Oct 3 2014
Reflections on the Residential School System
There is an old photograph kicking about, that for me is one
of the most personally haunting images that I have ever taken. I took it while
walking the grounds of the St. Michaels residential school in Alert Bay, BC.
The building itself is ominous, a huge decayed brick structure being swallowed
back up, quite literally by nature, vines and wild grasses crept upwards and on
this day, dark stormy clouds loomed overhead. The visual represented what is
and what should be to me, a return to the earth and the overtaking of manmade
cruelty by nature.
I was alone, having briefly stolen away from a vibrant cultural celebration to
see this place for myself. With a general understanding of the Residential
School System and its lingering effects, I took the time to really witness what
was before me. As I ventured around, I had come to a decomposing staircase
leading to a door and under the stairs, this ghostly representation of a lost
soul.
It was an aboriginal boy, cloaked in religious garb, holding onto an upside down cross. This image was hiding in an alcove and his eyes eerily pleading to never forget. When my eyes first landed on the moment, I had a visceral response and literally had my breath taken away, like someone punched me in the stomach.
Though I am not Canadian, I was aware of the residential school system, but like many things uncomfortable, it is easier to shelve, out of sight, out of mind. But, here I stood now, face to face with the remnants of the beast itself.
For over a hundred years Canada carried out a form of
cultural genocide. Over 150,000 aboriginal children were forcibly removed from
their homes, forbidden to speak their language or practice their culture. The
schools were government funded and church ran, with corporal punishment being
justified by a belief that it was the only way to 'save souls' and 'civilize'
the savage. The intent of the residential school system was to educate,
assimilate and integrate the aboriginal people into the mainstream of Canadian
society. In the words of one particularly nasty government bureaucrat I
remember hearing about, it was a system designed to "kill the Indian in
the child". It's main function was to convert the native kids into obedient Christians.
Separated from their family, some as young as age 4, survivors recall feelings
like they were walking into a prison. They had their identities taken from them,
their hair was cut and they were forced into uniforms. They only called by
their Christian issued names or by a number. Chronic underfunding, resulted in
insufficient food, clothing, poorly built schools and overcrowding.
Malnourished, physically beaten, emotionally and spiritually weakened thousands
of aboriginal children died from tuberculosis, influenza, severe beatings and
suicide.
The long term impact of being removed from parental role models, traditional practices, safe, loving environments is intergenerational. Survivors, having suffered extreme forms of abuse and neglect have difficulty expressing love, handling conflict in their relationships and this has perpetuated a cycle of dysfunction that needs to be healed.
Many of my mates know my views on First Nation culture, I believe whole heartedly that if we returned to the way indigenous people regarded the earth, we would become a much more 'advanced' world. I have been lucky enough to spend a small part of my life around Canadian First Nations, staying, from time to time, on the local reserve with friends of my family. I have felt an inherently strong kinship to the culture, to the people and a sense of connection to their way of life. I was lucky enough back then to be invited to one of the most incredible displays of honor and leadership in the way of a Potlatch ceremony for a new chieftain. In attendance were some of the most influential First Nations leaders of Canada, elders, chiefs and future leaders .
This incredible vibrant celebration of individuality, community, ancestry, culture, beliefs and connection being held at the Long House, a short distance down a road from a building that bore witness, in stark contrast to years of abuse and oppression filled me with hope and a sense of triumph for the people of this place and to the nation of Canada.
The last residential school that was run by the government was closed in 1996.
Somewhere between 1986 and 1994 a few of the churches involved issued formal apologies for their participation in the residential school system.
RCMP have issued a formal apology and in 2008, the Prime Minister of Canada Stephen Harper apologized on behalf of the government of Canada to survivors of the residential school system.
The Indian Residential Schools Truth and Reconciliation Commission was established in 2008, with a mandate to inform all Canadians about what happened in residential schools. The TRC hopes to guide and inspire First Nations, Inuit, Metis and all Canadians in a process of truth and healing leading toward reconciliation and renewed relationships based on mutual understanding and respect.
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Sept 27 2014
Thinking About Kids and Consumerism.
The struggle over consumerism is an ongoing thing. Sadly during our youth it was allowed to languish - now it's time we re-acquainted ourselves, to wake up and stare it right in the eye. For years, I have been watching in horror ( and to a large extent unconsciously participating in it) as consumerism objectifies the individual and fragments their identity ever further. No matter how much cleaning I do I can't eradicate the nasty stench of inhumanity.
Strangely enough, my baking skills however are coming on: crack tart or meth canapé, anyone?
