14. Another Side of Me HE AsPECT oF the movement which is under constant attack, even by people who know little or nothing about it, is the communist element. Lam most sensitive about this aspect for within it lies the kernel of truth of my own political vision. Native students of leftist politics that grew out of the 60s deserved some of the criticism that people raised. Our commu- nism had both feet rooted in European labour history. In this country, that history is an inglorious one. The foundation of unions here was rooted in racism, Marx himself was full of arrogance and racial suprema- cist attitudes; that does not negate his sense of history nor his science of revolution. Revolution! Even the most patriotic mili- tants balk at the word. That the European labour movement was built on our backs, that the workers of this land have always had usas.a cushion to soften the blow of recession is undeniable. That white Marxists, communists and would-be leftists are tainted with racism is equally undeniable. But to renounce the principles of communism because its adherents are flawed is absurd.Another Side of Me is founded on the expropriated knowledge and of our old societies, which were handed to Marx in indered by the brothel-tinted sunglasses of the s of this country began life with a lie. They truth of communist theory to fruition, Marx limitations of his theory. He was sensitive to y of capitalism's beginning. He was also very e basic reactionary character of those sectors of nent that were racist. He must spin over in his day at the behaviour of his flagbearers. most brilliant movement leaders have been Native Against all odds, they have courageously fought to ze our history so that we could alter it. Marx died, hungry |, struggling to synthesize the lessons of world history, that y ofthe world might change. He took his knowledge ‘of the world and found the thread with which we a whole new social fabric. All we needed was the | around: to make revolution. ‘people are unable to make revolution without 0 turn around the society they created—does necessity and inevitability of turning it around. It seperience that those who are rabidly anti-com- elves parasites. They live off the movement. il of others. gans to turn around, Square boxes do not turn This society is made up of a hierarchical sys- rectangles that pile up on one another, with the and the fewest members at the top of the sjority fit into the rectangle at the base. The jople in this country is married to that reality. and racist. people form a circle they turn around, d, not backward into history. We don't have land.” We never left it. We are not reptiles orComey 1 AM WOMAN 110 amphibians that lived in the sea and now wish to go back to the land, Critics of communism cling to the delusion that the cities we now inhabit do not exist on land. Innocently, some of the people that left their original communities feel this way to Such thinking is promoted by those who wish to throw the movement into reverse. ‘Along with the mistaken notion of land, comes the distortion of traditionalism. We are and always have been culturally Cree, Salish, Nis'ga'a and so forth. One does not lose culture. It is not an object. Culture changes, sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse, but it is constantly changing and will do so as long as people busy themselves with living. Culture is a living thing. It grows and stagnates by turns. The philosophical premise of a people rarely alters itself fundamentally, however. The cultural expression of philosophy may change, but to alter the foundations takes a great deal more effort than simple legal prohibition. Certainly the prohibitive laws surrounding language and cul- tural expression were both painful and damaging for our cul- tural initiative. This is unarguable. We now are paralyzed with fear at cultural innovation. The basis for this fear is the inequitable relations inherent in colonialism. Let’ just think about how the Salish came by quillwork: by trading with other Native people, We did not fear this new cultural innovation Why? Because we were equals. The trade is indeed a trade; moccasins for dried fish, so to speak. However, when we adopt the guitar and country-style music, then we get a little nervous Likewise with European philosophy. Cultural imperialism means altering a colonized people's cul- tural expression without consideration for the aspirations of the people. Fortunately, this does not occur with the degree of thoroughness desired by the imperialists. Even while we use the medium of European-style music, we infuse our own language: our own words and our own meaning. Floyd Westerman is @ country singer, but “Custer Died for Your Sins” will not likelyme sung by white country singers for some ime to come, Iisa pg thats culturally OUTS. : ira culture does not express the conditions, the aspirations he dreams of a people at any period in their history, then it ead culture. Culture is a mirror of a people’s way of life. We Jive not in longhouses or tipis, but in townhouses and ment blocks. We purchase our food from a grocery store ough given the condition of the food that is sold at these gro- stores, | am not sure this is a good innovation) No people ever totally deserts its ancestry. The actual cere- es of the past, the manner in which they were conducted is cer of speculation by white anthropological experts. There few elders alive who were not raised in the tradition of the cholic church, who were not influenced in some fashion by colonialism. The ceremonies of those spiritual leaders are, se, a matter of personal conjecture. there is no problem with that. Anything that brings people cr to themselves is a ceremony. The search for the truth of 's spirit is a private one, rich in ceremony. The manner in ich a person secks the self is always based on the sacred right ice. 1¢ question of the existence of a “Great Spirit” is one that ynal and not the basis of our philosophy. Religion and the er in which a person resolves their own morality, code of luct, principles, etc., is based on the laws governing choice. all know, communists are self-avowed atheists. They are rted to persecute religious people the world over. Native Another Side of Me \unists have been patient beyond reason with the religious of others while being persecuted by those who accuse of persecution. \¢ extent to which we cannot tolerate communists, Chris and Buddhists in our midst is the exact measure of our | tion into the negative aspects of European culture, The ‘ples of communism regarding religion are simple: every~ s the right to worship and conversely, all have the right to1 AM WOMAN oppose worship peacefully: No one has the right to use re tonto exploit others, Communists do not budge on the ques. tion of persecution for the purpose of exploitation. This is mos annoying for parasites. The American Indian Movement hate communists I firmly believe that the philosophy of my ancestors lines up quite tidily with the philosophy of communism. T make no apology for my principles. What I hold myself to account for is not having fought hard and long for the principles that 1 hold dear to my heart. I should have thrashed the opponents of ant- communist treachery long ago and didn’t. Not because I was afraid of the consequences, but rather because I loved some of the people influenced by anti-communist bogeymen. These are some of the “terrible” principles of communism to which I ascribe’ + End the unequal and oppressive relations between European and Third World Nations. + End the violent competition between nations of exploiters ‘Work for peace. + End the rape and plunder of the earth and its treasures in the interest of profit. ‘Are these principles frighteningly close to the words of our leaders? Are they terrifyingly close to the laws of our ancients? On the flip side of the coin, I can well understand why Native people scorn leftist ideology in North America. They point to the white left, the myriad communist parties, their his- tory of treachery against us, and ask me if | am out of my mind. (L wouldn't be surprised if the answer was a categorical yes, but Tam no shrink so I am not going to answer that one directly) All I can say is: | know how it feels to be truly alone. I do not accede to their lusting after our homelands. | know how they are. The white left in this country seeks to remake us, to wrest control of the country from their own enemy and divide the _—_—