Colonization of the Spirit is their goal

There is nothing worse to a persons Spirit than to tell them they were born in sin.To make them feel like they are in hopeless situation even before they can make any conscious decisions on their own is Spiritual genocide.Colonization of the Spirit is their goal. It is the most unspiritual thing you can tell someone, it amount to Spiritual murder.

It is, however, convenient if one wishes to control the masses or put them in fear. It is however the oldest trick in the book, to shame and guilt people into doing what you what them to do. It is even more convenient after you told them that believing what we believe is the only way to save you, we are are gatekeepers to your savior.

Scripture says that we are born sinners and that we are by nature sinners

Psalm 51:5 states that we all come into the world as sinners: “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me.” Ephesians 2:2says that all people who are not in Christ are “sons of disobedience.”Ephesians 2:3 also establishes this, saying that we are all “by nature children of wrath.” If we are all “by nature children of wrath,” it can only be because we are all by nature sinners — for God does not direct His wrath towards those who are not guilty. God did not create the human race sinful, but upright. But we fell into sin and became sinful due to the sin of Adam.

Scripture speaks of humans as unrighteous from infancy
There are also verses which declare that we are all unrighteous from the time that we are born. Proverbs 22:15 says “Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child.” Genesis 8:21 declares, “. . . the intent of man’s heart is evil from his youth.” Jonathan Edwards, in his classic work The Great Christian Doctrine of Original Sin Defended, remarks that on this verse: “The word translated youth, signifies the whole of the former part of the age of man, which commences from the beginning of life. The word in its derivation, has reference to the birth or beginning of existence . . . so that the word here translated youth, comprehends not only what we in English most commonly call the time of youth, but also childhood and infancy.”  (http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/what-is-the-biblical-evidence-for-original-sin)

This is Spiritual intimidation at its worst, but there is Spiritual solution here. And it is simple, We WERE BORN OUT OF LOVE AND INTO LOVE. And we come from a thousand point of love which is our ancestors. They brought us here so we can find out what love really is. There is nothing wrong with being born human. You are not a plague. You are not diseased. You are not a mistake. And are not sinful in anyway when you are born. New born babies are beautiful, a spearhead of God’s love for us. Saying to us,  ” I believe in you.”

We are Spiritual beings having a natural human experience. Playing a part in the much bigger circle of life here on Earth. None of this has changed since the beginning of time, since the time of the first songs and first dance. We are only among our family as we walk this Earth. We are all forms, sizes and shapes of God’s love here in Earth.

You are Love. That is the answer they don’t want to tell you.

“I love you all.” -Wayne Snellgrove

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Letter to the PM of Canada, Let the Healing begin.

Wayne William Snellgrove

13909 NE 20^th Place

North Miami Beach, FL 33181 USA

June 26, 2016

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

80 Wellington Street

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1A 0A2

Dear Prime Minister Justin Trudeau;

My name is Wayne William Snellgrove, born Dwayne Ivan Smoke, on the Fishing Lake First Nation, Wadena, Saskatchewan. On the day of my birth April 4, 1971, I was taken from my mother, family, culture and heritage, and placed in non-native foster homes and orphanages, as per legislative policies of the time.  As you know these polices were later coined the Sixties Scoop. I was later adopted by a wonderful, but non-Native white family in the U.S.

 Thirty-two years later I was fortunate to re-unite with my Native mother in my home country of Canada. Seeing her for the first time began the healing process for both of us. Many others will never have that opportunity to begin healing.

There is no mystery to the harm that the Canadian government’s predecessors inflicted on my people. These policies and the objectives were based on the assumption that aboriginal cultures and spiritual beliefs were inferior and unequal.

 I thank you for your December 2015 remarks, reiterating your commitment to addressing the “fundamental inequality” between indigenous and non-indigenous Canadians. And I further thank you for your government’s June 2008 direct apology to the residential school survivors. Acknowledgement of mistakes is a wonderful and extremely important first step.

