David Ahenakew Dies
Although I never liked the man, he did do a lot for his people, and, regrettably, none of that is reflected in this article.
I taught school on his reserve many years ago. It was obvious that the Ahenakew clan were the "chosen" people, the recipients of all the perks. Ahenakew himself lived in the old Indian Agent's house, an elegant and graceful two-story structure that had the characteristics of a home built around the turn of the 19th century, with stained glass windows and the like. He had fixed it up to look real fine, but it certainly placed him apart from most of the reserve's residents, even from other members of the large Ahenakew family.
All told, he was a crusty old, foul-mouthed bugger, racist as all get out, who couldn't utter a single sentence without the words "God damned" inserted for emphasis. His demeanor was identical to the big union bosses of the 1960s. Loud-mouthed, ugly and stupid. His tenure as Chief of the FSI (precursor of the FSIN) was the era during which that organization took on the same confrontational style of belligerent activism as the 1960s unions, and it rarely changed tactics during the tenure of the many Chiefs at the helm since then, although there were a few notable exceptions.
In my humble opinion, the "Whiteman be damned" ethic instilled in Indian politics by David Ahenakew is what led directly to the fiasco at the First Nations University of Canada earlier this year, having been used time and again to justify corrupt practices and evade accountability at the band level on many First Nations in Saskatchewan. Standards meant to keep corruption out were for the Whiteman, and therefore not applicable in anything run by the FSIN or its member bands.
Let's honour the old goat for the good that he did for his people, but let's also hope that the great divide that the crude and confrontational style he created dies with him.
I taught school on his reserve many years ago. It was obvious that the Ahenakew clan were the "chosen" people, the recipients of all the perks. Ahenakew himself lived in the old Indian Agent's house, an elegant and graceful two-story structure that had the characteristics of a home built around the turn of the 19th century, with stained glass windows and the like. He had fixed it up to look real fine, but it certainly placed him apart from most of the reserve's residents, even from other members of the large Ahenakew family.
All told, he was a crusty old, foul-mouthed bugger, racist as all get out, who couldn't utter a single sentence without the words "God damned" inserted for emphasis. His demeanor was identical to the big union bosses of the 1960s. Loud-mouthed, ugly and stupid. His tenure as Chief of the FSI (precursor of the FSIN) was the era during which that organization took on the same confrontational style of belligerent activism as the 1960s unions, and it rarely changed tactics during the tenure of the many Chiefs at the helm since then, although there were a few notable exceptions.
In my humble opinion, the "Whiteman be damned" ethic instilled in Indian politics by David Ahenakew is what led directly to the fiasco at the First Nations University of Canada earlier this year, having been used time and again to justify corrupt practices and evade accountability at the band level on many First Nations in Saskatchewan. Standards meant to keep corruption out were for the Whiteman, and therefore not applicable in anything run by the FSIN or its member bands.
Let's honour the old goat for the good that he did for his people, but let's also hope that the great divide that the crude and confrontational style he created dies with him.
posted by Louise at 8:35 am
2 Comments:
Ahenakew led a troubled life, to put it charitably -- as we should treat (almost) anyone upon their passing.
It would have been nice to read about some of the good things Ahenakew did for his people -- one knows that enough has been written about his faults.
In my opinion, the good that he did for his people is mirrored by the advances made by tough union bosses. Better wages and better benefits, but at the cost of respect and sympathy from the great majority of people, including the membership who were only part of the unions because they had no choice.
Ahenakew was one of the earliest leaders to champion Treaty rights and all that stuff, but in the process an entire industry was created that feeds off of the federal teat and which prevents the open and honest discussion of any alternative points of view, which might lead to more realistic and pragmatic politics. So much of the Industry's bullshit is distortion and/or outright lies about history, but he was instrumental in getting it going. In many ways, this has led to a stalemate so firmly entrenched it will take a new revolution to overcome it. It reminds me very much of the lies that kept the communist regimes in power. Its affect on the masses of people is almost identical.
Some day, I should write a book.
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