11 - Song

I'm taking a break from atrocities and looking to something more dear to my heart. Music. I am a musician. A singer to be specific. I teach music and have studied classical music for many years, although I love all kinds of music. My studies in the field are what brought me away from Nova Scotia and to the Boston area. In addition to my classical training, I have a passion for folk songs. I have been collecting them since childhood and love the stories, the tremendous beauty of the simplicity in them. I love exploring collections, listening to singers, and the great excitement of finding a song that compells me to sing it for years to come. I don't sing many arias these days, but I often sing from my collection of folk songs which I have gathered over the years. I find that these songs often reveal another layer of the people who create them. Layers that history text books don't reach. Music has the power to express what cannot be put into words because there is usually a close connection to emotion. It expresses those things that cannot only be heard, but felt within memory and the soul.

Needless to say, I am itching to get to the songs. I decided that I would start by listening to some singers since I have no one here to teach me songs. (I am working to remedy this situation.) I have decided to start in Eskasoni with the Denny family. For anyone who may not be familiar with Eskasoni, it is a reserve located on the beautiful Bras d'Or lakes in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. It is the largest reserve in the province. I am told that we are related to some Dennys from this very place. My great grandfather's sister, Margaret Ann Young from Bras d'Or, married a man named Charles (Charlie) Denny from Eskasoni, and he is godfather to my grandmother's brother John Charles Young. His son, Kevin, is the person who has done so much research for us on our family tree. Perhaps someday we will have the opportunity to meet their descendants. I am linking a site from the community here:
www.eskasoni.ca/

The Dennys are well known singers in the Mi'kmaq community and I had come across a song by Sarah Denny, many years ago, long before my search began. When I first heard her sing, I remember being very moved by what I was hearing, so I went in search of her for my blog. There is currently a cultural center named in her honor on the Eskasoni reserve. From what I have read, she was a firm believer in preserving the language, songs and dance of the Mi'kmaq people. (Thank you Sarah for this!) Here is one that I think is particularly beautiful. Whoever posted it did a nice job with the video, which contains many pictures, some of which are of her and her family.

The caption on the you tube site states:
Sarah Denny Singing I'ko to the Elders that have passed on. Also, the dancers she co-ordinated all her life and her children, grand children and great grandchildren.

The other singer whose songs I have been listening to is Sarah Denny's son, Joel Denny. He first came to my attention in a video by Mi'kmaq film maker Catherine Martin. He and his mother were featured in one of her films called Mi'kmaq Family (Migmaoei Otjioseg). He is also on You Tube singing many songs. Many of these songs are in the Mi'kmaq language, which is fantastic to hear. I understand there are a very large number of speakers of the language at Eskasoni. There has been a push to revive the language after the devastating effects the Residential Schools had in stripping so many Mi'kmaq of their language and culture. Here is an original Joel Denny song in Mi'kmaq.

The caption from You tube reads:This Is what's Happening Today. This song is the concern about youth losing their Cultures all over the world. Kiskuk Na Teliaq song in Mi'kmaq on location Eskasoni NS Canada.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

I'll leave it at that and let the songs speak for themselves.

10 - Proclamations

Daniel Paul continues to give me answers. They are not the kind of answers that I like to hear. In one of my recent blog entries called "Misconceptions", I added a video at the end of the post that was called "American Holocaust." I had been reading about Christopher Columbus and was thinking of the legacy that he left and the eventual results that followed. I watched as it mentioned many atrocities that Native Americans have endured due to the arrogance of white culture. To my absolute horror, I have learned that most of these exact atrocities occurred within my own nation. I admit that I am shocked by this. Never, in all my years of learning Nova Scotia history have I heard of these events.

I hope that those of you who are reading this blog don't think that I am going to continue to rant about atrocities. I'm not. My goal is to explore the Mi'kmaq culture, and I have some great experiences planned, but there really is no separating these occurrences from the people themselves, and I feel that I must discuss this. It relates directly to my own history, which is driving my search in the first place. What I am discovering is that Native Americans in almost every nation are survivors against incredible odds. The truth is that foreigners used every method available to them in attempt to systematically destroy these cultures. It was absolutely calculated.

I have been reading about Treaties and Proclamations in We Were Not The Savages by Daniel Paul. Treaties created by the British and proclamations issued by the British against the Mi'kmaq. It appears that I have discovered the reason that my ancestors (so many of them) would leave their homes and relocate in large numbers to Cape Breton Island around 1750. Quite simply, they feared for their lives. They were being hunted like animals.

