Blue Quills Reflections

Blue Quills Reflections 

 A group of individual personal writings inspired by our group's pilgrimage to the site of the former Blue Quills Indian Residential School and now the proud current home of the  
Blue Quills First Nations College.

Larry

I had a vibrating feeling going all over my body while outside and inside the collage.

 It was like the dead were sending me a message.

Seeing pictures of classmates Some with fake smiles.The café had great food and staff.

Interesting stories from our guide.

I loved the artwork that was all over the place. 

 

 

Sylvie – Reflections on Reflections

the feeling of being watched

            ~

blue-aura guide

sharing her stories

and her strength

            ~

      

 The memories of spaces

Boilers, kitchens, staircases

            ~

there’s nothing funny about that.

       ~

more than a museum, but a reclamation – 

you cannot change history by burning it. 

  Jason

 I like and dislike Blue Quills at the same time.  Someone said “why don’t we just burn the place down?” Yes, but the stuff that is happening today on the very spot where these horrible things took place is reclamation.

 I dislike how justice has been handled/dealt regarding the atrocities at residential schools. I like Blue Quills as a place of uncomfortable remembrance and also reclamation.

Rangas on Generosity

One of The Writing Revolution in Place's favorite collective writing exercises is that of the simple Ranga. During our research this term, on a bright sunny winter's day we sat thought and wrote on "Generosity"

This is one of my favorites:

Generosity is giving more that you can, and Pride is taking less that you need. Nice, generosity in this sense is an act of compassion, in spite of abundance or lack thereof. Helpfulness is its own reward to many people which can lead to happiness. it may help ‘cause the good will come back Not all the good will come back. You are forgetting there are bad people out there so how can you get the good out of them? Good and evil reside within each of us. But most find it easier to share the bad. But why is it easier to share the bad? Is that true? If so, does that mean that we need to share the bad so someone can take on some of it to help us heal?

Tales from the personship of the W.R.I.P.

This is a great read you will think laugh and cry. Writing Revolution in Place 

Available at Rutherford Library University of Alberta Title: Writing Revolution in Place.Tales from the Personship of the WRIP. Call number; PS 8233 W75 20213 everybody place a hold or try to sign the only copy out

Our Presentation at the Edmonton Poetry Festival

Come join us for what promises to be a most powerful public reading of our works from this very trying year of study and research

A Long Hard Road Partially Traveled

A Long Hard Road Partially Traveled 

With the conclusion on March 30^thof the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Final National event held here in Edmonton. Much like the commission's own work our work is only now partially completed. it is now that we here have to try and make sense of the issues involved in all of this. 

Not only will we struggle to cope with understand and correct the past, we must also strive to mitigate any present damages, explore and promote the future healing of the people and our nations.
 

 Follow the link to the complete album of this event
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152283606218930.1073741832.802918929&type=1&l=4567ab4987

2014 a Busy 1st Quarter for Us

Well it has been only 6 weeks into the new year and we are really cooking now.

We are out and about being seen looking listening and learning. Meeting new people and writing our own histories

We are also so looking forward to our new beginnings, relationships and lives.



We are reacquainting ourselves with old friends and returning members

We are forward looking and truly looking forward to the approaching work lined up for this term

Well it is that time again , 1st class of our new term

Well we finished off 2013 with A rousing improve class and end of term reading at the Edmonton Public Library.

We have an absolutely jam packed course schedule, with Readings, Guest Speakers, Road Trip, Collective Cooking and Culinary Storytelling, Edmonton Poetry Festival, The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada and where ever else our research takes us.

Here are a few photos for next years class posters, hope to see you in these next year!


ENJOY the NEW YEAR 2014

Nelson Mandela’s deep respect for Canada ?

This is a piece which I read at our Public readings on Dec 10th 2013

Nelson Mandela’s deep respect for Canada ?

It is just too bad that Canada the corporation does not respect Mr. Nelson Mandela or his life’s work, his sacrifices, his perseverance and pride in his people. The appearance of former CEO’s of Canada is to all Canadian citizens repulsive hypocritical and completely disrespectful. How can it be anything else?

 I truly feel that these less than honorable persons should stay home in their own racist apartheid police state. In a state which they themselves have continued and still continue to perpetuate upon its own peoples. These current and former leaders of a country built on and by sadistic, genocidal, inhumane and torturous domestic political policies which targeted innocent children and families, should absolutely not be representing the very citizens who were traumatized and devastated by these same policies and immoral ideals which these so called representatives still uphold today. 

To me this is tantamount to sending a delegation of white supremacists clad in the Canadian flag to Mr. Mandela’s memorial. This is extremely insulting repugnant and a massive diplomatic faux pas on behalf of the Nation of Canada and its citizenry.

Does any reasonable person actually believe that someone like Mr. Nelson Mandela would truly respect a leader of a country who has just targeted a majority of his citizens as adversaries and eco-terrorists? Nelson Mandela was a very smart, wise and cunning person who achieved his and his nation’s goals by smiling in the face of his enemies. So it could be excused that his gentle manner warm smile conviction and diplomatic skills be misinterpreted by those who are void of any such qualities, as having his personal respect.  

 As imitation is the truest form of flattery, then possibly the truest form of respect is to follow Mr. Mandela’s example, adopt his principles, his morality, his sense of justice and equality for all.

If our current puppet leader wishes to truly pay respect to this extraordinary man he should return to Canada immediately reconvene parliament and force through legislation. Legislation which would once and for all eliminate any and all oppressive fascist racist or tyrannical legislation which is still on or about to be placed on the books. He should cease the continual perpetuation of the great Canadian lie. A lie that is so convincing that apparently even Mr. Mandela himself, much like the majority of all Canadians since confederation, have been so completely fooled by.  As if there was anyone on this planet who would be able to recognize institutional racism it would be the man who has stared in the face of it for most of his life.  

Personally recalling his affinity and the strength which he drew from the poetic work “Invictus” by William Ernest Henley, specifically the closing lines” I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul.” As any good experienced responsible captain of any vessel would do, I would surely welcome aboard someone like Mr. Nelson Mandela as the pilot of my soul to help this captain chart his course through the difficult treturous channels and passages of life in today’s Canada.