Laws of Matriarch

Thoughts for Today Have you ever wondered what women mean when they say, "We are not your Pan Am Indians"? I imagine it speaks to the stereotypes that often overshadow our true essence—those images that the world tries to pin on us. Sometimes, I see our people playing the part, acting in ways that might help them get ahead when dealing with non-Natives. I hear phrases like "in a good way," or comments that downplay our knowledge, as if we don’t know our own words. Everyone seems to become a pipe carrier, and some even grow their hair long or wear traditional dresses to fit a mold. But we Gitxsan are simple people. We don’t romanticize the Spirit; we recognize that we are all equal, gifted in our own ways by the Creator. God is within us and with us, and every thought we have is a prayer in itself. Our limited contact with white society has allowed us to hold onto our traditional teachings, so ingrained in us that it can be difficult to explain. There’s no need for g...

A Grandmother's Plea for Support My grandson Angel is just 9 months old, yet he’s already in the care of the ministry. As his grandmother, I am fighting to bring him home, but the path ahead is riddled with obstacles. I recently sent a letter to Team Leader Claudia, with @Puglaas CC'd, to express my concerns about the system. If I could apply for guardianship through the Family Law Act (FLA), I would have had my grandson in my arms within a few months. But the BC government has cut the 'Child in Home of a Relative' program, leaving low-income families like mine with no options. The FLA is now out of reach, forcing us into a convoluted Child Protection process under the CFCSA. It’s disheartening to face delegated agencies meant for Aboriginal children. There’s nothing truly Indigenous about them; their policies and procedures are often just as oppressive, if not more so.  Last month, I was fortunate enough to secure a legal aid lawyer through an exception review. My l...