But seriously, it's really true. And the consumerism angle seems to just proliferate with time. I was chatting with my girlfriend about this the other night. Women are making more money now (well, sometimes), but they are beholden to whatever is marketed to them. They're expected to show their new economic status with purchases, "I can buy this for myself now...and no one can tell me how much is too much because the sky's the limit. Wahoo! Sigh... as if that's really power. I see it all the time, especially over in the United States. Since when did going to the bloody spa become a regular practice of middle-class women? That used to be for rich folks. Now, it's just another social codifying agent. Nails, makeup, hair, a purse (read: at least $400) and absolutely no drugstore makeup will do.
I am rambling a bit now, but you know, one has to be very careful to not get sucked in on some level.
I think one of the lowest blows is the baby/family market. Here in South Africa there is an expectation of a basic appearance, and spending pattern for your entire family (for the middle class types), for which the mother is wholly responsible. And the kids are so susceptible and vulnerable to this constant stream of "Buy! Buy! Buy!'' I'm obviously the resident evil warlord of eternal darkness for reminding my friends who have kids to say 'no' more often then 'yes'. And if I say this in front of the kids I truly am the dark one.
But then all I have to do is to just get the football out (the soccer ball if you are an American and are reading this) and they forget the crap they see advertised on TV. What they need and love is time spent with their mum and dad (and myself when visiting), a game, included in a bit of cooking, a wild dance to the gods of rain, making up stories (which I am very good at) or a walk in the woods. They (my mate's kids) are starting to understand the difference between a want and a need. Their youngest is just a bit too little to really register much of the consumerism around him. So I can just give him a strip of stickers or lump of play-dough and he's as happy as can be.
Hell, he just gets a thrill going on a 10minute bus ride to town.
I'm rambling on a bit now. But I think that we've lost our sense of wonder about the world, constantly chasing after the next new thing and it is really heartbreaking to see children unable to function and interact socially because moronic parents are blindly following the next bloody trend. They are supposed to be the adults and are supposed to be putting the brakes on. Instead, their ego is allowed to ride roughshod over their children's welfare. It's criminally mindless.
Sigh... okay then I will be putting my soap box back in the utility closet now.
It all comes down to fear. That is the most brilliant marketing theme going right now. It really, really sells things well. What's great is that kids can, with such little redirection, be made to appreciate small things. We used to play with sticks, balls, and dirt. When I was a lad, I played football (soccer you Yanks) with the neighborhood kids from right after school to every single day. Or rode my bike. If the tire went flat or the chain broke it became an adventure in and of itself to fix it.
Endless amusement.
Imagine. And the truth is, kids are just as easy to please today if left alone. I worked in the public schools for a bit a while back. Kids are the freest beings on the planet. We are the ones who stand in their way. Good for any parent who takes the time out to cut off the consumerism and restore kids to a real way of living.
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Sept 13 2014
After a Night Out of Food, Drink and Playing
"Poker and the office, my unhappy times.
Another thrilling episode of The Demi Peters Show and the all new Episode 21.
Last nights events started with the most splendid Chinese meal here at the Kings Palace, Resorts World Manila and then it was onto the Cinema to watch a film called "THE PRINCE" which was full of action but absolutely useless. However, I must say, WOW !!
Then after a hot bath a massage and a cup of English tea, it was 1am and time to hit the Baccarat tables in the glorious Genting Club for some real action with a few Brandies on the side and then 2 hours later the satchels are full and its time to hit the Queen size bed for some hard earn't rest. Which was absolutely bloody LOVELY !!!
In between all the satchel filling people keep reminding me there's a Poker tournament this week. Well after waking up this morning and having another hot bath my reluctant ears feel ready for the absolute bad beat stories that surround the green felt. All about their woes of victories that slipped away. Or someone bumped my arm. Or some trollop leaned forward and her cleavage caught my eye and through off my concentration, god damn it (but they were a lovely pair to say the least).
Aah boys and their slightly embellished stories of victory and defeat.
It seems to me there's a lot of people who are unhappy with everything these days, its sad…….but I can tell you this, my "unhappy ears" will just not listen. Not at all.
"GOD HELP THE LOT OF THEM"
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Sept 9 2014
On Age and My Mother
So tonight I learned that the circle of friends I thought my mother had, really does not exist anymore. Quite sad really to also discover, that to some she has gone from being a friend, to an inconvenience. Several months ago, I noticed she had stopped riding home from bingo with this one friend, when I asked why, she said I would rather take the bus, I let it go...and for quite some time, deciding that unless the ride was offered I would respect my mother's wishes and not ask on her behalf... Tonight I overheard that friend in conversation with another who had agreed to take my mother home, the jist of which was negative in tone and pretty much calling the other woman an easy mark for doing so.... In this life how you treat people, speak about people, speaks volumes and says a lot about your spirit and intention.... My heart aches for my mother, because I know that most of her life she has gone above and beyond for others when she could and now that she needs the support, it is sadly quite lacking. The fact that these are seniors, who themselves may one day also be alone and in need of a support system beyond family, makes me shake my head.
