Viewpoints
THE ALASKA-CANADA BOUNDARY
DISPUTE(S) ARTICLE
By Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas
May 10, 2006
Wednesday
First the salute to a nicely written piece of colonial history
by June Allen.
All the important bits lined
up and accounted for.
Proclaiming itself to answer
"Why" the short essay is neatly stacked so as to convey
the feeling of well researched historical summary.
Sadly June Allen's tidy synopsis is primarily notable for the
striking absence of any note ,comment, acknowledgement or slightest
tip of the hat to the reality of Indigenous Peoples such as Haida,
Tsmishian Nisgaa and even Tlingiit, all who have pre existing
and arguably still have existing boundaries.
Are we erased along with our boundaries?
Is there no value in acknowledging the living communities who
have experienced the greatest losses as a result of how the bandits
split the loot?
Writer June Allen maintains the same sad tradition that a reality
ignored is a reality denied. For this reason her piece has missed
the potential of a well written examination of the history of
the Alaska Canada border dispute.
Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas
Klinkwan "in" Alaska and Dadens "in" Canada
Vancouver BC
About: Haida
Related Feature Story:
THE ALASKA-CANADA BOUNDARY DISPUTE(S);
Who Drew the Lines and Why
- By June Allen
April 22, 2003
Note: Comments published
on Viewpoints are the opinions of the writer
and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Sitnews.
Write a Letter -------Read Letters
E-mail the Editor
Sitnews
Stories In The News
Ketchikan, Alaska
|