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"i"

A poem

by Mitcholos Touchie

Eagle and the Turtle by Frank Belleau
Eagle and the Turtle by Frank Belleau

Ask yourself: "what's the truth of me ?!"

Well, I don't need to be in a position of leadership,

to tell you the truth of me.

 

Nonetheless,

I've decided to move to Commercial Drive

and run for East Van MP

 

Not for the Liberal party

Not for the Green party

and ESPECIALLY not for the Conservative party

 

But for the War Party

 

and when I am elected East Van's War Party MP

-- and for the first time in Democracy's glorious history --

I will hire and establish a fully First Nations staff

 

and we will call ourselves:

The East Indians

 

By calling ourselves "The East Indians"

we will be contributing to a legend we've been telling since European arrival

that the English language is a snake, and eating itself

 

and in the East Indian party,

we will have a Sto:lo member,

a Tseil-Waututh member,

a Musqueam member,

and a Squamish member

 

Vancouver:

That is 4 nations alone that you have to recognize

 

I hope this illuminates the ridiculous notion that North America is only 3 countries.

When in reality, there are thousands of nations all across Turtle Island

 

Yet these governments will have you believing there's one word for them all, right ? 

One law for them all, right ?! 

One Word ?!

One Law ?!

 

Don't ask if I'm indigenous

-- indigenous to where ?!

Yuu-clu-ilth-ath

 

Don't ask if I'm native

-- native to where !?

Nuu-chah-nulth-ath

 

Don't ask if I'm indian

'cause all the while

 

My people always ask me: How do we conquer our adversity ?

Well, come along and observe the power of words with me

 

'cause I promised myself I'd never use the word "Indian"

Listen to what you're saying: "indian" ?!

 

No better than an NFL team calling us "Redskin"

No better than a native calling themself "Chug"

 

Christopher Columbus didn't know better.

Even though it's not in his god damn diary,

Even though it's not in the freaking documents,

 

They try to say he called us the Spanish word "Indios"

They try to say he called us the people of God

 

But Christopher Columbus called us "Indian" not knowing where he was

So when you call yourself "Indian", you must not know where you're from

 

Where I'm from, they named all the genocidal laws after "Indian"

 

Indian Act

Indian Status

Indian Reservation System

 

and the most unforgiveable of all:

Indian Residential school system

 

Therefore, I am no "Indian"

Ook la ma Mitcholos Touchie

 

Who are you ?!


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