Happy to Unlearn

I recently finished my second course in the Masters in Professional Education – Leadership in Indigenous Education program.  

Being a student again has been an important experience.  As a student, I have the opportunity to listen to other perspectives, experiences and ideas as well as share my own.  I have space to think about the challenges that I am undertaking in my work.  Most of all, I’ve become acutely aware and appreciative of how much I am

un

learning (aka - decolonizing) and how in the process of unlearning, I am establishing a knowledge base that is honest and trustworthy and is accountable to my spirit and my creative self, the writer that I am.  It helps me to reflect critically on the information I am being presented and makes me very aware of the way it is being presented. 

Over the past few weeks, I realized that for me – it's all real: that sense of wonder and gratitude I carry that comes from being Ogwehoweh and having responsibilities to the lands and waters.  We are not a 'backwards' or primitive people and our knowledges are not inferior to others.  We have a truth and a Treaty to uphold, and I am happy that it is here to guide us. 

I also realized that I have been unlearning things for a very long time and that my work at the Chiefs of Ontario was a big part of that process.   Organizations are always under a lot of scrutiny by politicians, academics, and community members. This scrutiny can be a really good thing, because it asks an organization to critically reflect on its role in the decolonization process and undertake to decolonize itself.   During my time there, it meant that we learned more about the living spirit and intent of the Treaties and about the importance of explaining to the international community the ways in which Canada is failing to uphold the Treaty promise in our reports to the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.  I am very grateful for the work I was involved in there, for the people I met who helped me to reawaken and grow.   I am also aware that a lot of what I learned about issues, some of which are very current - like the events leading up to the proposed First Nations Education Act are not known by my friends, colleagues and fellow educators.  I am also really aware that it would be difficult to find well-sourced media coverage of the matter.  I really have no idea how helpful it would be to share what I know, but I decided that I would like to share some of what I know happened in interesting ways.   Because I am a community member and I love education.  I have nieces and nephews who are still in school or about to go into it and  I want school to be amazing for them. We are doing good things but I believe we can create an even more amazing educational experience for our kids. I think that this happens when we share information in kind and compassionate and truthful ways, when we implement best practices, when we are pro-active about making improvements and when a lot of good minded people are excited about working together. But being able to share information quickly is another way that I think will help.  I have planned a little project about how I want to do this using info graphs and puppets.  Should be fun :).  

I am also getting ready to move forward with work on the creative end of things – the stuff I have been personally most excited about for the last few years.  Editing and illustrating two stories: the word count for one is 52, 468 and the other is 29, 858.  Like many other writers I know, I’ve read Stephen King’s

On Writing

– a great book, and though this is nowhere near the amount he suggests as a first draft, it’s the story that I have and I’m happy to move forward with it right now.  I’m sure I’ll discover and learn a lot during the editing process.  There are also a few shorter stories I’d like to work on editing (Iess than 2,500) but I have to set some priorities and targets, so I figure I’ll move the bigger ones out of the way.  I had initially wanted to get through them by September but we’ll see how this goes.  I know this means that I have to make a more conscious effort to schedule the time to write – meaning to work on new material and also to edit. I don’t know how long all of this editing will take me, but I think I will simply need to schedule the time, a few hours every day to work through the material and at least start getting it ready for others to read. 

Should be a blast.  Anyways, I hope everyone is having a wonderful summer!  The Six Nations Pow Wow is this weekend and I am hoping to stop by there tomorrow.  Til next time,  

S

Art and Purpose...And How Neil Gaiman Keeps on Being Really Awesome

Having finished the first course of my program and having a short break before the next course begins, I decided to take some time to organize my creative writing efforts and to plan how to share the stories I have been working on.  I’m editing, formatting and looking at how to seek help to improve the quality of my stories. I want it to be a good reading experience and I realize that I may not be able to see it as clearly as a beta reader or another pair of experienced editing eyes.   I’m also learning that I am a little shy though I realize that being shy doesn't mean you can't share.

I have been writing stories of varying length for many years now and like many writers I follow on Twitter, I find that writing is wonderful, fulfilling and occasionally overwhelming - a storytelling hunger that is best sated and calmed by doing more of it.  And reading. Creativity feasts on books and ideas.    I love this about the process.  The call to create is powerful and profound but when you have the opportunity to share in someone’s art by reading it or appreciating it, it reinvigorates the whole cycle all over again. Write, read, and then write some more.  And every now and again, think of how you want to share your stories with others.

I have just finished reading Neil Gaiman’s newest book, The Ocean at the End of the Lane. For those of you who are looking for a summer read that will both move and inspire you, I highly recommend it.  Neil Gaiman tells a good story.  He stirs the soul.  You can tell that he wants to communicate, that he is exceptional at it, and that if there is any fear in him about sharing too much - he just finds a way to do it anyways in a voice that is wholly his and it makes his writing more magical.  I can’t say that I understood everything that happens in this book, but it spoke to me, as stories sometimes do, as his often do, and I know that I will be returning to read it again.  I think it is my favourite.

The ethereal and beautiful promotional poster for Neil's book

I heard that a lot of people cried when they read this book.  I could understand that completely.  I certainly did.  I cried because while it was a tale to enthral, it also made me realize that I had to make a change and that my purpose is calling me, sweetly and kindly.  And that just like the Hempstock’s farm, I have been weaving my way towards it all this time.  It is a purpose that is mine and yet it’s also a shared thing, since the fulfillment of it rests in the interactions I am able to establish with other people.

I realize that there is this creative force or spirit inside of me that notices all of these wondrous things about the universe.  I think my spirit understands and accepts the truth of things much easier than I consciously do, but I don’t mind.  I like doing the work to listen and interpret – I like trying to make the connections and share what I think I have found with others.  Is this what writers do?  Do they listen to the stories no one else can hear or experience and find ways to communicate them?  This is a part of it, and there is much more, I am sure.

I think about one of the characters in my story and realize what an important character she has become to me.  A person who has had to find her way, who used her gifts poorly at first but learned over time to hone them and use them better.  She is like so many people - her energy manifesting itself in these powerful bursts that can almost destroy things and it hurts her at first because she doesn’t realize that it does and can get better if she is patient, peaceful and willing to learn.  All these big things that she is feeling can be used for good.   She can change.  She can help.

In the end, these are the things I hope for most as well.  To grow and to help.  I think this is what purposes can sometimes do.  They can help you see how you can be helpful.  And they can help you realize that you are special, that only you can do or write or educate or create art in that special way that you can do.  And that is quite simply, awesome.  And it you don't believe me - listen to Neil.  He'll tell you how awesome you are.  And if you don't believe Neil - see what his wife Amanda Palmer had to say about how awesome Neil is in her blog.  Just kidding!  But do check these links out - they're really beautiful communications.  But most of all - be you, make good art, and remember how very cool and special you are!

Neil Gaiman's, "Make Good Art" speech

Amanda Palmer's Book and Marriage Review

Happy reading and happier creating,

S