My ancestors from the LeHave and Cape Sable areas in Nova Scotia, picked up, and moved their families to the Bras d'Or area because it was, at that time, still under the protection of the French. The Mi'kmaq and Acadians in Nova Scotia were a threat to the English government and they decided the best way to deal with the Mi'kmaq problem was by force. The following summary is information taken from Paul's book. (Please read the original, I cannot possibly do it justice in a few paragraphs.)

The problem (much simplified) was that leaders of the Mi'kmaq people had signed treaties with the British in 1725 that gave away their rights and opened the way for the British to punish them relentlessly. The treaties were not explained to the Mi'kmaq in their own language originally, and they were not aware that they had handed themselves over to absolute British rule. It is ridiculous that anyone would sign such a one sided deal that favored British interests over their own. The Mi'kmaq fought back against the injustice and the British saw this as insubordination.

William Shirley, Colonial Governor of Massachusetts Bay
By Thomas Hudson, Source: Wikimedia Commons

In 1745, William Shirley, the Governor of the Massachusetts Bay in New England issued a proclamation that the Indians of Cap de Sable and St. John's were in violation of the Treaty and he declared war against them. Governor Shirley issued a bounty for any male Indian of 12 years or older for 100 pounds and the sum of 105 pounds for any male of the same taken captive. The sum of fifty pounds was paid for women and children under the age of twelve killed in fight, and fifty five pounds for those taken prisoner.  No payments would be made unless there was proof of the killings. The Governor went so far as to hire a group of "Rangers" led by Captain John Gorham. They were mostly Mohawk warriors (enemy to the Mi'kmaq) and whites. The first victims of the group were three pregnant women and two children. They desecrated burial grounds and distributed blankets and clothing infected with disease, spreading terror among the Mi'kmaq.

General Edward Cornwallis, Founder of Halifax
Source: Wikimedia Commons

In 1749, Halifax, the capitol of Nova Scotia, was founded by Governor Edward Cornwallis. Shortly afterwards, the British pressed for unconditional  submission of the Mi'qmaq to British rule and the chiefs refused. A Scalping Proclamation was issued against the Mi'kmaq. Paul states on page 118, " the records indicate that the barbarous proclamation was very productive. The slaughter was indiscriminate - pregnant women, the unborn, the old, the infirm - there were no exceptions; even some Caucasions were harvested. As an indication of how many scalps were taken, Bates wrote: 


"It is reported that .....a party of Gorham's rangers one day brought in 25 scalps, claiming the bounty of 10 pounds per scalp. It was strongly suspected that not all of the scalps were those of Indians, but included some Acadians too. The paymaster protested the payment, but was ordered to pay 250 pounds anyway....The records of Chignecto include several instances of extreme cruelty and barbarism by the rangers. "( Collections of the Nova Scotia Historical Society, George T. Bates, p.69)


So, the scalping was done by the British, not the Indians. Horrific. It is also interesting that Daniel Paul goes into some accounts of General Cornwallis' earlier atrocities at the Battle of Culloden in Scotland. I had read of these atrocities many years before in one of the books he mentioned (Culloden, by John Prebble) when I was researching my Scottish ancestors about 15 years ago. Same person, similar atrocities.  Paul mentions that Cornwallis is much celebrated throughout the city of Hailfax by name. I remember walking by his statue many times when I was a student at Dalhousie in Halifax. Perhaps the people who celebrate him read the same history textbooks that I did growing up. They seem to have neglected many of the details of his rise. Once again, we celebrate genocide  against Native populations.

So, there it is. The reason my ancestors left and settled in Bras d'Or. Terror and fear inflicted by the British.

