[MD] Mimac gives speech to French

[Heather Perella]

     This is also rooted in sustainability that the book posted on the [MD] Aborgional Wisdom brings up.  I would also say that philosophies that are rooted in change, able to change are thus able to keep up with the seasons and the solar systems orbit of the Milky Ways black hole.  As for what the latter has to do with change and its' influence on this earth, well, not sure, but cyclic notions of change even in the stars perceptual location in the sky has encouraged much in how civilizations have conducted power and their artistic motivations (our pigeon-holing).




--- On Sat, 12/29/07, Heather Perella <spiritualadirondack at yahoo.com> wrote:

> From: Heather Perella <spiritualadirondack at yahoo.com>
> Subject: [MD]  Mimac gives speech to French
> To: moq_discuss at moqtalk.org
> Date: Saturday, December 29, 2007, 5:27 AM
> "Keepers of the Game:  Indian-Animal Relationships and
> the Fur Trade" by Calvin Martin
> 
>      [SA currently]
>      A 17th Century Micmac speaks to the French on how
> the Micmacs have a better lifestyle because the French
> lack happiness rooted in their dissatisfaction which
> inclines the French to greed is found in this quote
> below from the book given above as follows:
> 
> Chapter Two:
> 
> 
>       ca. 1600:  "He (Biard) found it incredible that
> these 'savages' would honestly fancy themselves
> more
> clever, courageous, wealthy, and in general a better
> sort of people than the French.  'For,' they say,
> 'you
> (Frenchmen) are always fighting and quarreling among
> yourselves; we live peaceably.  You are envious and
> are all the time slandering each other; you are
> thieves and deceivers; you are covetous, and are
> neither generous nor kind; as for us, if we have a
> morsel of bread we share it with our neighbor.' 
> Elsewhere, he accused the Micmac of
> 'self-aggrandizement.'  'You will see these
> poor
> barbarians, notwithstanding their great lack of
> government, power, letters, art and riches, yet
> holding their heads so high that they greatly
> underrate us, regarding themselves as our superiors.'
>      ....Le Clercq recorded a powerful speech
> delivered by a native spokesman, who began by
> observing that his people were happier than the French
> because they were satisfied with what little they had.
>  France must indeed be an impoverished place, he
> mused; otherwise the French would not subject
> themselves to such great personal discomfort to enrich
> themselves on these shores.  The dissatisfaction and
> penury of the French were manifest in their greed for
> the 'old rags and ... miserable suits of beaver which
> can no longer be of use to us, and ... in the fishery
> for cod which you make in these parts, the wherewithal
> to comfort your misery and the poverty which oppresses
> you.'  The Indians, maintained the speaker, were
> satisfied by the conveniences they found readily at
> hand, and he contrasted his people's contentment with
> the work ethic of the French which made them obsessive
> codfishers.  codfish were so basic to the French diet
> that when they got bored with it and wished for 'some
> good morsels, it is at our expense; and you are
> obliged to have recourse to the Indians, whom you
> despise so much, and to beg them to go a-hunting that
> you may be regaled.'
>      Continuing to delineate the pleasures of Indian
> life vis-a-vis the cares of the French, he reminded
> the Recollet that his people had lived longer before
> the arrival of the French, with their bread and wine. 
> But as they gradually adopted the French manner of
> living so, too, did their longevity decrease. 
> Experience showed that those Indians lived longer who
> declined French bread, wine, and brandy, choosing
> instead 'their natural food of beaver, of moose, of
> waterfowl, and fish, in accord with the custom of our
> ancestors and of all the Gaspesian nation.'
>      Finally, he summed up his harangue, ' there is no
> Indian who does not consider himself infinitely more
> happy and more powerful than the French.'  For the
> freedom to live anywhere and be assured of a
> livelihood, to be his own master with unrestricted
> hunting and fishing rights, without anxiety, all made
> the Gaspesian unquestionably more content than the
> Frenchman.
>      Le Clercq, who bore the brunt of this diatribe,
> felt compelled to confess that his informant was
> correct in his comparison of French and Micmac life. 
> Overlooking their ignorance of Christianity, wrote the
> Recollet, the Micmac indeed led a peaceful, contented,
> harmonious existence.
>      There could be no shunting aside of the Christian
> mysteries, however, despite whatever virtues the
> heathen life could boast.  That sweet message would
> bring civilization and salvation to the
> 'savage'."
> 
> 
>      [SA currently]
>      What was thought by the Europeans at the time was
> Christianity was a universal truth, and thus, this
> broad sword swinging of the Europeans did not see what
> to them became trival.  Though the Indians
> demonstrated a way of life with no quarreling amongst
> themselves (the Micmac), and lived more peaceably than
> the French (who slander each other noticeably often) -
> the blinding broad sword swings a perspective that
> overlooks nonquarreling, peaceful relations, and
> health as mere trivals.  
> 
> 
>      
> ____________________________________________________________________________________
> Be a better friend, newshound, and 
> know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile.  Try it now. 
> http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ 
> 
> Moq_Discuss mailing list
> Listinfo, Unsubscribing etc.
> http://lists.moqtalk.org/listinfo.cgi/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org
> Archives:
> http://lists.moqtalk.org/pipermail/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org/
> http://moq.org.uk/pipermail/moq_discuss_archive/