1986

Last week while having dinner with mom and dad, this one line came out of the blue. "You were non status until 1986". They were joking around about.... history I guess I dunno how to put it. They're funny people. But every now and again, my mom will mention that she married a "white" guy and my dad gets all proud of it and has this funny smirk, but anyway the point here is that maybe, perhaps, and could it be possible that is to why I don't really care about my so called Indianess if there is such a word? Seriously though, I am not proud of being "First Nations" as we are called. I just think I'm Indian and it's not a big deal as most people think it is. Whenever I see the sign "Native Pride" just makes my head go whatever!

My dad did not get his Native status until that year... and since my birth I had my mom status number.. funny but yea the government gives or labels us with numbers so they don't get mixed up or whatever. But you know what I mean. Everyone gets a number like the SIN #, but we precious Indians have an extra number. :)

And here we know that our significance comes from our fathers. If my dad had a question mark for so many years because he could not be labeled or known as Native or Non Native, then how did that affect him? It's almost like he could not be accepted from both ends. Funny that! But not really I suppose.

It's so weird cause his mom is full on Cree :P and his dad is i dunno how many percentage of Creeness and Whiteness in him. But anyway, I just thought that was very interesting to my knowledge.

I also know from stories from back in the day when everyone had their lil "area" or parts to live, my grandparents lived a bit out of the rest of them Indians as if they were not Indian! They totally talked and lived like Indians. weird isn't it?... hope you are not offended reading this... just don't take it too seriously. Anyway the small bay my grandparents lived was called the "bad white folks" because that was the Iserhoff area. And it's all because of that Hitler dude. Iserhoff is a German name.

Anyway that is my mini history. It always fascinates me to know of my 'culture' I guess. Interesting donchya think?

Now I leave a picture of a true Indian standing on Native land - My Dad.

M I S T I S S I N I

So this town consists of Indians like me and has about 3500 - 4000 people. I been thinking what does this community offer or have. So I thought hmmm... what's really in here.
Seriously I don't think I take pride in my culture and I may need to get that right.. I think....

Anyway, I live in a... almost a town looking place, a mini town. As you enter into the community, there's several home ownerships they call 'em here where people build their place and no longer rent as that is the norm around here. There are nice homes for non Natives or (white folks) who come to live here and work for them Indians like me. They're nice people I think, but it's not like I know them personally, but on the professional side they look like great people. I think we take them for granted at times. When you think of it, them people leave their homes and relatives to help and make things better here. I like the fact that most of these people come because they have a passion to what they want to do in life... making a difference for one or two or 300 people. It's amazing how far and wide one passion can take us or several passions... you get the point.

Ok and then we have 2 gas pumps.. lol. i mean gas stations, one Esso and one Crevier I think...
One Police station and most officers are Native Indians and we have the Band Office building where the Chief's office is located with his many many workers and everyone works for the community... again mostly Indian and non native as well. Around that area is a Youth Center and it's a hang out place still to this day I think and outside of it is a basketball court. There's also a elder's home not far from there as well and they are well taken care of.

We have a few stores and 4 schools - preschool - elementary -high school and a Christian school. There's 1 Clinic. And 2 clothing stores and 1 sports store and 1 grocery store. We also have a video world to rent out movies. We have the Head Office for the Cree School Board. One reception center for the regional James Bay area for children who need special attention and one group home. O ya, 1 post office and o ya one old arena and one brand new sports complex and in it has an auditorium or court for sports, an arena in it and a fitness center. Let's not forget we have 3 daycare centers and who knows another may be built. :O

There's also a laundry mat with a car wash on the side. I think there's a garage far back in the bushes.. well not really, it's just not 'in' the community. There's also a like a mini 'staples' store.

The houses around here are similar on one street and the next street may have a slightly different but they all look the same in most areas.

There are 3 churches as well and one hotel with a restaurant in it (3*hotel) :P. There's also a restaurant called Adels, a firehall and we have a trailor park too.

So there's my mini town - community called Mistissini

meaning Big Rock (misti =big + sini = rock!!)

Challenges!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've not gone through so much in the last couple weeks of my life.... at least that's what I think . So much has happened that I dreaded to go to work. Things at work are so hectic and hard and just heart wrenching and just full of things to do n people to meet. My car insurance got cancelled and home life is a ok and life with the parents is a challenge after the spaghetti incident. Things at home were a bit rocky this past weekend and now I am totally alone in this house and it feels so right.

I am now home alone and o how I love to have this week all to myself. I am going to be speaking this weekend. And I thought to myself, man I seriously need to be emptied out of this excess baggage I have with me and go on totally refreshed. It's at these times I long for quality time with friends. Thanks to my friend Elizabeth who just spoke things to me without her knowing what is really going on. I miss real friends around here. I need to be around people. God show me who these people are.

The Law & The Grace

I lived and experienced in both places in the last year.... law... n grace. What a big difference and o how I love His grace. I don't know how to bring his grace into my workplace when everything I do is from the law. I have to balance things out in my heart and be discerning. I find myself more prayerful I believe because I hear and see so much. It is so heart breaking at times that I have to sit and cry before I can move on to another case. I must actually leave to attend a call right now... kinda sucks to get dressed again............... :(