I would also like to mention Daniel Paul's website which I will link to here: http://www.danielnpaul.com/ It is packed full of so much information. His book is simply excellent. Please read it if you have an interest in this subject. He goes into such detail that I can never write in a blog and uses records left by the British themselves to tell the story. It has provided me so many answers that I did not have prior to reading it. I am also linking another website that contains a petition to rename various Cornwallis sites in the city of Halifax. www.renamecornwallis.com

8 - Misconceptions

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure to attend a seminar hosted in part by the MCNAA. The speaker was Claudia Fox Tree, who is from the Arawak nation. Ms. Fox Tree identifies herself as a multicultural Native American and is half Arawak and half German. She is a teacher and lectures at Universities. She holds an M.Ed and is on the Board of MCNAA. She also is the Massachusetts Liaison to the National Confederation of Taino People headquartered in New York. She has a wonderful site where you can view her complete profile and a lot of great resources on Native American culture: http://www.nativeamericanresources.blogspot.com

This seminar was primarily intended to educate the white community about Native Americans. Being new to my own nation, this was a perfect opportunity for me to gain some knowledge. She began her talk with singing, including us all in the song while she beat time with her hand drum. She even made small rattles so each of us were an integral part of the music. The music teacher in me loved this, and it was a great way to break the ice.

Ms. Fox Tree told us about her own Arawak nation. The Arawak people come from different areas in the Caribbean. Her people are the Taino people. The Arawak people were the first people that Christopher Columbus met when he discovered America. They were gentle and welcoming and did not have any idea that within a matter of hours, Columbus would already be calculating and plotting their demise. His actions paved the way for the enslavement of thousands and the slaughter of many millions of people. It would eventually prove to be the end of some 500+ Native American nations.


"We shall take you and your wives, and your children, and shall make slaves of them, and we shall take away your goods, and shall do you all the mischief and damage that we can, and we protest that the deaths and losses which shall accrue from this are your fault ." - Christopher Columbus

Christopher Columbus, portrait by
 Alejo Fernández between 1505 and 1536. Photo by Manuel Rosa
Source: Wikimedia Commons

The stories that I have been reading of the actual events and diary entries by Christopher Columbus are shocking to say the least. Horrifying may be a better word. It is a wonder to me that this part of history has not really been revealed to us in North American society. Perhaps some have heard it and choose to ignore. We definitely hear a storybook version of the three ships and Columbus sailing the ocean blue in 1492. When I was training as a music teacher, I remember teaching elementary school students songs about Christopher Columbus for Columbus Day. I did not know this history. It certainly casts a new light on the protests I have been hearing about. I cannot comprehend why we have a national holiday in the United States of America in remembrance of mass genocide and enslavement. How can this possibly be justified?

Ms. Fox Tree spoke to other ideas and stereotypes that persist in American culture. She mentioned the fact that so many sports teams across the country still use racist images and team names. Some of these are used in the towns in and around where I am   living now. She also provided many stereotypical words that are associated with Native Americans and common misconceptions about them. A few that stand out are:

Chief: This word actually comes from European society. The Native American notion of a chief was not that of a dictator or King. The "chief" in Native American society often served as a kind of advisor who had the best interest of his people at heart.

Indian giver: Today, this term means that someone takes back what they have given. It was the custom in many Native American cultures to offer a gift. If the gift was accepted, the person receiving the gift would give one in return. If a return gift was not given, the person was well within their rights to take their gift back, as this was custom.

Reservation:  A plot of land reserved for Native Americans. Many first nations do not hold the idea that the land can be owned by anyone. The fact that a foreign culture moves in and forces people on to a reserved section of land is absurd.

Powwow: This is not a talk between a few people. Powwows were once sacred ceremonies but have evolved into social gatherings today.

There were so many more that she offered, but I cannot mention them all. Please take a look at her blog. I am  constantly surprised at how many of these stereotypes I encounter on a daily basis now that I am aware of them. I don't think I would have really noticed these things before.

At the end of the seminar I went to speak with Ms. Fox Tree. I was very anxious to ask her if she knew anyone in the Mi'kmaq nation who could teach me about music. She was very kind, even when I made the mistake of asking her about a completely different nation than the one to which she belonged. (Note to self: Not all Native American nations are the same.) She graciously told me that she hosts a drum circle and I would be welcome if I wanted to learn something from her perspective. I left her my email address and I hope that I will have this opportunity.

As I write on this April fools day, late at night, I also want to mention one last realization that I took from that day. Ms. Fox Tree mentioned that the whole notion of April Fool's Day had a Native American connection. Like many other societies around the world, the new year used to begin around the time of the Spring equinox, when the earth is pregnant with new life. (Makes more sense than January doesn't it? ) This was celebrated with festivals lasting many days. In the 1500's, the calendar was changed and the new year was reset to January 1st. Those who adopted the new system would mock the others who were still celebrating the old ways on or around April first. The yearly cycles of Native Americans were tied to the world around them, not the whims of Kings or religious leaders. Something to think about.

