This week we have started to talk about Indigenous issues and I have stressed the importance of positioning ourselves in the conversation. Position yourself here. What is your relationship to the land you are from, or the land you are studying on? From what position will you approach the novel Indian Horse, which takes up the topic of colonialism?

I feel like I’ve got a good relationship with the land I’m living on. I never litter, and I go on hikes with my sister where we pick up any garbage we see to throw it out properly later. I feel extremely privileged to be living somewhere that has so much natural beauty and try to always be appreciative of that. My parents built a tiny home on Mayne Island, one of the gulf islands below Vancouver Island. Last summer my dad and I built a small sleeping cabin, and since then I’ve been a few times on my own and with friends. It’s a really peaceful getaway from the busy lives we have here on the mainland and serves as a reminder that the massive skyscrapers and cityscapes we’re used to aren’t the natural state of things.

I understand that I wouldn’t have any of these privileges if it weren’t for the horrible history of colonialism in Canada and though those wrongs can’t entirely be reversed, I try my best to contribute to reconciliation. In high school I took all available courses that were centered around Indigenous peoples, seeking education on the beliefs and traditions of the different nations, as well as the experiences many Indigenous people went through and continue to go through as a result of colonialism. Through seeking education I have not only enriched my own learning, but I’ve also been able to extend it to alter the views of people around me for the better. (such as insensitive and uneducated extended family members.)

Because of the courses I took in high school, I’ve already read this book a couple times, but am interested to look at it differently now due to my higher education and understanding of the scholarly conversation.