My latest chapbook contains poems which chronicle the devastating effect “progress” has had on our indigenous peoples as the European so-called “civilization” rolled out from the east coast to the west across their ancestral lands. The process was brutal and destructive.
This week the news is full of the discovery of children’s remains discovered at the old residential schools where indigenous children were sent to “civilize” them. Another shameful and disturbing part of Canada’s past that we did not learn about in school.
The wind is the unifying force in the imagery of these poems. As it moves across the land, it carried “progress” with it and the result was not beneficial to those who lived here before Canada was discovered.
This book is available for free download on my website. Progressfinalebook
The poems came to me one by one and not in order. Over the space of about two years, I was inspired to write them at different times and then realized they all belonged together.
As an immigrant myself – I came to Canada when I was 8 – I had no idea of what this land was like before Europeans came here. I only knew what we learned in school. And that was not helpful. Through my own research and reading I learned more and began to realize that Canada was not “discovered.” It was already here. The people were here. Their way of life existed. And yet, the discoverers decided, without any consultation with the local inhabitants, that the European version of civilization should be imposed.
Nowadays we are becoming more cognizant of the past, but in many cases, it is too late. Efforts are being made to restore artefacts to the people they were taken from. Traditions are being more respected. Overtly, that is. But how deeply does that respect go? I wonder.
These are my musings about so-called progress. If, after you read this work, you have comments, feel free to enter them at the end of this blog.