I am also linking a video that  I found on You Tube entitled the "American Holocaust."Something else to think about.

7 - Ode

I woke up thinking about Rita Joe's poems. A poem came into my head overnight. I've never written a poem in my life. No criticism please. I'm no Rita Joe. It is part of the process. I'm going with it. "No holds barred," as Rita says.

Ode To Rita Joe

Someone said to me,

"So you are an Indian now."

"What about your white ancestors?"

Why do people say these things?

I have been singing their songs for 40 years.

They are satisfied.

My native ancestors are restless.

The Indian in me will have her say.

I am listening.

Finally.

6 - Truth

"The truth will set you free, but first it will make you miserable." - James A. Garfield

As a teacher, I think about what exactly it is that I would like my students to learn. I have been thinking a lot about this as I have started writing. Only this time I am the student. There is one question that eats at me. Why did so many hide their identity? Why did they deny who they were? I don't blame them. I am sure that people do things they have to do for reasons we may never understand, but the question nags at me just the same.

This week, I ordered, and finally received a copy of Daniel Paul's excellent book called We Were Not the Savages. This book has a striking cover painted by Mi'kmaq artist Leonard Paul. I have been looking at this cover  for about 8 months now and I have to admit that I have been avoiding reading the book. The man on the cover seems to know this and stares knowingly back at me. He is a Mi'kmaq warrior wearing a business suit. In my heart, I already know what is inside. Documented atrocities against the Mi'kmaq.


The quote at the top of my post sums up how I feel about this book. It is necessary in my journey, but it's going to be hard. Daniel Paul has done a tremendous job with telling this history. The book is simply excellent. Well written and researched. At this point, I am not into the whole of the atrocities, but Paul is painting the Mi'kmaq to be a particularly kind and  trusting people with great respect for God, mother earth and their fellow man. The Europeans they encounter are a completely different species. This tears at me a bit, because I am a bit of both. I will continue my reading. I know that these chapters in history are directly related to the Bras d'Or Indians and I think I will find some of my answers here. I will keep you posted.

On a completely different note, I received in the mail today a book by Mi'kmaq poet Rita Joe. The book is called "Lnu and Indians We're Called." I have never read a poem by Rita Joe before today, but let me say that there is a reason she is celebrated. I read the whole book because I couldn't stop. I know I will come back to it many times and look for more of her work.

What I love, is that despite the hardships of her life, the poems are so optimistic and hopeful. This is the voice of a survivor. Many of these poems brought tears to my eyes. She is so clear. They are beautifully written and resonate with me. Perhaps more so because of my journey to discover this part of myself.  If only there weren't copyright laws, I'd be sharing one with you now! One that struck me particularly was called I Do Not Like Hearing The Wrong. It fits with what I am writing about today. Reading her work was a happy ending to a long day.

As chance would have it,  my copy of Rita Joe's book is a signed copy.  I take this to be a sign from above to keep going. The journey's good!

5 - Connection

Two days after I learned of my connection to the Mi'kmaq people, it was time for me to return to the United States. I found myself disconnected. I only knew of The Bras d'Or First Nation website and I had practically memorized it. I was starving for information, and I decided to reach out to native organizations here in the states to see what I could learn.

I managed to find an organization here in Massachusetts called The Massachusetts Center for Native American Awareness. They have a nice website: http://www.mcnaa.org Their complete mission statement is on the site, but basically, it was developed to implement programs that serve the cultural and spiritual needs of Native Americans. They also assist their community with food, heating costs and scholarships. In addition, they provide wonderful programs to the public about Native American Culture.

As luck would have it, they were having a Powwow and the head dancer was a man named Don Barnaby. He is Mi'kmaq.

A Powwow is primarily a social gathering for native people, but the name comes from the Algonquin word pauwau meaning medicine person or spiritual leader. The Powwow was at one time a sacred ceremony.  Today these gatherings are open to the public. This is one of the best ways to experience some of the traditional displays of music and dance in Native Culture.

The structure for a Powwow can vary slightly, but it usually begins with a grand entry into the arena by various people. This may include  people such as organizers, Master of Ceremonies, Tribal Chiefs, elders and dancers.  They will carry flags and an eagle staff. Once everyone is in the arena, the honor song is sung. This song honors the flag and veterans. After the honor song, a prayer is usually said and then dancing resumes.