Let us set aside politics and begin thinking about the realm of the Spirit. This is where the true healing of my people – of all our people – can begin. For years, the Indian Residential Schools told First Nation children to adopt the colonial way of life.  In forcing the children to do so, the schools cut their hair, beat them when they spoke their own language, and shamed them for acting in any way Indigenous. My mother spoke of this and still feels the deleterious effects to this day.  She is afraid and ashamed to speak her own language, and to wear the pride of her nation and the birthright of her culture and heritage. The Sixties Scoop children weren’t given shame by the government; they were given exile, forever mourning the loss of their native family, culture and heritage. Most never made it back.

 Let us change this shame to pride.  Tell the people of all the First Nation you represent it is okay to pray in the tradition of our ancestors. Tell the people it is okay to speak the language of our ancestors. Most of all tell the people it is most important to honor their ancestors and follow their way in traditional ceremonies. Empower the people. Help them preserve and honor their ancestral ways. In doing so the healing of all the people of Canada will begin.

 Thank you for your leadership in the essential mission to reunite the First Nations of Canada with their culture with their spiritual ways, and to help them renew their most crucial and precious connection to Mother Earth that serves all Nations. The healing must begin now.

With sincere gratitude,

 Wayne William Snellgrove, born Dwayne Ivan Smoke

Fishing Lake First Nation

I can be the light in dark places.

I cringe every time I hear it –  like hearing nails on a chalk board. I listen to story after story of spiritual death, modern day survivors of an ancient and outdated belief. In their spiritual agonal breath they say, “we are born into sin,” crushed under a belief that wasn’t their own. Most are unable to break free from the gifted bondage of original sin from the Catholic Church. It is, in essence, imprisoning the Spirit before it gets a chance to understand what love really is. They spiritual genocide survivors.

My belief is simple. We are born out of love and into love.  Period.  We are all one, every living thing on this planet is born into love. Spiritual beings born into a physical body, into a dynamic and wonderful world of overlapping harmony and into a oneness with all creation.

As a Native I believe in the teachings of Jesus as powerful messages from a man who walked his talk.

The root of all oneness with the universe is love. It’s what connects us all. It is in our spiritual DNA, as of yet undetectable by science, but nonetheless felt by millions.

Telling the masses they are born into sin is very convenient way of controlling the masses, and it amounts to spiritual Communism. This concept doesn’t empower the people, it makes them feel powerless. Which is opposite of what the Spirit does. The Spirit, which is love, is the thread of empowerment, and is available to all people all the time.

Let go of what doesn’t serve you or the Spirit. Be guided by the power that serves all life not just the Catholic Church.

Interesting to note that this idea never came from Jesus himself.

The bottom line is we are love, born into a world of interwoven harmony but shaped by human weakness.

We can embody and be guided by the same love that Jesus did at anytime we choose. We don’t need anybody to tell us us that.  We can be the light that shines in dark places.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Letting the Spirit Speak to us

Why I do what I do.

Both my Facebook pages by design are Spiritual in nature, my personal and one geared towards Native Spirituality. Both serve the Spirit of Love and are meant to help others.

http://www.facebook.com/wayne.snellgrove

and

http://www.facebook.com/The-Wayne-Smoke-Snellgrove-Saulteaux-Cree-1429141240699876/

My personal Facebook page 5 years ago simply started out as a a fun site to post funny interesting things about my life, where I was and what I was doing.  Then as I grew in the Spirit so did my site. I’m in recovery and for years I would begin my day reading daily morning meditations, just for my personal growth, building a stronger relationship to my God, and trying to move closer to his understanding. And than it occurred to me maybe other might find something of use for these spiritual gems I was reading.Over this time period, at the time I only had one site, and but then started to gather spiritual wisdom and quotes from all sacred sources on the web, Catholic, Jewish wisdom Kabbalah, Sufi, Buddhist, Muslim, Taoist, and many others as well wisdom from writers, poets, song writers, and all other dreamers of the Spirit. So I started to post these, not because anyone group was right, but because at some point I realized the way of Spirit, the way the spirit speaks to me was found in all of them, together, in unity. They all had something to offer the others didn’t a different perspective. We can’t see all perspectives from one point of view,  but all have the spirit of gentleness and thats the great power we can carry to others.

Religions, sects, and denominations all divide us, but the way of the Spirit brings us all together and unites us all with one heart and one mind.

