Meaning of Home
On the place where my home sits
The WSANEC have walked since time immemorial
They gathered berries and
They walked in tall grasses and looked out on the sea for salmon.
Until one day a ship arrived
The water boomed as the great shadow of darkness fell
As strange people walked out of the ship
an unbearable rain fell.
They squashed plants, killed the salmon people
The delicate balance between nature and humanity shattered forever.
They came back with more people but only brought disease and a depressing sadness biting away at the heart of the WSANEC people
As the years passed on their sadness only deepened
and the hate toward them never stopped.
Their children were taken away and
were forced to learn the foreign language
of the boat people.
Those are my people.
So when you ask me about my home, it really isn’t mine
It belongs to the WSANEC
I need to remember this always
It is my job as one of those people to acknowledge
My mistakes that my ancestors made.
I must be grateful
But also responsible.
Because of what my ancestors have done the WSANEC people are drowned in sorrow and he hate towards them has dwindled but has never stopped.
Today some of the people are limited
by the hate and aren't accepted into
jobs because of their culture.
Some can’t afford homes because of this.