I spent my younger years growing up in a small rural community about five hours north(ish) of Winnipeg. Swan River, MB is where I was born and raised for a little bit. I was introduced to aboriginals at this young age and they became a part of my life because a large majority of the people living in Swan River are aboriginal. They were my friends. They were my parents friends. They were the people that I knew. They were just people, the same as me, not different at all.
But when I moved to Winnipeg my eyes were opened to a new form of racism. Not the normal "white people don't like black people" kind of racism I was used to. Winnipeg was bigger than Swan. A lot bigger. My elementary school had more kids in it than there were kids in Swan and the surrounding areas.
This kind of life was so new that it took some time to adjust to. I felt the need to conform to what everyone else was saying. And when you're seven ears old, that seems like the only logical thing to do. So I did. I hung out with the white kids, (even though I was visibly darker than them) and I did white kid things. Which I now realize is not any different than what kids of any other color do. I just felt different playing with these kids than I did back home- with both my white friends and my native friends.
As i got older I realized I felt the most at ease when I'd go back home to visit because I felt as though I would shrug off this fake person I was pretending to be. Everyone loves everyone in Swan. That's just how it is.
In Winnipeg there is such a stigma attached to aboriginals. They aren't treated like everyone else. In my opinion they are treated the worst and I can't seem to understand why. They are people. Real people.
One of my best friends is aboriginal. Swampy Cree in fact. She was born in Norway House, MB. A RESERVE!! Yes. Not just a regular old Indian from the north end. An Indian from a reserve!
Kia Wilson is 19 years old and now attending Brandon University studying physical education. She graduated high school ON TIME and with honors.
How's that for a stereotype?
"I'm going to school to prove it to myself and those people who doubt not only me but all aboriginal people."
Out of Kia's graduating class of 32 kids, only 5 continued on to post secondary education. She knows the rate of post secondary education is low in reserve communities but she doesn't believe that's how it has to be.
"I try to set an example for the younger kids in my community who think they won't amount to anything because that's all they have programmed into their heads by everyone else. "
Kia is a strong woman that believes in herself and what she stands for. Her goal is to destroy the stigma attached to people coming from reserves. But the stigma doesn't just come from outsiders- the city people. It comes from within the community itself. Many communities strive to stick together and be proud of their accomplishment but Kia said sometimes when she goes home the people around her treat her differently because they think she feels above them for continuing education.
"It amazes me that some supposed 'educated' individuals think that all aboriginal people are on welfare or drunks or just stupid. Most people doubted me when they found out I was from a rez because I speak very well and am an excellent student."
Kia is no different than me or you. And the only thing that might actually set her apart from us is that she can speak in her native tongue and live off of the land if she needed to. That doesn't make her a savage. It makes her a well rounded individual who is going places.
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