My journey is to bring a genuine understanding of this by example, be an example of his power, instead of the ego laced power of example. Letting the power of the Spirit flow through me for the people, and let them experience, read and meditate on that power of the spiritual of diversity and let the Spirit fill them with white light and love.

I am a Native American genocide survivor, and my second Facebook site, is based on the fact that I am. My experience has been there is a huge misunderstanding about what we do and who we are, and I feel compelled to help guide a change in this attitude, and show people we are people of the Spirit. Its my genocide prevention site. A little understanding goes a long way, sharing the of from our ancestors. We are not mascots and broken alcoholics on reservations. We are still here. We are people of unique power and substance who have something of value to offer this world.

We speak of and pray about the value of our Mother Earth, how we must protect her to protect us because we are the same, and not only for us but the future 7 generations yet unborn.

We speak of a concept called “Mitakuye Oyasin”  which is a Lakota term translated,  “All my relations”  In Part it means, What I do for you, I do for myself, what I fail to do you, I fail to do for myself.

Both sites are designed to be less about me and more the Spirit.”Hollow bones” my ancestors said, be the avenue which his power flows through. Surrendering of the ego, creates that flow. That is what always is best for the people.

Most of all I hope to convey the message nobody owns the Spirit, it is all of ours to share, love and enjoy. The spirit will speak to us in ways that each of us understand, in voice which we will understand it, at the perfect time we are to understand it.

 

 

 

 

All life is created in God’s image.

All life is created in God’s image. It is human arrogance to believe that we are the only ones. Anything that creates or tries to create a hierarchical separation is inherently dangerous to all life. That is the danger that religion brings, the belief that they somehow its members have a higher sanction over other lives and that their lives are more important. This belief fuels the machine of Genocide against all life. All life is created by God, and therefore all life is sacred.

Man did not weave the web of life – he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself.   – Chief Seattle

Certain religions tells their followers that “God is on our side,” which absolves that individual of any crime against life. Just because people walk different spiritual paths doesn’t mean anyone has gotten lost or walking the wrong path or their life is worth any less. Religion creates separation in the sacred circle of life by placing a higher value to one person over another.

Deuteronomy 7 King James Version (KJV)

2 and when the Lord your God has delivered them over to you and you have defeated them, then you must destroy them totally.[a] Make no treaty with them, and show them no mercy. 3 Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons, 4 for they will turn your children away from following me to serve other gods,and the Lord’s anger will burn against you and will quickly destroy you. 5 This is what you are to do to them: Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones, cut down their Asherah poles[b] and burn their idols in the fire. 6 For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.

Believing in any of this passage is spiritual suicide. The first 2. of Dueteronomy makes it clear that its is OK the kill and destroy Nations and tribes that don’t believe their God. They are against inter-racial marriage, which we all know is is wrong, and who people can or can not love for fear of not might not believe in the same God. Sounds like fear based faith, not a love based faith. And worse it tells people that if they believe in him they are “you are his most treasured possession” again creating a clear hierarchical order of who God value’s more and creating separation between lives. Those who believe in this are caught somewhere between spiritual ignorance and arrogance.

I understand the concept of spiritual evolution, thousands of years ago the people thought the world was flat because thats as far as they could see, hundreds of years ago people thought the earth as the center of the universe…chalk that one up to human arrogance. And than the spiritual neanderthals wrote Deuteronomy 1-7. They are as wrong today as the day they wrote it. Just because they were considered to holy men back than doesn’t make them right today. This doesn’t sound anything like Jesus would say and it doesn’t sound like anything Jesus did.

This sounds like a early prelude to Manifest Destiny, which is a term for the attitude prevalent during the 19th century period of American expansion that the United States not only could, but was destined to, stretch from coast to coast. This attitude helped fuel Western settlement, Native American removal and war with Mexico.

I have been called a pagan, a demon, and a heathen by those who heard me voice my opinion about the Native American Spirituality. All were attempts to de-humanize me and degrade my existence. They are spiritual child like, resorting to name calling. Its what we do in the 3rd grade. They are children, like we all are, of The Creator.

