A little pessimistic for a sunny weekend?
Thomas King, in an CBC 8th Fire interview talks about stereotypes, challenges, and the future.
He uses the imagery of “Indian [sic]… guys chasing buffaloes … riding ponies”. The contemporary First Nation peoples rarely do that, but that is still the first thing people think of when First Nations are mentioned. Perhaps from westerns shown on Green Grass, Running Water’s cheesy television map wall of Bill Bursum. He also mentions the lack of sympathy for those in poverty, specifically in Canada. Education is important, schools should teach the history of the relationship (if it is one) and treaties.
Towards the future, King is not optimistic. He thinks realistically, First Nation peoples will have to accept compromises, and as to land, everybody else will have better ideas on how to use them than the First Nations themselves. This is saddening and alarming coming from a person who has devoted much of his life to First Nation matters.
If you do spare the extra time to watch the interview, what is your response to it?