Friday, May 10, 2013

I'm In Love with an Indian

I've been talking about Farmer Joe throughout the month of May in conjunction with The ABC's of Swearing. It all makes sense if you read my initial post: Assholes and My Engagement Story.

Farmer Joe is an Okanagan Indian from British Columbia, Canada.

So, what?! Well, in Canada we have a teeny tiny grotesquely gigantic problem with racism towards First Nations people. I grew up in a very closed-minded, small town filled with many people who had absolutely no respect for Aboriginal people. Anytime a crime was committed, it had to be a "fucking Indian". The town started to fall apart after the "fucking Indians" moved in. Members of my own family have been known to say things like, "That's all because of the fucking Indians." (I have a hard time even typing the word 'Indian' because it is so  heavily ingrained in me as a derogatory word.)

Of late, however, I have come to learn that a lot of First Nations and Aboriginal people (they're the same people) prefer to be called Indians. My educated guess is that they would rather the 'fucking' was left off the front and the derogatory tone dropped, but overall, they are good with the word 'Indian.' Go figure!


I spent last Christmas with Farmer Joe's family in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia. (In case you've never been there or even heard of it, let me tell you, if I believed in God, I'd say it's God's country.) Joe's family is a huge (compared to mine) family. There were upwards of 25 people in the house on Christmas day and it was magical. I have never felt so loved and accepted so immediately in my whole life. I think his Kye7e (Grandma) would have me if I would have let her.

Farmer Joe's Indian name is Susap.

I am in love with an Indian and proud to say so!




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9 comments:

  1. UnknownMay 10, 2013 at 5:18 PM

    Bigots are such fools. I mean we are all aboriginal to somewhere, yes? Even the fucking white people...Im happy for you! I could be in love with a guy with a third eye in the middle of his forehead and be happy as long as I was in love.

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  2. UnknownMay 10, 2013 at 5:20 PM

    Boy, sorry Brandy, I just reread that and it sounded really angry...I didnt mean for it to... but I guess being in a relationship with a man of color for many years, only to have him killed by an act of ethnic bigotry, has made me a bit uptight.

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    1. ~Brandy~May 10, 2013 at 5:30 PM

      I thought it was fine, Zoe. You have every right to be angry!

      Delete
  3. Julie You JestMay 10, 2013 at 8:53 PM

    I'm so glad you found love. It's awesome!! And I agree with Zoe - bigots are fools. Actually, that may be too kind a word.

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  4. Ida ThoughtMay 12, 2013 at 1:58 PM

    I think every nation has racism problems...if only we could all understand each others languages - anyway what is Kye7e? - I'm reading it as Kye seven e - is it an Indian word/name...? Am I pronouncing right?

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    1. ~Brandy~May 12, 2013 at 2:10 PM

      Kye7e is grandma in the Okanagan dialect. Hmm let's see if I can do the phonetics for it:

      ke ah (e sound is like egg...sort of)

      The 7 is used as the symbol for a sound. Sorry, it's difficult to explain.

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    2. Ida ThoughtMay 12, 2013 at 2:14 PM

      you explained as perfectly as you could to someone that knows nothing about any Indian language :)

      Delete
  5. UnknownMay 14, 2013 at 10:41 AM

    Who the fuck cares who you love? Black, white, brown, green, same sex, younger, older, whatever. Love is love. We should all be so lucky as to find love.

    -The Insomniacs Dream

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  6. LaeliMay 14, 2013 at 5:55 PM

    My dad is Cree. Well, Cree enough to be sent to a residential school here in Alberta. I lived in Williams Lake BC, I know too well the BS you speak of. Sadly, I do.
    I use the word Indian for myself :) Indian and proud of it!

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