In the end, it is just human ego and weakness that drives man to separate one from one another. In other words, spiritual ego in the name of God. God’s image and nature is love, balance and harmony, of which, man alone has very little. Man has choice, yes, but as the late great Jimmy Hendrix said, “When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace.”

The world will never understand spirituality or peace until such thinking is eradicated from the minds of those that would keep us separated.

Peace out.

Wayne William Snellgrove, Saulteaux Cree

Fishing Lake First Nation

Spiritual Path.

Spiritual Path

Just because people walk different Spiritual paths doesn’t mean anyone has gotten lost or walking the Wrong path. I am wary of those who want to Convert anyone into a their Spiritual journey. The oak tree doesn’t say to the Ash tree “come with me and i will convert you to the right of kind of tree.” The otter doesn’t say to the mighty Bear “I will show who God really is.” The Orchid doesn’t say to the Daisy “Please come with me because you need to be saved.” We are all beautiful flowers in the eyes of God. Our beauty comes in all different sizes and shapes, and blooms at various times and places. We must this learn lesson from the animals, trees, and flowers. God doesn’t love one tree more than other another. They live in harmony with each other, and so must we. Dr. Martin Luther King said “We must live as brothers or die as fools.” God doesn’t love one man more than other. We are all equally loved in His eyes. This world will become a way of PEACE when we realize we must honor, love, and respect our differences, just as the way of the world we are surrounded in. Just because we choose not to see it or acknowledge it doesn’t mean its not there.
If it is about love, than it is about GOD. If its not about LOVE than it is not about about God. If it is about creating separation between men than it isn’t about God. God doesn’t love Christians more than Buddhists, or Jews more than Muslims. God doesn’t love the Catholic’s more than the Hindu’s. Its not up to God to create PEACE, it is up to us to ACCEPT IT. PEACE was already here before man arrived. The Dalai Lama summed it up well, “Kindness is my Religion”. 

Nobody owns a monopoly on GOD or Love, No church, no Temple or Mosque. All humans are created equal no matter the color of their skin, ethnic background, gender, social or economic level, tribe, or sexual orientation. Love as well as God comes in all shapes and sizes. Not just from one source, not from one book, one religion or one holy place. The source comes from everywhere, Ghandi, Buddha, Thich Nhat Hanh, Black Elk, Desmond Tutu, Dr.King, Jesus, all great teachers, and many others. We can learn from ALL as long as we remain open minded to The Great source which is GOD. God’s loving finger prints are found everywhere if we choose to look. Everybody has something wonderful to offer, even if its just and hug or a smile.

We must learn learn all places are sacred, Earth is our only Holy ground.

When we stop focusing on our differences in our SPIRITUAL PATH’s and start focusing on what we have in common this world will find a new level of understanding peace and spiritual prosperity. What we al have in common is Love. All major religions foundation is love. Why focus on anything else.

We are all part of the same web of life. We all sit in the same circle. The circle of life. Man is just a small part of that circle. “Man did not weave the web of life – he is merely a strand in it.

Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself.” – Chief Seattle,

Letter to His Holiness Pope Francis,

Wayne William Snellgrove

XXXXX XX XX XXXXX

North Miami Beach,

33181

XXXXXXXXXX@outlook.com

August 14th, 2015

His Holiness Pope Francis

Apostolic Palace 11120

Vatican City

“Everyday that I don’t raise my voice in opposition AGAINST oppression I give the guilty parties a pass. They don’t get a pass from me anymore. Period.”

Wayne William Snellgrove born Dwayne Ivan Smoke, Fishing Lake First Nation.

___________________________________________________________________

Dear His Holiness Pope Francis:

My name now is Wayne William Snellgrove, but I was born Dwayne Ivan Smoke on the Fishing Lake First Nation Reserve in Saskatchewan, Canada. The day of my birth I was taken from my mother, family, culture, and heritage without warning or due process by the Canadian Government and placed by Child Welfare Services into church-run state-run care and then sold to a white American couple and brought to the United States.

My story is unfortunately not the only story like this; tens of thousands of Indigenous babies were stolen in much the same manner by Child Welfares Services and placed into church-run orphanages and foster care.

