Quote:
Originally Posted by windypeg
Are we really pandering that much to indigenous culture? I've often wondered before why we don't do more to promote it. If you go anywhere else in the world that sort of thing is a huge part of tourism, local identity and promotion - look at BC and how much first nations art and clothing gets sold there. Meanwhile you come here and there's very little that tourists can learn about first nations - there's one little shop hidden away on the top floor at the Forks that sells some native art and stuff, they get a few mentions in the CMHR and that's it. There's no museum dedicated to first nations, they get maybe one gallery in the MB museum.
People coming here should be able to buy native art, go to a pow-wow, see smudging ceremonies, try bannock, etc. It's rich culture and tourists would eat it up if we showcased it properly and respected it ourselves. Sorry but first nations have been here thousands of years and the rest of us only about 150 - there is no long-term culture here other than native culture and we're long overdue to have a place to showcase it. Yet despite how under-represented that culture is there's always the same old, thinly-veiled racist refrain from white people "oh no not more of this native crap again, enough already." It's quite ridiculous actually.
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Nuh-uh, you don't get to do that. You made a very good post and then brandished me and others with the same lame bullshit buzzword crap that SJW's use on twitter to get people they disagree with fired from jobs. Your post was otherwise strong, but it doesn't need that.
You're right, we should have cultural celebration, but it struggles to stay afloat because we have so many problems that the joys of the culture don't come across as authentic! The indigenous communities have so much to offer but when politics come into play and 70% of Winnipeg's population (white people) needs to read another quote slamming "the white man", people feel pushed away, irritated.
It simply feels forced when we deal with or read about the indigenous issues plaguing their own people and our city on a daily basis, only to devote more art centres or sculptures to them. BC's aboriginals are as a whole much more successful, making it a seemless process to celebrate that culture. We're clouded in too much struggle and cynicism so I'd rather address that first.
I DO think part of the solution is helping the aboriginal communities celebrate themselves, but as I said, it's too constant thing. Celebrating helps bring some joy, but I wish for some elbow grease and hard problem solving alongside. "The white man" can help but the source if these efforts has to come from within their own ranks.
Our approximate, rough breakdown is 70% white, 20% visible minority, 10% aboriginal. We can stop pretending like the other 90% don't politically matter either.