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Well, in some less bleak news this week, I won News Media Canada's Edward Goff Penny Award for young journos, in part for the code talkers features. This comes with a $1,000 prize.
I plan on donating this to organizations in Akwesasne and Cornwall.
Here's why:
I plan on donating this to organizations in Akwesasne and Cornwall.
Here's why:
As a non-native reporter telling a story that belonged to the community, I had to recognize that I don't own the story. I worked closely with my sources, and tried to work for them. I wasn't going to parachute in, snag quick interviews, make my own conclusion and dip.
It required honest and frank conversations. It required reflecting on who has the power to frame "indigenous" stories in this country, and who this story was really for: was it for Akwe? Or was it for people who couldn't point out Akwe on a map of Cornwall?
"How do you feel about me coming in and doing this?" I'd ask. "Should I be doing this?"
And we'd talk. I can't claim perfection or anything close to it, but I made a real effort to let the peoples' feelings, the points they wanted to make come through.
And we'd talk. I can't claim perfection or anything close to it, but I made a real effort to let the peoples' feelings, the points they wanted to make come through.
When we ask so much of our sources, especially sources whose relationships with media have more less existed as an extension of colonial powers asserting themselves, it is only fair they ask us of our intentions, our knowledge base, our motives.
So I encourage young journos to take time with your sources when you're telling a story whose rich cultural fabric isn't yours. Let them guide you through what you don't know. Take your assumptions out the window, listen, and do your homework. Start a real conversation.
Visit the community. Talk to the people. Hear out their side. It takes time and patience, and a little more than just good intentions.
It's harder than ever to do in our current media climate, but it's worth every penny when you see the community's response to the story.
It's harder than ever to do in our current media climate, but it's worth every penny when you see the community's response to the story.
Young journalists are going to be the ones who bridge those gaps, who do their part to right the wrongs of history if we buckle down, read the books and conduct ourselves with respect, dignity and humility. Essentially, to do our damn jobs.
But back to ownership.
But back to ownership.
I couldn't have told this story without driving to the Legion on Route 37, grabbing a Budweiser and listening to the vets talk about their pride in Levi, the loss of their language, the worry that it may never come back.
I couldn't have done it without Chelsea Sunday or Darren Bonaparte or Dora Oakes or Chiefs Mike Conners and Bev Cook, who gave me hours of historical and contemporary context about the code talkers, language, and the complex dynamics of the world's strangest border crossing.
Couldn't have done it without Jeff Whelan, who's taken on documenting the history of warriors in Akwe going back to the French-Indian War.
These are the people whom the story belongs to. I'm a mere cobbler of quotes and facts.
These are the people whom the story belongs to. I'm a mere cobbler of quotes and facts.
I'm gonna reach out to Chelsea and Darren to see where this prize money could be put to better use. I hope to see some go to the legion, the freedom school, and to a food bank in Cornwall-- something I was going to write about until my time there went by too quickly.
I hope this isn't like, virtue-signally. But I think it was a good opportunity to talk about the process and thinking that went into the work, and what we can work towards to do these kinds of stories more justice!
Back to doomscrolling, or whatever.
Back to doomscrolling, or whatever.
ALSO. Links to the piece here: https://www.standard-freeholder.com/news/local-news/the-last-mohawk-code-talker-passes-away-in-akwesasne/wcm/43d6b7d0-7df8-4c4d-95a4-6294e5aae4bd
https://www.standard-freeholder.com/news/local-news/kanienkeha-recognizing-code-talkers-a-part-of-resuscitating-the-language
https://www.standard-freeholder.com/news/local-news/kanienkeha-recognizing-code-talkers-a-part-of-resuscitating-the-language
Lastly, read Indigenous writers. Learn about the treaty land you are on. Learn about the relationship between the people and the land.