Thread by @AndreaLandry1

White people love the story of the young indigenous person who grew up in homes of violence and alcoholism, who then struggled with violence and alcoholism themselves, and who then turned to their culture - which ultimately, saved them and allowed them to become successful today

Success stories.

But the part that they really love?

It's the part where our people are successful from a colonial standpoint. Where our people are successful in colonial universities or in colonial job titles, or in their colonially political systems.

They love when indigenous peoples successes are actually indigenous peoples assimilating into colonialism.

You are so resilient. You are so brave. You are so strong. They will say while interviewing you at colonially created meetings, political arenas, and academic conferences.

Yes, our people are resilient. We are brave. We are strong.

Generations of our people are resilient. Brave. Strong.

How else do you think we manage to still be alive today?

While it is true that this story can be told from thousands of our people over and over again, there's the story that white people are not as excited about.

Its the story of the indigenous person who grew up in violence & alcohol, who then struggled with violence themselves, and then turned to culture - which saved them and allowed them to become knowledgeable in colonialism & the continued genocide and assimilation processes today.

Mainstream Canada would rather hear the story of the "First Nations girl speaks in the House of Commons" rather than "Nehiyaw iskwew heals generations of trauma within herself and returns to the land."

The reason why they love the first "success story" over the other is because one filters into their capitalistic society, feeding their systems, and ultimately fulfilling the task of "getting rid of the Indian problem." While the other does the complete opposite.

The Indigenous success story places Canada, and colonial states, at risk. Because the more resilient, brave, and strong Indigenous peoples there are, the less chance that Canada, and these colonial states, have to conquer what they think is theirs.

Find your success in indigenous systems.

Find your love in indigenous success.

Because we need to hear our success stories from our own people rather than the colonially modified indigenous success stories being produced from colonial media.