Listen to Telling our Twisted Histories podcast here
On May 31, CBClaunchedabrand new podcast calledTelling our Twisted Histories, a series that reclaims Indigenous history by exploring words whose meanings have been twisted by centuries of colonization.
Directed by Ossie Michelin and hosted byKaniehti:io Horn (Letterkenny, The Man in the High Castle), the 11-episode series guides listeners through conversations with more than 70 people from 15 Indigenous communities whose lands now make up Quebec, New Brunswick and Labrador.
"Savage. Reserve. Indian Time. Words connect us, but also have the power to wound, erase and replace us," says Horn."As Indigenous people, we are used to our stories getting a little twisted. This podcast is all about exploring some of these words, with humour and truth, so that we all better understand how they impact us to this day."
All episodes are available now onCBC Listen and everywhere podcasts are available.
Telling our Twisted Historiesis a CBC co-production in association with Terre Innue. An award-winning French-version of this podcast Laissez-nous raconter : L'histoire crochie was released by Radio-Canada in June 2020.
Eleven words with the power to hurt
Christopher Columbus, Jacques Cartier, even Leif Erikson all claimed to have found a 'new' land. But by the time they reached the shores of the Americas, millions of people had already been living here for at least 11,000 years. The Doctrine of Discovery a papal bull from the 1400's justified the dispossession and displacement of the First Peoples from their Lands. Together, we'll explore words that are now helping us to rewrite our history.
The First Peoples lived in balance with nature for thousands of years, inhabiting this land without borders or titles. We were relocated to tiny parcels of land, owned by the Crown, in order for colonial authorities to gain unhindered access to our lands. Today, we still dream about the vastness of our lands and waters. In this episode we'll decolonize the word RESERVE together, and discuss how land is so much more than property.
First Peoples learn by watching and listening. For over 150 years, Indian Residential Schools were one of the primary means by which the government assimilated us in order to "kill the Indian in the child." These compulsory schoolsshattered our families, our languages, and our cultures. This great pain was passed down from generation to generation and impacts our communities to this day. Together, we will decolonize the word schooland share our truths about learning.
Where do last names O'Bomsawin, Mukash, and Ikey come from? Ever since settlers arrived on our shores, First Peoples' names have been twisted. Church and government authorities created new names for us, sometimes ascribing us only a number. But in our culture, names are powerful gifts bestowed on us by our ancestors. They highlight a character trait that shows up at birth, or designate a life mission for each of us to embrace. This naming cultural practice is still prevalent today. Together, we will explore and decolonize the stories of our FAMILY NAMES.
The word "time" does not exist in Indigenous languages. The importance of being on time is cultural, and what can be seen as running late for some can be seen as a difference in perspectives and priorities for others. Together, we will decolonise INDIAN TIME and examine how Indigenous perceptions of time persist, even when you're running late.
How did we go from noble savages to dirty savages? Over time, the meaning of the word has shifted from natural, free, and pure to a derogatory word used to diminish us and cast us aside. The First Peoples were considered "uncivilized", synonymous with barbaric, bestial, and cruel. This word has inflicted deep wounds on Indigenous People. The word has created a wedge between us and fuels prejudices to this day. Together, we'll recall the true meaning of the word SAVAGE, and explore its impact.
How do you dismantle the colonial myth of POCAHONTAS? The impression of the Disneyfied Indian Princess has been indelibly pressed into young minds: she is naive and noble, sexualized, innocent, and needy of a white saviour to win her heart. In reality, Indigenous women have always played strong and valued roles in their communities, leading by will and courage. Western society has created the archetype of the Good Indian, frozen in time, smiling and helpful. Together, we will decolonize this stereotype and examine portrayals of Indigenous people in Hollywood and beyond.
BANNOCK is a traditional fry bread, a beloved delicacy among Indigenous Peoples. Each community has someone claiming to have the best recipe. But settlers introduced bannock ingredients into our diet flour, salt, and sugar, and with serious health repercussions. Together, we will decolonize this iconic dish and examine the impact of colonialism on our health.
OBEY whom, and what? This word does not exist in Indigenous languages. Our ancestors lived by our own systems of governance that sought to maintain harmony among all living things. It was impossible to think that we could give orders or submit. The concept of obedience was forced upon us by church and government authorities. It slowly took hold and changed both our way of life and our way of governing ourselves. The time has come to consider regaining our sovereignty and going back to our original ways of decision making.
Through missionary work and later, government-funded residential school system, our rituals and spiritualities were broken.We were forced to follow Christianity's top-down, hierarchical doctrine, under its vengeful and punitive god, but our circular worldview survived. In our view, all things coexist in an interconnected relationship with the universe. Together, we will decolonize the word GOD and uncover the richness of our spiritualities.
The word has made its way into the country's political vocabulary and into Indigenous communities. Some see it as yet another empty promise; overused and performative, while others see it as a way forward. It is a deeply divisive word in our communities, but what would a decolonized RECONCILIATION even look like? Would we still use the word? Together, we will decolonize the fractured relationship between Indigenous People and Canadians to look for a way forward that is balanced and fair.
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