“They wanted to give the natives a voice in running their affairs, without giving power to the masses.”
Category: Howard Adams
“Did Ambroise Lépine not play an equally important role as Riel in 1870 in Manitoba?”
“In this system we’re in, things aren’t right. We can’t all be rich and it takes a lot of poor people to make one person rich. I don’t agree with the system — I am basically a socialist-minded person.”
“The white power structure has used every possible method to destroy our spirit, and the will to resist. They have divided us into status and nonstatus, American and Canadian, Métis and Indian. We are fully aware of their ‘divide and rule’ tactic, and its effect on our people.”
“In the attempt to be intellectual, the authors’ writings are largely incomprehensible within the context of Marxism and Native Americans.”
“We want our children to be brought up as Métis and not as middle class pseudo-whites. These children belong in our Métis culture and nation.”
“White liberals are quite anxious to usurp our creations, as well as to embrace them as successes of the imperialist nation. But Aboriginal culture is not an appendage of white bourgeois culture.”
“Each community must follow its own distinct pattern. Central leadership only preserves and stabilizes the present capitalist system. Likewise, local councils should guard against the formation of any kind of hierarchy or bureaucracy or any distinction by age, sex, or education.”
“I believe it is the state, its institutions and structures that are at fault for the oppressive and deprived conditions of Aboriginal people.”
“Real changes and improvements for our people can not be obtained through parliament. It is a mistake and misleading to think that the white man’s government will ever bring any real freedom and equality to us.”
“Decolonization never takes place unnoticed. It happens under the glare of history’s floodlights. It is a complete calling into question of the total colonial situation.”
