Their journeys have all been at least somewhat different, but four speakers last week had some shared perspective on the idea of Indigenous identity.
The panel discussion entitled Remember Who You Are … Stories of Indigenous Identity was held last Tuesday at Winkler Arts and Culture.
Jointly presented by the Truth and Action Working Group (TAWG) and Genesis House with the support of the Morden Area Foundation, the evening was offered as an opportunity to hear stories and to perhaps learn from them as well.
The four speakers included Ashley Dyck, principal at Pine Ridge Elementary School, Charlotte Guenther, a co-owner of Charley B’s, her mother Cathy Guenther, who has done work at Genesis House and continues to volunteer there, and Christine Thompson, a counsellor at the regional shelter for the victims of domestic violence.
The panelists were presented with five questions by moderator Angela Braun, executive director of Genesis House. Here are some highlights:
• When did they first recognize themselves as being Indigenous and who supported them?
“I cannot remember a time when I didn’t recognize myself as Indigenous. It was something that I think my mom instilled in me,” shared Thompson. “There’s certainly been times when I haven’t felt like I wasn’t enough native because I didn’t have a skin as dark.
“It took me some time in my own journey to understand that’s silly,” she added, recalling how her mother would take her to powwows, and an aunt was a strong support as well in exploring her identity along with a number of teachers and elders.
“Being Indigenous has always been a part of my identity as long as I can remember,” said Dyck. “My dad made it his life’s mission for three of us … to know where we came from.”
She recalled when she was in Gr. 4 and did a project on the passage of Bill C-31, which was an amendment to the Indian Act that was how they got their status as members of the Peguis First Nation.
“I was a little bit disappointed by people’s reactions, but that was 1985,” she noted. “Times were different, and people weren’t as gracious or understanding … I’m glad things are changing for the youth of today.”
Cathy Guenther shared how she had quite a different experience than the others in being adopted.
“I was raised white, so I never really identified myself as different than anybody else,” she said. “I got into it more about 20 years ago when I met my birth relatives and my birth mother.”
“She wasn’t able to practice her culture,” observed Charlotte Guenther, who recalled only meeting her biological grandmother when she was in her early twenties
“I wanted to know more,” she said. “I’ve kind of just been creating my own journey and learning as I go.”
• How do you relate to the next generation about questions around identity?
“I try to incorporate just all the teachings that I’ve been given … my daughter is learning the language,” said Thompson. “I use my language as much as I can. I think it’s imperative that we teach the youth that they don’t have to live up to anyone else’s idea … there’s a lot of stereotypes.”
Dyck recalled hearing stories about history from her father.
“They just have to believe in themselves,” she emphasized. “And as adults, we need to believe in them and give them the hope that they need to be themselves so that they can feel safe and accepted in life.”
Cathy Guenther reflected on her limited experience with her birth mother.
“There was all kinds of talk about how she wanted to meet me before she died,” she said. “I have a daughter who said to me ‘Mom, it’s time’ and then I got to meet the rest of the siblings.”
Charlotte Guenther recalled a niece asking her the question, ‘What am I?’
“I said to her you can identify however you want,” she said, citing the need to just be a good example for others.
• What context or situations made you proud or celebrate being an Indigenous person?
“I’m never not proud,” said Thompson. “There are times when I feel full of pride … where it’s invigorating and uplifting, and that’s usually when I attend a ceremony and when I’m near a sacred fire or drum.”
She then recalled when she officially received her clan, her colours, and her name.
“When I found out I was bear clan, it sort of solidified that pride.”
“I would say when there’s engagement and action … it builds community, and education always makes me feel so proud,” said Dyck.
She cited even the importance of having representation like Wab Kinew as Manitoba’s premier, and she also noted the work done by her father such as being involved in developing the former railway station on Higgins Avenue in Winnipeg into the Winnipeg Indigenous Friendship Centre.
“And also just whenever Indigenous perspective are considered, that’s very important.”
Cathy Guenther commented on the role she can play in working at the Genesis House shelter, particularly when people who are Métis or Indigenous are able to connect with her.
“I think being at something like this and having people want to hear stories … attending powwows, I feel proud,” said Charlotte Guenther. “I think just having a sense of belonging is important.”
• What context or situations made you feel uncertain or unsafe about identifying as Indigenous?
“I think I’m always a little cautious about how much I identify as Indigenous,” said Thompson “I think all Indigenous and BIPOC people are sort of attuned to people’s opinions.
“It’s not something I would ever hide. I’m always proud, but I feel like sometimes I need to gauge the levels … I think that is slowly changing, and there’s a lot less places where I feel insecure being Indigenous.”
“I would say there’s lots of times when I don’t fit people’s stereotype and that you can tell by people’s reactions,” said Dyck.
“I don’t know that I’ve ever felt threatened … I can’t say I’ve ever felt that,” said Cathy Guenther.
“I can’t honestly say that I’ve ever experienced that,” echoed Charlotte Guenther. “It can be very difficult when we’re in a region where there’s a lot of people … they think that Indigenous people are the problem.”
• In your work career, how does your Indigenous identity enter into it?
Thompson noted how perhaps 60 per cent of the clients were Indigenous.
“Some of the stays have gotten longer, and it’s primarily the Indigenous people,” she said.
“I’m also the only Indigenous person on staff … I just think about how would my auntie deal with these situations … and then I just try to emulate that,” she said. “The language that I use I think helps some of our clients feel safe.”
Charlotte Guenther commented on people’s love for food and how it brings people together, and she noted how she will try to incorporate some Indigenous cooking at her restaurant.
Like the three other speakers, Dyck noted the impact of Justice Murray Sinclair and cited his thought about how education got us into this mess, and education will get us out.
“I can see change … it’s very slow … now I get to see how things have changed,” she said. “I got into education to be an agent of change … I see that change, and it’s exciting.”
