Indigenous

Seeing in colour (by Kahawíhson Horne)

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This week’s guest blogger is Kahawíhson Horne. She is Kanien’kehá:ka from Kahnawà:ke who is currently enrolled in the Ratihwennahní:rat’s Adult Immersion Program. She is a recent graduate of Concordia University with a BA in First People’s Studies as well as a background in media, food sovereignty, and language revitalization. She is an avid gardener who enjoys sushi and a good bottle of wine.

“Speaking Kanien’kéha is like watching television in colour,” is an oft repeated anecdote passed down from my grandmother by way of an unknown elder. “English,” she continued “is television in black and white.”

Iroquois cradle board
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Braiding language, identity, and research: An imagined conversation with Sky Woman (by John Wayne N. dela Cruz)

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This blog post includes a linked audio file. Just click on the link below if you would like to hear the post read aloud. Scroll down to read the text.

“If the Land is a person, how would you introduce yourself to it?”

My academic ate ([‘atɛ]; “big sister” in Tagalog) Rhonda asked that while we were developing reflection questions for our self-location and plurilingualism workshop.

I was stunned. I’ve never thought of introducing myself to Canada before, or at least not to an Indigenous Canada: a land that belongs only to itself; a land that is neither English nor French. It was a tough question to answer because it was such a good question. It was so good it stayed with me for weeks. I kept thinking about what I should say. I kept wondering about what would actually come out of my mouth if one day, the Land would be incarnated, and it would turn to me and ask, “who are you?”

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