Aboriginal - Girls Action Foundation

By Mikayla Cartwright
Even the tallest trees, that graze the clouds and tower above us, commenced their
long journeys as mere seeds. Were it not for the roots that keep those givers of
life firmly planted in the Earth, we would lose the most graceful of nature’s gifts. The
same can be said of humans, as we go about our daily lives. Where we come from,
where we began, is responsible for who we are. And we all came from a woman. As
a young Aboriginal person, I take exceptional pride in my heritage and what it has
provided me with to succeed in life. I believe profoundly in the power that we possess,
and as such I feel that it is important to pass this on to younger generations, through as
many mediums as possible- be it through literature, music, film or any other artistic or
academic channel. We need to restore meaning and purpose to those who have been
made to feel as though they have none, and that has to begin at the root.
Since time immemorial, women have been highly respected in Native cultures; not
only for their obvious positions in the grand scheme as those who provide life, but also
for so many other gifts that we give to those that surround us. It is a shame that since
colonization, a few of these gifts have been ignored. This leaves contemporary Aboriginal
women questioning their worth, wondering whether or not they have anything to offer
the people around them. No woman, Native or otherwise, should be made to feel as
though they have no place in the world. We have the power to reverse this, as we have
so much inherent in our female nature that is useful and beneficial to our families and
communities. In Haudenosaunee culture, women were consulted before any decisions
were made that were to affect the community. The matriarchal-matrilocal society
was based on the concept of providing for the members of the family, and therefore
knowledge of the longhouse, agriculture, medicines etc was passed down by the women.
This resonates throughout many cultures, but unfortunately there was a time when
this was forgotten. As a result pride is no longer something you own and it has to be
learned. I believe that young women need to be taught as soon as they have the ability
to ingest knowledge that they have much to offer the world. It is perhaps important
to consider the realities that many women face in Aboriginal communities: statistically
speaking, many become mothers at a young age – and while there is nothing negative
about motherhood, these girls go by the wayside. They become just that, statistics.
Mikayla Cartwright
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