h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

My nickname is The Dragonlady.
It is nice to meet you.
I am a Mother of 7, Grandmother of 1, Step-Mother of 2, and distant Step-Mother of 3.
I was just sneaking another peek on-line, and saw you were here. Sometimes good things come to us hwen we least expect them.
When I read your intro, I was touched. I understand the plight of the people you speak of, having had to deal with the Residential Schools.
I am not one of these people, however. Some of my Ancestors could have ended-up as people like this. My Paternal Grandmother was a Road-Allowance person, and gave up her rights when she married a white guy. My Maternal Grandfather was a bastard child of a white woman and a Cree man.
I used to work in an inner-city Native Healing Organization. It was quite interesting, as I am totally blonde, with fair skin, and green eyes. No one there knew of my background or ancestry. They thought I was just a 'crazy white woman' who had nothing better to do than mess around with Indians.
I have an Indian name. I was given the name when I was 5.
I understand some of the plight of the people damaged by the Residential Schools. I have experienced my own persecution at the hands of Social Services. I was falsely accused of child abuse and neglect September 26, 2001.
This last year has been the absolute worst of my entire life. And it doesn't seem to get better very fast. You are welcome to read about it at my page.
I will persevere, though. My children deserve better.
Karen

Mudhooks, here.

I know so many people whose mothers, or grandmothers married white men and lost their status. Many of them have been able to get it back (or their children).

The legacy of the supposedly "good intentions" by the federal and provincial governments and the churches caused so much damage to so many, many lives. My former father-in-law was taken at age 4 into a residential school. While he has terrible stories about the 14 years at this school, he feels it made him a stronger person. I can't agree... it may have been the case for a few children, I can see the damage it did to him and to his family.

I hope that you are able to come through all your troubles. I know how hard it is to have courage, and I can't say that I have always succeeded in my own life. Life's a bitch sometimes and sometimes it is so damn sweet it makes you cry. All you can do it be true to yourself and be true to your children.

Keep the faith, baby....

Keeping faith is harder than it is perceived to be.
I am having some really horrible nightmares, even after more than a year has passed.
Social Services claims they are protecting children, but the only people they are in actuality protecting are themselves, and their jobs.
There are many children in need of help and support, but so are their parents. Usually those people are treated as less-than criminals. There are also many families like ours where children are NOT in need of protection, but are falsely accused. The system does NOTHING to protect any of those children. There are also many children that should NOT be returned to their homes, for one reason or another, and they are - only to die a few short weeks later. Social Services actually said "We would rather have erred on the side of caution, in your case, than have ended-up with a dead child".
The only trouble with that statement was that there was NO caution, only accusation. And as a result, my name has been destroyed in my community. We are having to move, so I don't get shot at anymore.
Anyway, even though I look very white, I still have many roots in the True Path. I will continue. I will persevere.
Some days, though, are really hard. I imagine they will be so for a long time to come.
Karen