Taking the grandchildren to see the horses. I never knew the Ojibwe to have a relationship to the horse. This relationship to these smaller, woodland dwelling horses was not something we talked about in ” First Nations Studies”, UWS.
In fact, our relationship to the natural world is as fractured as anyone’s. But Im working on that relationship.
While the boys are still interested in going places w grandma, we went last weekend, to view a small-scale herd of horses.
The horses are cared for by an Ojibwekwe, and her husband. Their goal is to help facilitate viable population of these horses.
And that the Ojibwe themselves / children/ average people would have access to these horses.
These horses were almost eradicated by colonists in the early part of the 19th century, as a so called, public nuisance. Similarly, the herds of the horses of the Niimipoo or Nez Perce by the U.S Army. It is mainly wealthy white people that own the horses now. White privilege is actually white supremacy. The u.s owes indigenous people’s reparations for their scorched earth campaign. These reparations will never be paid because they are too immense, too vast. We will sooner see reparations by way of self-determination by creating and asserting a new revolutionary anticolonial pan indigenous government.
The horses helped the Ojibwe with trap lines and hauling.
Roadkill factor. Racoons and Fox. Porcupine. Lots of deer.
The highways in Minnesota and Wisconsin are painted red with animal blood, mainly during deer hunting season. Oil wars feed the empire with the blood of our young people. Fossil fuel Blood money. Amerikkka has a love affair with cars.
Vehicles cause the most animal deaths. Cars kill more animals than that despicable colonialist past time, sport hunting. Displaced as these creatures are, from their world in the woods, of so-called Minnesota. June is the season for turtles to lay their eggs. For millions of years. At least, in this part of the Northern hemisphere.
At a turtle’s pace, turtles may try to cross the road. To lay their eggs, for life to continue.
It saddens me that I can’t make a road trip without viewing the mangled remains of various animal species.
Ironically, I make a lot of road trips.
Take out a pinch of tobacco & put it out when seeing a dead non – human.
Pack some heavy gloves in your trunk.
Carefully move their bodies off of the road.
Capitalism exasperates climate catastrophe.
My rickety 05 Grand Caravan was breaking down. And grotesque with rust. So unattractive. It has a mismatched red fender. We couldn’t find a blue one from the junk yard. At my partners prompting, I was persuaded to take out a loan for a 09 Chevy Impala. It was perfect well. comparatively…gold in color and almost perfect interior. Although I wouldn’t turn down a 64 Chevy Impala, reminiscent of low rider culture, and my beloved East Los. I have the credit score & he’s got the better income.
It is inevitable. Did I consider that a 12-year-old NASA study named automobiles the # 1 contributor to greenhouse gas emissions? It’s easy to imagine Amerikkka as the ” spiritual home of car culture”
Trying to imagine my way out of this mire.
Sad.
I am now enslaved to that loan. I am enslaved to that car. 30 + frog skins oil change. 32 frog skins renew my license. 40 for tabs. Have already put some 300 into it to keep it going.
Never really considered my relationship with the various vehicles I had owned over the years. Since I have lived in Southern Minnesota, I am on my 4th vehicle. Will it be my last, I ask myself. As many road trips as I take, it will be a good day to die one day. I visit dying rivers and homeless encampments. I managed to round up 5 people for a direct action to protect wolves in the wild. Had to bring 3 from Duluth. 200 miles from here to Duluth. I go to Duluth a lot..
I have 5 children. I had to buy (at one time) bags and more bags of food from the grocery store. It is inevitable under capitalism.
I’m one of those people that complains about climate change without an awareness of my own contribution.
I now commute 48 miles round trip to a gig in Northfield. Without the gig, I can’t afford the loan or the insurance.
The relationship of vehicles to climate catastrophe and the desecration of mother earth, cannot be overstated.
Although some people making a voluntary shift to horse, dog, bicycle or some kind of truly sustainable form of transportation it is only decolonization or collapse that will bring an end to cur culture. This decolonization can be brought about by indigenous rule. New environmental standards will be set by the pan indigenous government local food collectives will be mandated. Decolonize! Take the land back. Bring back the horse.
Written by Blackfeather, Ojibway, Cherokee nations
Edited by Invisible Warrior, Potowatomi, Dakota, Blackfeet nations
Illahee Spirit Runners 