Lessons don't stop coming because of your age. If anything they intensify.
It amazes me how many figure that because they've reached an advanced age that they know it all.
They do not.
And outward appearances mean nothing. The very sweet looking old dear or the super beautiful can hide rather unpleasant, if not just plain UGLY personality traits.
And often do.
In this case, actions or the lack of them speak volumes about my mother's "acquaintances".
She will continue forward and grow, while they shall sit stagnant in their mire of selfishness, gossip and judgment.
Lesson learned, message received. I think my mother and I will be just fine, riding the bus.
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Sept 2 2014
The Synchronicity of Life and Poker.
Everything around me relates to everything else in my life.
One piece of one area in your life suddenly has a large effect on another area. The inter-connectiveness of our lives blows me away.
I love to play poker and sometimes blackjack, but mainly poker. I like games with an element of skill in them and a payoff in more than points on a score board. So, the potential for real loss exists. That's what gives it, its mystique. And once in a while something happens in the real world that is a direct mirror of the relationship dynamics of a hand you played a few days previous.
Now around the card table of the poker game in question, the numbers were five people. The personality types of those were two confident young successful alpha type guys. One introvert, smart computer guy. And the other two smart average working guys (one of which was me). And the stakes were high enough to hurt me for sure.
And then in the real world at my place of employment, different people, but the same personalities, the same number of players and the same level of stakes with the same potential hurt me. The intimidating, the smack talk, the posturing, the retreats, the maneuvers and the bluff. Pretty well move for move the drama at work played out exactly the same as the hand of poker played only a couple of nights previously. And I was the one who pulled of the bluff both times and won both times. It was incredible that the exact same tactic worked the second time with real risks involved and not just money on the table. Afterwards I started to think about how the first experience prepared me for the second one.
Like a dry run.
Just one of those things that gets you to reflect on the world we live in and just how much we haven't got a clue about it. I sure don't. Not those kind of big things.
So, this isn't really a lofty spiritual epiphany, but a more practical one. I now see added value to the time, money and experience that I invest in my game of poker. And that now I will be paying even more attention to what is happening during the game and thinking about how it relates to events that happen in my life. Seriously mates, I did not see this one coming. I was chatting with a military friend on a social media site and he put me onto Sun Tzu's The Art of War. It's spooky how all of this stuff kind of dovetails together.
I think that's enough of the significant changes in my life.
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Aug 27 2014
Online Casinos and Being a Fool
So, I was scooting around online checking into various online casinos. I go through this every so often. i get tired of my usual online casino and decide that it's time to shop around a bit. I am sure that you do the same thing.
What a nightmare it was.
I came across a site with an absolutely incredible deal in the way of their bonus plan. Now I have been around a bit. I am not a newbie to this world, so I thought to myself, "Stop, wait a minute. Use your common sense. This looks a bit too good. Too good to be true right?"
So I thought that maybe the overall industry standard might have changed a bit since the last time I had a good look around. It does happen from time to time. So my next step was to go around and check out ten or so sites and see what the feel of their bonus plans were.
The questions I asked myself were like:
are they consistent with each other? do they cover the same types of areas? how much cash is offered? are there different teirs to their bonus programs with the bonuses going up with the more money you spend?
That kind of thing.
Well after a look around I quickly had a notion of what the industry standard was and it was roughly the same as it had always been within a few dollars this way or that.
But this site's bonuses were way off into left field. The claims were outrageous. Every warning bell inside me was ringing. So I walked away from it and returned to my three or four online casinos that I usually patronize.
But it got me thinking of just how many "less than reputable sites" there are out there and how many people who don't possess my level of common sense get themselves caught up in their little scams.
Another quick search lead me to a number of other dodgy online casinos and there seems to be no shortage of them out there. And they wouldn't be there if somebody wasn't making money off of them.
Yeah, I know... I am rambling on a bit about this. I guess I just thought that it wasn't as bad as all of this, but it is. Which means that there are a hell of a lot of online players out there who are getting their money nicked from them either by sketchy online casino owners who are playing with the odds on their machines or just running their site long enough to get people's money and then shut it down and move on.
So my big conclusion here? My point
If it looks too good to be true? IT IS!!!
Stick to the reputable online casino sites my friends.
Outrageous deals are not worth the risk.
Well... that's about it for now.
Cheers!