Virgo
I was brought up in a white home, adopted by a United Church Minister's family and didn't know I was different until the kids at school started teasing me. Furthermore, their parents wouldn't let me play with some of the kids because I was an 'Indian.' I was stereotyped, and those parents told their kids that that they might catch something from playing with a "dirty Indian."
I can't remember how old I was, but once, my adopted mother Noreen had to come get me out of the tub. She wondered why I was taking so long. She caught me trying to scrub my skin clean; it wasn't white like theirs. Apparently, I scrubbed my skin until it was sore and red. It became a humorous story in the family; every one knew I was native except me. That is when my mother started teaching me about my people; she took me to pow-wows, and the long house in North Vancouver. She didn't want to deprive me of my heritage.
Even though my mother was white, she spent her life studying the Native people and taught Native Studies at the University of British Columbia. Her first husband, my first adopted dad, Stuart Schoberg, also studied our people, and he died when trying to take the old route the native people took by canoe from Uclulet to Tofino. His canoe overturned - he wasn't found for months. Even though I was a toddler I can still remember being held by my mom, waving goodbye to him from the dock.
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I am not going to comment on
By T-Lee, March 15, 2007 at 16:06I am not going to comment on Pauline's article as I'm sure I am of the same opinion as many. The one thing I take exception to is the term "reverse racism". A racist is a racist and racism is racism. To use the term reverse racism is to immediately put one race 'above' another, commonly the dominant race. This term is becoming popular in the US, likely because it assumes that us poor 'white folk' are being taken over by those other people. The term in itself is descriminatory. Please, lets call a racist a racist, don't call them a reverse racist just because they aren't white!
i cannot believe the level
By voraciousreader, March 15, 2007 at 15:34i cannot believe the level of reverse racism in this story: Hongcouver!!?? we are an ethnically diverse country and proud of it. Your story seems to have no point other than offend anyone of any nationality, even as a native myself i am offended. Your writing as of late seems to do no more than go on tirades without proving a point. i hope you can find you focus again
Without giving my opinion on
By Heather Wallace, March 15, 2007 at 15:47Without giving my opinion on this immigration matter one way or another, I did notice one important point Pauline made: The Robert Pickton trial is not necessarily about victimized First Nations women, but about victimized women in general. Prostitues, poor women, addicted women and mentally ill women are all par for the course. It's easy to take advantage of anyone who is down and out, but the reason the First Nations women involved in the case were down and out probably does have a lot to do with racism.
Any woman is at risk when she's fallen that far down the social scale. First Nations women are probably more likely to fall because they are up against more, but no woman is immune.
Heather Wallace
Senior Editor
Pauline, You say you agree
By Robyn Williams, March 15, 2007 at 14:28Pauline,
You say you agree that Canada is racist, yet then you yourself come across as racist - calling Vancouver "Hongcouver" et cetera. Do you feel that because you are "First" Nations, and because your ancestors were here first, that you have more right to live in Canada than other races? You don't want society to look down on you, and they shouldn't - because you're right in saying you should be proud of your culture - but then it sounds like you commit reverse racism.
Like I said I agree that
By Pauline Van Koll, March 15, 2007 at 16:22Like I said I agree that Canada (Kanada) is racist, not all of it, but it is. I use 'Hongcouver' as a name I've heard from many other people I've talked with not to discriminate. However, you have to admit that a majority of Vancouver is asian. As for the comment about my ancestors who were here first, I've watched a documentary on TV that says we may have some asian hereditary from when the land connected. I remember a story from an Elder that mentioned the same assumption of the asian background from way back when. So I keep that in mind and I get along with anyone who gets along with me. I never judge anyone by the cover, it's what's inside that counts. So please accept my apology if this 'word' upset you. The main reason for this story was commenting on Daniel Pauls story 'We're not savages'. Thanks for reading and my writing hasn't been as good. I've had a death in the family and I'll try to do better. All my relations.
Washitaw, Yamasee, Iroquois,
By Goose Egg, March 15, 2007 at 20:38Washitaw, Yamasee, Iroquois, Cherokee
Blackfoot, Pequot & Mohegan (and/or All Indigenous Native American).
Though Columbus was wrong in his perception of reaching India instead of South America but he was not entirely wrong in calling these people "Indians"! As the population living in pre-Columbian America along with these other groups were nothing but the progenies of the early migrators from Asia (actually from the plains and mountains of Himalaya in present India, Tibet and China, who crossed over the land bridge connecting Siberia, Alaska and Northern tip of Canada.
And, Vancouver being predominantly habited by Chinese immigrants was taunted as Hongcouver!!!
Lastly all this talk about 'Reverse Racism' is full of crap, as a 'Blacks only College' in Canada or U.S would not be treated as racial, but on the other hand a 'Whites Only College' would be regarded as racist, because of the history of exploitation and oppression on the Blacks by the whites in North America, as also the latters higher socio-economic standing in the society in general.
In this context of Colured and White,in good spirit, I must reproduce the humorous poem, enjoyed equally by both.
"When I born, I Black; When you born, you Pink"
When I born, I Black
When I grow up, I Black
When I go in Sun, I Black
When I scared, I Black
When I sick, I Black
And when I die, I still Black.
And you white fella,
When you born, You Pink
When you grow up, you White,
When you in Sun, You Red,
When you cold, You Blue,
When you scared, You Yellow
When you sick, You Green,
And when you die, You Gray-
And you calling me coloured?
(Contributed by Vipin Bucksey)
Pauline - you have been
By Heather Wallace, March 15, 2007 at 20:55Pauline - The topics you're dealing with are controversial. You are giving us a lot to think about and you've been a consistent voice in Orato for some months now. You are always honest in your pieces. You've been brave in that you put your controversial beliefs out there, for people to criticize. But at least it stimulates discussion. You have also inspired a great number of people.
I think we all have to be aware of our own prejudices and try to break them down. Writing about these issues helps us get from a to b.
heather wallace
senior editor
I see your point about
By Robyn Williams, March 16, 2007 at 09:20I see your point about "reverse" racism. I just meant that in the context of Canada's history, First Nations were here first and experienced racism first...when they turn around and repeat the injustice done to them by being racist in turn, it can be conceived of as "reverse" racism. But you're right, in the big picture, racism, is racism, is racism.