Nind Akwendamoiwe - I Hurt

I try to see people as people, nothing else. I believe all this division among race, class, gender and sexual orientation keeps us from knowing each other. It keeps us from knowing the truth within each and every one of us. Ultimately this division keeps us from feeling what is in our hearts or what is our truth within.

I believe there are many in the world who do judge of the base of race, class, gender and sexual orientation. There are many who may see me as white. There are many who may see me as Ojibway. There are many who may see me as mixed. Going on job interviews and while I was in college I had various class mates judge me as white and that is very hurting.

I believe in my heart and soul that I am Ojibway. I am mixed, yes. But to dishonor my Ojibway heritage is to dishonor what has happened to indigenous peoples in our world for the past 500 years. I honor my French heritage but don't feel connected to it. I honor my Norwegian heritage but don't feel connected to it. I honor it all! I only feel connected to the Earth so what makes perfect sense to me is being Ojibway. Honoring that part of myself. If I don't honor it I have subscribed to the colonized mind and the annihilated mind. If I don't honor it a major part of my identity is gone. I must honor this for the sake of healing the pain of my ancestors and bringing power and light to the future generations.