Chippewar

Teenage Mutant Anishinaabe Turtles

Resilience In A Half Shell,
TURTLE POWER

Designed and printed by Jay Soule aka CHIPPEWAR

Printed at STOODIS PRINTING TORONTO

https://chippewar.com/collections/aboriginal-design-shirts/products/tmat

This is the first painting I ever shared on Instagram. It’s from 2014.

It’s called “ Divided We Remain Conquered “

A fitting painting for 2014 and 2023.

I think we’ve hit a turning point on this Pretendian issue.

For days I’ve watched many people I know on social media and in person, publicly bash and attack Buffy.

They’ve also added their two cents on others‘ social media feeds commenting relentlessly anywhere the issue was being talked about.

I know this because I’ve been quietly observing.

Fast forward to two days later and many of the same people changed their tune after Buffy released her statement. Now they say she is a friend, colleague, a warrior, an icon etc.

We all see you.

We’ve watched you bully, ridicule and judge in the most disgusting self righteous way.

We’ve now also seen how you flip-flop when the community put a foot down for Buffy.

Even some of the loudest mouths of all gave Buffy a pass. Again, we see you.

I’ve watched y’all bully and ridicule for years—destroying peoples lives, kinship, businesses, connection to community all for clout and tickling the social media algorithms.

It’s time you ask yourselves if you are on the right side of this issue.

Have you conducted yourself in a way that you can look back and be proud of?

Is the community looking at you and proud of your contribution?

I can tell you I’m not.

I’m ashamed and hurt by your actions. I find myself not wanting to participate in the Indigenous community. How do I share space, uplift and support people who I watch publicly ridicule and destroy others?

Many of these people I speak of present themselves as being about community, harm reduction, reclamation, decolonization, traditional teachings and ceremony, however, behaviour like this reveals the complete opposite.

It’s like religious folk being awful all week then going to church on Sunday to repent and erase all of the sins of the week.

Your ribbon skirt and ribbon shirts, smudging and ceremony don’t absolve you of this behaviour.

We see you.

Regardless of what the CBC Fifth Estate series reveals, it doesn’t change the fact that the way you’re conducting yourself is shameful.

Some of you might remember over the years I’ve shared my thoughts on this issue.

I’ve always stated I believe we should address it but do it in a way that is mindful of all of the residential school survivors, disenfranchised, 60s scoop survivors, millennial scoopers, mixed folks and everyone in between.

Let’s return to our talking circles, restorative justice circles and in-person ways of communicating in a kind and loving way.

Let’s take it off social media.

Let’s address it in community and in a way that protects the vulnerable.

I am hurt.

I am vulnerable.

I am your brother.

CHIPPEWAR