ojibwaywmn

There isn't a pow wow that I have been to that DOESN'T bring in the Canadian and/or American Flags as part of the Grand Entry. As an Anishinabe Ikwe, this is sad and ironic.

When you look at it, we respect flags that represent the downfall of our people. We wouldn't be struggling to regain our cultural identity if it wasn't for the genocide that has been experienced from these federal governments. So I wonder why we recognize that European instilled border when we should emphasize our tribal affiliations? I don't care if you are from either side of the border, if you are native than it is great to meet ya.

I do think it is awesome that we recognize our veterans during Grand Entries. Despite all that has happened, they still wanted to defend the land. It is sad that the federal governments did not give them proper compensation compared to the average non-native war veteran.

During World War II, Japanese people in Canada were forced into concentration camps as they were the enemy. However, the Canadian federal government provided MORE compensation to them, than to the aboriginal people who went overseas to fight on their behalf. Another note, the Canadian Merchant Marines also received more compensation than our aboriginal veterans, and they DID NOT GO OVERSEAS.

So why pay homage to flags that have not given us the proper respect, appreciation, and recognition since they first step onto our land and lives?

__________________

ANGELO

well, as a veteran i can say i have respect for anyone who joins the military. i personnally dont care for the flag. the military almost killed me and tried to make it my fault. but because i was there native people give me that much more respect than non natives. ive picked up feathers and carried in the flag as well as the eagle staff. i agree tho it is a slap in the face to all those who died to defend our culture against the very flag that we as natives honor. hell white people burn their own flag in protest. heres a conversation between me and another unnamed person who is a dancer. we talked about a powwow to honor the victims at wounded knee memorial. in the grand entry he told me that it was a pleasent day with no wind, then the grand entry strated and when the flag came in the wind yanked it out of the arena. well i dunt know if this is true or not maybe someone else who was there could verify this but he said every tyme they tried to bring it in it was blown out. i thought that was kool. i mean those people were butchered by that flag for just being native. and now their decendents are honoring them with it. that's like pissing on their grave. almost like blacks honoring murdered slaves with the kkk flag. lol. so im not sayin be unhappy with the flag but just remember who we are. and i dont agree when the flag song is sung that the eagle staff should be lowered, it should be up with the us flag. well, anywayz im happy that im here in this country and even more that im native. i dont have hatred for the flag cuz i born in this generation and the atrocities that took place 100 years ago has to be healed some way. so be proud of your country and just remember who you are, a native.

ndn_thyme

up thiz way, some people, say, that flag today, still represents our homelands and we as natives have always defended our homelands. others say that flag was captured on the battlefield (Little Big Horn) so it belongs to the lakota. but did you notice the eagle staff still comes in first, almost symbolic like, we had our homelands before there was an America, before there was a U.S. or Canada. i still hav much respect for any warrior or soldier, they were willing to lay down their lives for us, and that flag now represents us natives in the U.S. (the good & the bad), i'd still rather live in the U.S. than anywhere else.