I wrote to some of my First Nations friends on Facebook (around 10 people)
Here was my message:
-----.... I am thinking of doing a chapter on the genocide of indigenous woman across the country...as part of my cross Canada AMBROTOS KANATA project. Here are the details. I am not sure a white man doing this is appropriate. What do you think a good idea or not? http://gerryyaum.blogspot.com/2021/03/amber-tuccaro-story-and-ambrotos-kanata.html
I have gotten back 5 positives and 1 negative (not a Facebook friend, but the sister of a Facebook friend) response. Several friends said it was a great idea (very enthusiastic, 2 elder men) and others said it was a good idea because it would help the cause. Another Facebook friend who is an elder leader in the community told me she would think about it after we had a 30 minute phone call
I am now asking my friends the rather naive question of how to give a gift of tobacco on the first meeting as that is a traditional and polite way to first meet in Indigenous cultures. I have never done this before and want to do it the polite and proper way.
I worry on treading on the grief of those that have lost and continue to suffer. I worry about being disrespectful and exploitative. I worry about not doing honour to those lost. I worry about not telling their stories with enough truth and feeling.
I need to go forward very slowly and carefully, with complete respect for everyone.
Note* I have been thinking that LOST SISTERS might not be the best name for
this chapter of the project. Maybe I can find a Cree word or other
Indigenous language term that is more heartfelt. Will keep thinking on
it, this part of the project is way off in the future, but some baby
steps in the right direction have now taken place.