This policy was later dubbed “The Sixties Scoop.” I believe the Church and Canadian Government policy clearly falls under the United Nation’s definition of genocide, particularly section “(e)” Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.

The International Convention of the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide on December 9, 1948 set the United Nations definition of genocide: General Assembly Resolution 260A (III) Article 2 In the present Convention, genocide means any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such:

(a) Killing members of the group;

(b) Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;

(c) Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part;

(d) Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group;

(e) Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.

The Inter Caetera, or Doctrine of Discovery issued by Pope Alexander VI in 1493 stated that any land not inhabited by Christians was available to be discovered, claimed, and exploited by Christian rulers and declared that “the Catholic faith and the Christian religion be exalted, and be everywhere increased and spread, that the health of the souls be cared for, and that barbarous nations be overthrown and brought to the faith itself.” This Doctrine of Discovery became the bass of all European claims in the Americas as well as the foundation for the United States’ western expansion.

This is clearly part of the historical problem between the indigenous people of the world and the Church doctrine as it stands to this day. There is nothing right or spiritual about this document. It amounts to ethnic cleansing and genocide in the name of Jesus. I encourage you to officially rescind this official church document to accompany your July 9, 2015 public apology made to the people in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. By doing so, you would add depth and weight to your statement.

I see the apology itself as historic and the beginning of a major shift by the church in the right spiritual direction. However, with that being said, apologies can be powerful, especially when accompanied by concrete actions. Access to counseling is one concrete step the Vatican could make in assisting indigenous individuals and families affected by the Sixties Scoop. I also would like the Vatican to host a roundtable with Sixties Scoop survivors, to hear their stories, and develop an action plan to move toward healing and reconciliation.

On a more personal note, as a Native American spiritual leader, teacher, and Sixties Scoop genocide survivor, I would like the opportunity to come together with you and tell my story of survival and how I was able to overcome the Christian resolve to destroy my culture and heritage using the God-given power of forgiveness.

Thank you for your attention and I look forward to your reply.

Sincerely,

Wayne “Smoke” Snellgrove

Everyday that I don’t raise my voice in opposition AGAINST oppression I give the guilty parties a pass. They don’t get a pass from me anymore. Period.

Today I received a response letter from Cam Broten Leader of the Official Opposition in Canada in Saskatchewan referring to my letter to the Premier.
He called my “actions brave and powerful” for raising my voice.

Everyday that I don’t raise my voice in opposition AGAINST oppression I give the guilty parties a pass.  They don’t get a pass from me anymore. Period.

____________________________________________________________

Leader of the Official Opposition

Saskatchewan
Legislative Assembly
2Eä Legislative Budding Regina, Saskatchewan sas OBS
Phone: (306) 787-738B

August 12, 2015
Wayne Smoke-Snellgrove
Fishing Lake First Nation
Email: XXXXXXXXXX@XXXXXXXXXX

Dear Wayne Smoke-Snellgrove:
Thanks for sending me a copy of your letter to the Premier regarding the Sixties Scoop and for sharing the story of your experience from this dark chapter in our province’s history. I apologize for the delay in my response.

On June 21 st, I publicly called on the Government of Saskatchewan to issue a formal apology for Saskatchewan’s role in Canada’s Adopt Indian Métis program. I was pleased that the government responded positively on June when it pledged to formally apologize this fall.

Apologies can be powerful, especially when they’re accompanied by concrete actions.

Easier access to birth records as well as access to counselling are concrete steps the government should take to assist individuals and families affected by the Sixties Scoop. I also want the provincial government to host a roundtable with Sixties Scoop survivors, to hear their stories, and develop an action plan to move toward healing and reconciliation.

I believe that extending opportunity to more and more people is critical to improving our shared futures and to building a stronger province both socially and economically. Acknowledging the Sixties Scoop as a damaging historical wrong with long-lasting consequences can help tear down a barrier to a better life for many in our province.

Again, thanks for sharing your story and for bravely and powerfully raising your voice on this important issue.

Sincerely,

Cam Broten

LETTER to BAN KI-MOON SECRETARY GENERAL of the UNITED NATIONS.

