Living as an aboriginal person who looks white.

I identify with my race. I have a white last name, but will be changed sometime in the near future. I want to honour my living and deceased relatives. I speak, and interact with my mother's side of the family. I have always identified as aboriginal. I've never once identified as once in all of my schooling, or basic conversation. Never despised my race regardless of how they are portrayed in pop culture today. I am comfortable and confident in being a First Nations individual. I have relatives on my mother's side who grew up and played the same part as I, I have relatives who have chose not to disclose any information on race. I have faced discrimination, never to the severity of some of my relatives. I've never picked on a fellow First Nation member of society.

I love my grandmother, wish I had met my great grandfather and hope to know more of my ancestry in the future.

I understand the current crises that is found in aboriginal populations. I've read on the Kelowna Accord, the cutting of many aboriginal social programs (sisters and spirit for example), the lack of clean drinking water and the successes of the Yukon Brotherhood. I defend aboriginals in any conversation. I have pride

But, it does not rush to my head, I'm not about to go put on a headdress and go to a pow-wow or Round Dance. I am afforded rights as an aboriginal, although they have been narrowed down and reduced/cut over the past 10 years. I am capable of moving on, in a polite manner while maintaining my heritage. I still have basic Aboriginal rights. However, they declare me as Metis now, which is pretty insulting to paint us with a broad brush.

These rights I am afforded include decent access to prescriptions and coverage on some medical things. Can buy tax free cigarettes and gas (woo!). But, the biggest one is a majority if not all of my schooling is taken care of. That is something I personally cannot put a price on, I probably wouldn't be chasing my dreams if it weren't for that.

That being said, most if not all programs aimed to assist First Nations peoples are either government ran or ran by a white person. and hundreds of years ago when white people came and forcefully took land it pissed a lot of people off. They 'cut' us some kind of break, but it is never enough. it is at least 8-11 generations from that time, and we still demand more. The government could easily neglect the deal or work their away around it where they don't owe us shit. I'm aware of the many stipulations and stigmas my people face. 

You did not know what residential schools were like unless you were forced into one, or have a relative who was. Anything you spread after that is hearsay. First Nations, are resilient and deserve the same amount of respect from anyone, as a general human rule, so should everyone else in society.

Don't ever call me white, or a hypocrite for standing up for my race.
More on this later.

Regards,

Devon