There are rules at powwows that are specific to the area of the nation where you attend and it is worth checking into this before you go, or at the very least, when you arrive. A good rule to remember is to be respectful. Many of the dances and ceremonies that are performed have spiritual significance and are not just happening for entertainment. If you do attend a Powwow, be careful what you record by video or camera, because some of the dances are sacred and should not be recorded. It is always respectful to ask people before you take their picture. The Master of Ceremonies may also say when picture taking is appropriate.

Powwows are spectacular. People participating will wear their full "regalia" or traditional dress. The dancers are accompanied by drums and singers. There is also an opportunity to sample native food and many vendors are set up as part of the experience.

The MCNAA Powwow was a wonderful day for my family. I was excited to see Mr. Barnaby dance and it was a chance for me to show my children these wonderful cultures. This powwow was an inter tribal powwow and in addition to dancers from many Northeast nations, it included performances by Aztec dancers from Mexico. They had spectacular headdresses. It is incredible how they manage to dance in them.

I did manage to find Mr. Barnaby and talk to him. He posed for a picture with me and was very kind. He took time to speak to my children and showed them his regalia which highly impressed my very shy seven year old. It was complete with turkey feathers and eagle talons. I learned that he was a native of Quebec and that he often danced in the maritime provinces, where I grew up. We knew some of the same areas. I told him about my grandmother being Mi'kmaq. He said to me as he left, "I hope your children dance!" I am working on them, but I bet their mother will dance before this journey is over.

I keep the picture that we took that day by the water on my desk at school. Partly to remind me of who I am and also because it often prompts my students to ask questions. Since I put it there, a few students have talked to me and identified themselves to me by nation.

To view a slideshow of the MCNAA Powwow go to: www.flickr.com/photos/60982688@N07/sets/72157626218874847/show/

4 - Nations

So, my family and I are Bras d'Or Indians. We descend from three lines that I know of so far. Those of Francois Lejeune, Gabriel Lejeune (Sr.) and Angus Benoit.

Here in the United States, where I am living now, I almost never hear the word Indian when people refer to Native Americans. I don't think there is anything wrong with the word, it's just easy to confuse them with the people from India,  and perhaps it doesn't give an accurate representation of the people themselves. It seems that the people of the Bras d'Or use this term because it is historical. Everyone who lives there knows the Bras d'Or Indians.

In the United States, we hear Native American as the politically correct term, but this is deceptive as well. Imagine if we suddenly decided to call every one who lives in Europe, Native Europeans. We could just talk about them as a whole people with no respect to traditions, customs, or religious beliefs. There is no difference between Spain and Finland anyway, right? This is exactly what we do to native people when we use the term Native American, but this seems to be the popular term regardless of this fact.

I like what Canada does much better. They refer to the People of the First Nations.The Constitution of Canada goes so far as to differentiate its aboriginal people as being Indian, Metis and Inuit, although rights are still being determined for the Metis. I'm not saying its perfect, but at least in this name, it says that they were here first and that there is more than one nation. Aboriginal people in North America come from many nations with specific traditions, beliefs and histories. They are not all the same. My nation is the Mi'kmaq nation. I belong to a band within that nation known as the Bras d'Or Indian Village Band Association.

The Little Bras d'Or area has two bands. The Bras d'Or Indian Village Band Association is located in Little Bras d'Or itself and the other band, the Bras d'Or First Nation, is located in Sydney Mines. Both of these bands are seeking recognition by the federal government of Canada. The question is not whether the people here are Mi'kmaq. The question is if the government will see them as Indians.

I must admit that I am baffled by the policies of the government on this one. Take Newfoundland for example. Native people have been there long before the first accounts of European explorers. Didn't they drive away the Vikings? Only in the past few years was an agreement drafted to make an official landless band in the eyes of Canada. They have been a part of Canada since 1949, but are only being recognized as Indians now.

The formation of the agreement in principle in Newfoundland provides hope however. At one point in the history, some of the Bras d'Or Indians left Bras D'or and moved to Newfoundland. Now their descendants will gain official status. We are the same people.

 Here are some links to the Bras d'Or Indians. These sites are worth checking out.

http://www.brasdorfirstnation.com/
http://www.brasdorindians.com/
http://brasdorindianvillagebandassociation.yolasite.com/
http://searchingeagle.webs.com/apps/members/