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| by Michelle Genee' Tripe' de' Roche, |
Jan 15, 2004 |
1) What is your full name?
Michelle Genee’ Tripe’de’Roche
2) What is the name of the people that you are from? Where were you born and when?
My mother was born and raised in Fort Chipewyan, Alberta (Alberta's first European settlement); we are Dene’ Chipewyan. I was born in Edmonton, Alberta in 1971 and continue to live here.
3) What are your interests? What are your goals for the future?
My interests right now are primarily work-related; I am very passionate about my job and I am finding that it is taking up a lot of my time right now. I work with Aboriginal youth within the context of Aboriginal education and absolutely love it! I see myself in each of the kids; they are the reflection of me when I was their age.
Some of my other interests include reading. I’m intrigued by the rising consciousness of spirituality. When I talk about spirituality, I do not refer to one specific religion. For myself, I do not believe in subscribing to any one religion; I believe there is a bit of truth to each religion. It really amounts to the fact that each religion has faith in a Supreme Being other than us. Two of my favorite authors are Don Miguel Ruiz, author of The Four Agreements, and Gary Zukav, author of The Seat of the Soul.
I also dream of traveling one day, so that I can catch a glimpse of our world and open myself up to other experiences. My long-term goals include continuing onto graduate studies, while continuing to work with Aboriginal youth.
4) What do you want the world to know about you and your people?
My wish would be for people to know that we are becoming “who we were meant to be” through education. We are becoming educators, researchers, lawyers, doctors - essentially role models to our younger generation. We are empowering ourselves, therefore creating a society that is now able to focus on the beauty of the culture rather than to be ashamed of it. The beauty was always there, but it was overshadowed by the negativity of outside influences dominating our culture.
5) Are there certain aspects of your culture that help shape your identity? Can you describe them?
Part of my identity is closely related to my culture. Growing up in a ‘non-Aboriginal’ world, I had to face the cultural assumptions and expectations of that world. I would be lying if I said it was all positive. However, my own belief is that everything has a purpose, both negative and positive. I understand first-hand some of the adversities that many of my students experience and that is also why I strongly believe in my job. Kids need to know that someone understands them, without judgment.
On a more personal level, from both the literature I have read and the mass media, Aboriginal peoples often have the stereotype that they are aligned with nature. I have a deep love and appreciation for our environment and everything it provides for us. I do not know if this is due to the fact that I am Aboriginal, but I like to think so.
6) What are your reflections on the past between your people and the government of the land you live in? Are there certain anecdotes you would like to share concerning the historical and/or present relationship of your community and the dominant society?
Before I continued onto post-secondary education, I was ignorant about the history of North American Indians. I could not comment on other peoples’ criticisms of treaty rights, for example. Generally, people tend to think that it is immoral for Aboriginal peoples to depend on the government for the funding that treaty rights allows, such as education and health care benefits. However, once you know the history of North American Indians, it provides a whole new perspective. For example, when the New World was discovered, both British and French policies were justification enough to take over Aboriginal territory with a total disregard for Aboriginal rights to land and government. Both countries took over occupancy and claimed jurisdiction, whether it was through conquest, right of discovery or the doctrine of terra nullius (a 17th century legal concept that permitted European colonial powers to assume jurisdiction over unoccupied lands). Of course, we now know that this New World territory was neither unoccupied nor unclaimed. Aboriginal peoples did not see land as something they could own, so it was not claimed per se, but it was lived on and valued. Everybody is welcome to their opinions, but I would like to see people be educated about these facts before they assert their beliefs.
7) What is your hope for your people in the future?
I have no doubt that Aboriginal peoples will continue to empower themselves, whether it is through the culture or through education. Both are powerful influences. My hope is that one day we will see less of the negative influences that surround many of our communities. Impoverishment and addictions are just some of the issues that ‘plague’ us. I pray that one day these will be overshadowed by all of the positive aspects of our culture.
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