Owen: “I’m part Chinese!”
Me: “What makes you say
that?” Owen: “It’s because I’m a wolf” Me:
“What’s that have anything to do with you being Chinese?” Owen:
“Jiiiiiits…”
I had learned something quite funny about the Nisga’a
tonight: They appropriate cultures as
much as white people do. Now, generally
it’s wrong, but I found it hilarious as I’m sitting here from remembering from
Tumblr how “dressing up as a culture makes you a bad person” and “I’m a person,
not a stereotype”. How would people feel
if non-white people were doing that?
Get this. When the
Nisga’a had winter, everyone would go back to the villages, and do
things apart from going online, tv, all that stuff. They had decided that they should be other
cultures for certain events, including weddings and new years (specific example
that I received) and others. It’s bad if
a white person does it, but if it’s in tradition? Maybe?
They were sorted into four ethnicities; each clan had their own
group.
Raven: Japanese
Wolf: Chinese
Eagle: Scottish/Irish
Killer Whale:
African-Canadians.
I never received many examples, but the two that I had
received:
The Wolves at weddings (sometimes still happens today) dress
up as Chinese people. It’s rare today,
but in my room; Irene has three Chinese hats that the rice pickers/fishermen
would use for traditional life. I was
curious why they were there, because there are three of them. There’s no reason to why a Taiwanese person
that Irene had met briefly would need to bring three hats, but they’re
here. At the olden wolf weddings, there
would be the bride and the groom. The
man would dress up in all black, and the woman in a traditional dress, probably
with dragons or flowers on it. People
that were also wolves would be dressed up in the hats; sandals and all black,
or however Chinese people would dress.
The Killer whales (don’t call them orca’s…) would celebrate
the New Year with their skin painted black (YES, THEY DID BLACKFACE), and they
would dress literally like Aunt Jermina
(sp), with handkerchiefs/napkins over their heads, and slave-like
clothing.
Here, I thought I was against cultural appropriation. I still am laughing about this, terribly.
Irene had mentioned that I should stop using the computer,
if I wanted to meet some people, or to get into town on certain days. I understand this completely, and I know I’ve
been a hermit. The only event I’m really
doing at this time is the Hobiyee practice, and I’m aware that I should start
going to more. I’m tempted to start
going to church, I may this Sunday – just to meet more people, and to try to be
more respected in the community. I may
not believe in everything the church says, but if I can learn a lesson, then it
won’t be failed. I may start using the
computer, and my phone a lot less from now on – all things depending. I’m gonna see if I can reduce my limit on
electronics even more, and maybe try to start talking to people, if they wanna
talk back.
I saw an old friend today.
I was honoured when I could see him, because I know he has been
exhausted from working a lot, but he took the time to come out and see me. Everything, including shopping and so had
worked out perfectly, so the timing was right, and I was able to see him. It makes me happy that two people can stay
out of contact for a long time and remain in contact, like nothing had happened
out of the blue. The words that were
said tonight are still making me smile (it just turned two am), and I will say
thankyou greatly for that. I’ll call you
soon, and I hope to see your smile again.
Random fact of the night: The Nisga’a have no word
for “thank you”.
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