Hmm...I'm very concerned and gravely disappointed in certain aspects and behaviours at prominent Aboriginal events this week Winnipeg. I want to raise an issue that has become highlighted by recent events - the issue of violence in the Aboriginal community.
First, I feel there needs to be an acknowledgement that the Aboriginal Community is growing from traditional cultural societies as historically portrayed, to a community that is mirroring and embracing the development and competitive nature of what may be referred to as mainstream society. These influences are accompanied by challenges of incorporating and adopting part of a culture this is not our own – in this perspective, focusing on the professional culture, arts and music industries.
A video recently uploaded to YouTube, “The Pink Party Winnipeg. Winnipeg's Most in action.” reveals violence at an Aboriginal Entertainment event.
First, I feel there needs to be an acknowledgement that the Aboriginal Community is growing from traditional cultural societies as historically portrayed, to a community that is mirroring and embracing the development and competitive nature of what may be referred to as mainstream society. These influences are accompanied by challenges of incorporating and adopting part of a culture this is not our own – in this perspective, focusing on the professional culture, arts and music industries.
A video recently uploaded to YouTube, “The Pink Party Winnipeg. Winnipeg's Most in action.” reveals violence at an Aboriginal Entertainment event.
This video captures alcoholism and violence taking place at event referred to as “2015 Indigenous Music Awards Official After Party – THE PINK PARTY.
This event is coordinated by Native Model Studio Canada, as part of Indigenous Music Awards
Native Model Studio Canada is a group, who “provide fashion show coordination, event planning, model training services and facilitate workshops on Confidence, self-esteem and support issues our young people face”; with the goal of breaking the stereotypes of Native America,
Upon viewing this video, it is SHOCKING to see people known in the Aboriginal music community, identified as role models for Aboriginal Young people, committing acts of violence against each other. Particularly shocking is to see Aboriginal men committing acts of violence against an Aboriginal woman.
This situation undermines the community's work regarding a national inquiry into Missing & Murdered Aboriginal Women in Canada, and the grassroots movement in Winnipeg- Meet Me at The Bell Tower - Stop The Violence.
What we see on the video is three Aboriginal Men, purportedly professional musicians of “Winnipeg’s Most” (Winnipeg Aboriginal hip hop recording group), visibly ganging up and assaulting an Aboriginal woman at a public event.
So many of us are working hard to address the challenges faced in the Aboriginal community, and we will now have to deal with the repercussions of this particular situation. They have added fuel to the perspective that Aboriginal people are solely responsible for the murdered and missing women. That is so wrong!
The question that comes to mind now is, “who will take responsibility for their own loss of control?” (the video may not show all that took place in that situation, but it did capture actions of a few individuals in that moment – who’s “famous as f*ck” now?) Will those who have supported this group continue to do so? Will the PINK PARTY organizers accept responsibility for what occurred at their event? How will this affect the Aboriginal community as a whole? We are not savages! Stop acting like it! This is not what we want to teach our children! Aboriginal Women's Lives Matter!
Kinanaskomitinawa!
Niiganii
Kinanaskomitinawa!
Niiganii
