Sandi L Boucher (Red Thunderbolt, woman of the Loon clan, Seine River First Nation) delivers a passionate monologue arguing that Indigenous wisdom is essential for Canada's future. She reiterates her "back-to-back" teaching and the phrase "their vision problem isn't your value problem," urging Indigenous people to step into leadership and non-Indigenous Canadians to recognize and seek Indigenous guidance for national crises.
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Okay, I'm absolutely freaking out here. I know what we need to do to reconcile this country. And I know that sounds totally egotistical. It isn't. It's just I had the most mind blowing revelation this morning, and I hope you know what that feels like. I hope you know what it feels like to have had an issue and a problem and all of a sudden the light comes on and you have the answer. And for me, it was even more mind blowing because you've heard me say the answer a million times and I didn't realize. So I'm certain you didn't realize the magnitude of what I was saying. And if you watch this video, you'll know the answer, too. So we got to talk about it. Mishko Pokemon Queen Addition ACROSS mundo Damage Hi, everybody. My name is Sandy Boucher. I'm Red Thunderbolt, woman of the Loon clan, a proud indigenous woman, Anishna Baekwe from Seine River First Nation in Treaty 3 territory. And as you can tell, I'm more than a little excited because you know what? Reconciliation has been my focus. Trying to bring this country together is something I've dedicated all my time and energy and passion and love and intelligence and wisdom, too, for the last 15 years. And it is frustrating for so many, and it's confusing and it's multifaceted and it can be so depressing to see, you know, take one step forward and two steps back. I get it. I get it. I hear from my audiences all the time. My non indigenous audiences and my indigenous audiences and mixed. What do we do? What do we do? What do we do first? What do we do next? Now, I may not have. I don't have the specifics for your journey, but I know what you need to do. And like I said, it's something I've been saying for years. First, before I get into that bury the lead, I. I have to share a quote with you that I used to use all the time when I was working in first nations communities or when I was speaking, especially to an indigenous female audience. Disempowered, marginalized people that question their worth and value because it is not reflected in the opinions of the people around them. This is a quote that I shared, I think, of my second book. I came up with this years ago based on my mom's teachings. What's the quote? Their vision problem isn't your value problem. Their vision problem isn't your value problem. The fact that someone else can't see your value doesn't diminish your value. The Fact that they need to get to the optometrist doesn't change how amazing and valued and needed you are. Their vision problem isn't your value problem. You walk into a store and see a one of a kind, whatever, and see a ridiculous price tag and decide into you it's ugly, that price tag ain't going down. Your value doesn't go down just because someone else doesn't see that. Keep it in mind. That's gonna play into this conversation in a second. Next. What you have heard me say a million times is the back to back teaching. Two people standing back to back so both of you can see so much of the room but yet can't see one part of it. And the part you're blind to is directly in front of and obvious to the person you're standing back to back with. So I have shared that a million times with you to remind you to use that and remember it when you're frustrated with your partner or your teenager or your toddler, your next door neighbor, your co worker, your boss, whomever that on social media. I reminded you that you can't see what they see. So ask them what they see. What are they scared of? What is this fearful future? Why do they believe what they believe? What do they see that made them believe that that's. That makes sense, right? That that's worked. But guess what? Guess what? We can't see what they don't see or we can't see what they do see, I should say. And they can't see what we see. Indigenous watching this video, they can't see what we see now. Canada needs us. Holy moly's. Canada needs us. There's a whole bunch of really scared people. Like look at the cost of living. Look at the mental health crisis, look at the environment and the problem it's in. Canada needs our wisdom. Think of how many people are spiritually and mentally lost. Canada needs us. And guess what? Just because the students haven't shown up yet, they're not ready to come to class, doesn't diminish the value of the lesson. Indigenous, hear me. Canada needs us. No more begging them to see how impoverished we are. No more begging them to understand what they did to us. They can't see what we see. And by the way, we survived all that. It is time to stand up and be the guides, not the victims. They can't look down on us if we're not looking up at them. We have value even if they can see it. It's inherent within us and the Non indigenous watching this, you can't see what we see. You need us. For those of you who have experienced indigenous teachings, you know the value. You know I have heard so many times that our teachings are so grounded that they make so much sense. Canada needs us. We can help Canada. We got you. Because our stewardship of Mother Earth depends on us protecting Mother Earth. And guess what? We can protect you too. Because we're standing up and going back to our empowered place of power. And non indigenous can be empowered and that's reconciliation. So all we have to do is remember when we're standing back to back, it's not lack. We can't see what they see, but they can't see what we see. And our voice has been missing at the table. Do not fight to get at the table because we need to be heard from. Fight for them to help them before this whole incredible thing gets blown up. Because I know I work with non indigenous audiences all the time. The most well meaning, big hearted people that are just lost. They need us. They need us. They need us. Us, the indigenous. Even if they don't see it yet, guess what? The guys in the super expensive suits and the really big offices probably going to be the last to get this. That's okay. Their vision problem is not our value problem. Indigenous, stand up with me. We gotta save this ship because holy moly's, it's gonna go down without us. I'm excited. I hope you are too. What a powerful way to start the week. Change the conversation, change how you're looking. Don't look up at anyone, don't look down at anyone. We are back to back. We are strong and we're gonna do this because that's reconciliation. Until tomorrow. I love you, take care. Bye bye.
