Dysfunctional Savagery

"You have to recall, these individuals are coming from very remote communities. They are in a very strange environment."
"One individual mentioned to me that this is the most foreign place that he's ever been."
"[Officials are planning for the] huge logistical operation [involved in returning the evacuees back to their homes]."
"It's our understanding that the chief of the band as well as the provincial emergency operations centre is considering the repatriation of folks as soon as possible. Ultimately, that's our goal. These individuals are under a great deal of stress [given several] disturbances."
"It's been fighting, scrapping, that kind of stuff."
Duane McKay, vice-president, Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency

Canadian Armed Forces members help load evacuees on to a plane as smoke from a forest fire fills the sky near Pikangikum First Nation, Ont. in this undated handout photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO, Canadian Armed Forces

"Many of the people who we have here in Regina now have not been to an urban centre of this size before."
"So as you can imagine, it's very strange for those people. It's a bit of a culture shock in fact."
"They are understandably anxious to go home."
Deanna Valentine, provincial coordinator, Emergency Social Services

It must remain unsaid by official spokespeople of various government departments, in full damage control at all times, that one does not criticize the sometimes-savage behaviour of First Nations people who live on reserves in isolated parts of the Canadian geography. Community and interpersonal violence among First Nations is a notorious black mark against their culture and social values.

The general attitude among aboriginal Canadians is that their native lifestyle was disrupted by colonialism and the process of colonizing native land and subjugating the people who were there before Canada became Europeanized dealing a deadly blow to their heritage, their pride, their dignity. All of which is true, including that aboriginals were treated unfairly, persecuted and discriminated against. From time immemorial this has been the fate of people when alien groups move in.

Over time, assimilation takes place, but this has not occurred at this time in history, and government efforts to 'socialize' aboriginal children in the past by sequestering them from their roots and their families in live-in school settings operated by religious groups to indoctrinate them into non-Indigenous customs and values in an effort to integrate them into the wider community succeeded for some, failed for others and left a legacy of resentment.

The neglect of children's needs, high incidents of alcoholism and drug abuse, domestic violence and defiance of leaving the traditional geographies in preference of living in tribal ancestral communities entirely funded by general tax dollars in transfers to the heads of reserves where there is usually a dearth of employment, and where private home ownership does not exist; governments being responsible for housing, health care, education provision represents a proven laboratory for failure.

The fire near the eastern edge of Pikangikum First Nation grew on Thursday to more than 3,000 hectares, according to the Ministry of Natural Resources.
Twitter/OPP IndigenousBureau

Evacuations of the communities take place from time to time when flooding or wildfires or some kind of community disruption takes place, the communities living in those reserves brought temporarily to the closest large center to wait out the emergency until they can be returned to their homes. As can be imagined, life in remote communities can be difficult, yet it appears the chosen way for many. The high incidence of human failure to control sociopathic tendencies is endemic.

The northwestern Ontario Pikangikum First Nation of 420 souls was evacuated several days ago as a result of wildfires and brought to Regina by flight from its location about 400 kilometres northwest of Thunder Bay. The evacuees were put up at the University of Regina. These Ojibway people who life is in close proximity on their reserve have not adapted well to living in proximity to one another in a city settling, it would appear.

They have been involved in "serious injuries" to one another, assaults, destruction of property, arrests, domestic altercations, fights between men, assaults on women. But they cannot be condemned for this kind of behaviour; they are, after all, under 'duress' -- attempting to reconcile themselves to their temporary displacement. The city of Regina is 'strange' to them, as opposed to living in their fly-in community.

Members of the Canadian Armed Forces help evacuate people due to wildfire concerns in Pikangikum First Nation, 500 km north of Thunder Bay, May 30, 2019. (LS Dan Bard/Department of Defense/Handout via REUTER)

So strange that they continue the kind of psychopathic violence against one another that distinguishes their reserve life from the kind of behaviour expected of people living in cities. Police have set up a command post at the university. University staff and Red Cross personnel have also established a presence at the university in an effort to maintain some level of peaceful co-existence.  A spokesman for the Ministry of Corrections and Policing has stated three men were remanded at Regina Correction Centre.

Little wonder they are anxious to return to their reserve where their violence is not considered extraordinary but normal interaction between people living together. Where something about the lifestyle is responsible for an inordinate number of youth suicides. Little wonder the regional authorities are anxious to return these evacuees to their reserve, so that they can re-engage with their normal lifestyle, and peace can descend on the University campus.

A bulldozer clears debris as crews battle a forest fire near Pikangikum First Nation, Ont. (Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry )