The Little List | July 1, 2021
Today is July 1st and here in Canada that means it is a national holiday to celebrate the official birthdate of our country. As Canadians, we often feel like our nation is the little brother that stands in the shadows of our big brother neighbour to the south, but there has always existed a level of unspoken national pride that our little-brother-ness allows. We see the mistakes of our big brother and are often quick to point out how we have avoided those same mistakes ourselves. We see our big brother stand in the spotlight, for better or for worse, and feel thankful that we often don’t have that same pressure on us. Sometimes, we even allow ourselves to be quick to judge how messed up our big brother can be, but fail to look in the mirror at our own systems and realize that we actually come from the same set of parents with the same past and the same motives. Yes, we have some vast, breathtaking landscapes, a national healthcare system, and a level of respect and kindness towards each other that our country is known and celebrated for. But it’s worth noting that although we truly do say sorry a lot, our sense of national pride is often unwarranted and our sorry’s can hardly be enough. Our country has always had deeply-rooted institutional and systemic problems that are embarrassing and horrific when we actually take the time to consider them. We have developed through and continue to benefit from a foundation of colonialism that isn’t kind or loving at all.
This Canada Day feels extra heavy. In recent weeks, Canada’s dark past is really starting to bubble to the surface and many of us otherwise proud Canadians are feeling discouraged, horrified, and heartbroken by it. Of course, the injustices that are coming to light are not new and have always existed. In fact, many of those most affected have been telling us about them from the very beginning. I feel sad to think that we have just not been listening. Many are requesting that we cancel the regular Canada Day celebrations this year (like BBQ parties and firework displays) to instead take our time off to reflect on our country’s horrific past and truly consider how we continue to benefit from those systems and attitudes today. We can’t change our past, but we can intentionally change our future.
There are many beautiful things about Canada, but there are also many unpleasant realities to come to grips with. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed, and as a result, do nothing about it other than feel sadness. Instead, I want to do my best to be a part of the solution, even if I do it imperfectly at times. I thought I would dedicate today’s Little List to a few little things that have been making me think or helping me grow as I consider the privilege I have in this country:
I signed up for a free 12-week online course through The University of Alberta called Indigenous Canada. Through video teachings, activities, and weekly quizzes, this course explores Indigenous histories and contemporary issues in Canada from an Indigenous perspective. You may not realize that before being colonized, the region where Canada exists today was originally inhabited by a vast and culturally rich Indigenous population. This course has been so helpful to understand that rich history and how those various nations were impacted (and still are up until this day) by the colonization of this land. Obviously a 12-week course can only scratch the surface, but if you are interested in learning more about this too, you can sign up for free here.
I read this novella a few years ago and the narrative still impacts me. Wenjack by Joseph Boyden offers a look into the experience of a young Ojibwe boy who decides to run away from a residential school in order to find his way back home. If you aren’t aware of the context, Canada has a horrifying history of removing Indigenous children from their communities to place them in a horrific and terrible boarding school system. My words wouldn’t do any justice to how terrible this experience was for Indigenous communities, so please look it up for more information about it.
I recently came across this Indigenous-owned coffee roasting company based in Ottawa that has a mission to bring clean drinking water to Indigenous communities across the country. Sadly, many of the Indigenous communities in our country live in third-world conditions and don’t even have access to clean drinking water. With every bag of beans purchased from Birch Bark Coffee Company, $2 goes towards water filtration systems that are then installed in Indigenous homes. You can order their beans online and they even ship internationally. I think I’m going to try the Summer Solstice Dark Roast!
I am completely obsessed with the new-to-me designer and artist of Morning Star Designs. Her prints are currently all sold out, but I will definitely be snagging this one or this one for Mabel’s room if or when they come back in stock. Her and her partner also have really beautiful accounts to follow on Instagram. They both create incredible work and make great efforts to promote Indigenous arts and culture here in Canada.
A great way to be an ally is through MCC Canada’s Indigenous Neighbours program. The purpose of the program is to build respectful relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people through learning opportunities and collaborative advocacy. I really like this program because the main focus is on reconciliation through relationship, art, and advocacy. Check it out to learn more and see how you could be involved!
A few years ago, I participated in a day-long Indigenous Learning and Reconciliation trip with a small group of other white individuals. We visited the nearby Woodland Cultural Centre and had the opportunity to listen as a residential school survivor so graciously shared their experience with us. The cultural centre is located next to the Mohawk Institute Indian Residential School, which only closed in 1970. Hearing that first-hand account was incredibly heartbreaking. While on that trip, I purchased a print of a painting by a very well-known Anishinaabe artist, Norval Morrisseau that now hangs in my living room (pictured above). I studied a lot of Native North American Art in the days of my undergrad and always had an appreciation for Norval Morrisseau’s work, but this print also acts as a reminder of my learning trip and the impact it had on me. I know that I still have a lot of learning to do from these beautiful communities and I hope this print always reminds me of that.
I love this beautiful Canadian cosmetics company that is founded and owned by an Anishinaabe entrepreneur. The company has a strong focus on Indigenous representation in the beauty industry, sustainability in products and packaging, and using clean, natural ingredients. This lipstick and lip pencil set looks like the perfect everyday colour - I may just need to add it to my collection!
Happy Canada Day - here’s to making this country better for everyone as we continue to learn, grow, and do better.
