered.
Interestingly, she highlights that problem drinking was not one of the charges brought against Indian workers. Only three employees, all Scottish, were identified with problem drinking and in two of these cases, information from Métis managers were used in the determination on these cases.
Arthur notes that the term half breed was not often used in the records. She suggests that it was not because it was an offensive term, but because it was a characterization that was not important in this context. Overall she finds, that the concept of goodness was " ...adapted to the needs of their trade and the realities of contact with human, beings..."
Thus leaving us with a perfect segue to speculation and contemplation on the role of residential schools in the creation of the modern stereotypes of Indigenous peoples. I won't go down that path. However, as a manager, I did find it interesting how unchanging the ideas of a good worker are even over all that time.
Tuesday, February 21, 2017
Métis Fear 200
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| Link As Métis Fear # 1 was a buffalo... Métis Fear 200: this new cool Japanese face mask won't leave you looking as lovely as a spring flower. |
Métis Fear 199
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| Mouse With Problems Illustration by Judith Loske Métis Fear 199: I fear we may find ourselves in a similar position. |
Little moments
I found this flyer where it appears that Louis Riel will be performing with Buffy Sainte-Marie. We had lots of fun imagining what kind of music he would play. Below is my bear which the dog ate. I wanted to call it "The costs of patriarchy". That way his destruction could be turned into something positive and art like. We are all diminished when some voices are quieted. Do you think Louis would be up for some urban beats and spoken word?
Monday, February 20, 2017
Métis Fear 198
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| Etsy Link Métis Fear 198: Family day won't include the fantasy family who lives in your head. |
Sunday, February 19, 2017
Saturday, February 18, 2017
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