Wayne William Snellgrove

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

XXXXX XXXXXX, XX, XXXXX

August 4, 2014

Dear Honorable Ban Ki-moon,

My name now is Wayne William Snellgrove, but I was born Dwayne Ivan Smoke on the Fishing Lake First Nation Reserve in Saskatchewan, Canada. The day of my birth I was taken from my mother, family, culture, and heritage without warning or due process by the Canadian Government and placed by Child Welfare Services into state run care.

My story is unfortunately not the only story like this; tens of thousands of Indigenous babies were stolen in much the same manner by Child Welfares Services and placed into orphanages and foster care.

This policy was later dubbed “The Sixties Scoop.” I believe this Canadian Government policy clearly falls under the United Nation’s definition of genocide, particularly section “(e)” Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.

The International Convention of the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide on December 9, 1948 set the United Nations definition of genocide: General Assembly Resolution 260A (III) Article 2 In the present Convention, genocide means any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such:

(a) Killing members of the group;

(b) Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;

(c) Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part;

(d) Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group;

(e) Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group

The process of healing and reconciliation begins with the accused admitting their wrongs. We in the Canadian Indigenous community are waiting for atonement and a public amends for injuries made.

I understand this is a politically charged issue, particularly in light of the Canadian Government’s mounting losses in trying to dismiss the Sixties Scoop class action in Federal court. The mark of a mature Government and culture is to take care of its people and repair those mistakes of the past.

That being said, small steps towards healing have already begun. The Premier of Manitoba, Greg Selinger, has already publicly made his apology to the Native peoples of Manitoba. And the Premier of Saskatchewan, Brad Wall, has officially stated, both publicly and personally, his office will issue an apology in the coming months.

My personal aim is not to embarrass the Canadian Government but facilitate the healing of the Indigenous people. This is on the shoulders of Stephen Harper’s government to now set this process in motion and admit to world the Canadian government’s responsibility for the genocide.

I respectfully request my voice be heard – that I be granted the opportunity to tell my in front the General Assembly of the United Nations.

Thank you for your attention. I eagerly await your reply.

Wayne William Snellgrove, Born Dwayne Ivan Smoke

Native Saulteaux Indian from Canada growing in exile as a non-Native (Part 1 of 7).

No one has ever ask me what it like growing up in orphanage and foster care. I guess its a topic too heavy for peoples delicate sensibilities. Even the hard-hitting reporters from Europe and elsewhere who have interviewed me all shied away from such an emotional question. It could have been that it wasn’t the gist of the story, which I get. Its a human interest story in a vast much lager story. As it turned out my years in the state run care were just a weigh stations to other things.

During my public speaking events I bring the audience to what it like during those first few years of my life. The dark hall was fill  the smell evaporated stale urine and death wafting in the air. Dozens of dirty blood-stained beds lined up side by side. And their I was; a scared Indian little boy, with a silent voice in his head saying “only the quiet ones survive.”  I heard this over and over. There was no place to run, no place to hide.There was no human interaction. I had no family or friends, I was alone in this universe.  I knew nothing but fear, feeling and knowing that any moment could have been my last.  I had no sense of life or color, every thing was in black and white, almost like i was living a dream world. But it was no dream. This was my truth and my truth was nightmare in every respect.  This was my memory of life.

By this this point in my presentation, only minutes in, everybody fixed on my next word, they are silently squirming in the there seats waiting to hear the next horrid detail. Like a rubberneckers trying not to look at the bodies on the road after an accident as they pass by.

I had no concept or God or a Higher power, the only thing I knew if there was a God, he left here along time ago and humanity left long before that. This was no place for anyone to to live. The only thing breeding there death. Later in school my native heritage  was referred to as “savage.”

What was happening, unbeknownst to me, my life had been forfeited a decade before I was born by a Canadian legislative policy of assimilation later dubbed the “60s scoop.” This was the result; me standing there dirty and afraid, miles away from my birth mother and million miles away from what right, normal and natural.  This how they dealt with the aboriginals of Canada,  but of course I didn’t know this or meet my birth mother for for another 32 years.

A year later i shipped off again to my next location, a new home. This time it was in the States.  It wasn’t until years after that did i realize that this was my new family…..