‘Indian Days’—a real pageant

By L. McDONALD
Probably one of the ggeatest
misconceptions in North America
has been and is today the histopy
of the Native Indians of this
continent.
“Yet another redskin bit the

‘dust,’ “Paleface speakum with

forked tongue,” and the legion
of rather patronizing funny stories
about the Indian people, plus the
churning mill of Hollywood mov-
ies on the question — all have
penetrated the minds of the peo-
ple to the point where any other
conception of the Indian people
is almost unacceptable.

Behind the facade of the benev-
olent, bland, all-conquering White
Father, has taken place one of the
sorriest tales of plunder in _his-
tory; a history for the most part,
unwritten.

As for the Indian people them
selves, they have clung stoically
to their original culwire. fortun-
ately for us, and in a new awak-
ening of pride and certsinty in
their own destiny, not csnnect-

ed with the nationa: ‘1b cation
movements of the world, they are
creating by their own efforts new
plans aimed at keeping alive their
real heritage and banishing once
and for all the Hollywood ver-
sion of ‘The History of the North
American Indian.”

“Indian Days” at the Capilano
Reserve was one of those events
in the new movement.

The large crowd of spectators
was witness to some of the most
colorful (and most important)
authentic dances, performed by
members of the Salish, Shuswap,
Saanich and Squamish tribes.
“The Thunderbird Dance,” by the
Comox tribe was a graceful,
haunting performance, which ling-
ers in the mind long after. Like-
wise the Swai-Swai and wild man
dances, by the Musqueam and
Squamish tribes, with Chief Wil-
lard Sparrow in as perfect a
piece of pantomine as ever seen
—Marcel Marceau included!

In the longhouse, the exhibits

of arrowheads, domestic tools and

HOSPITAL

Cont’d from pg: 8

to see that they were swallowed.

About 10:30 the ‘Nya Nya’
would come in to wash the floors,
Scour the sink, vacuum the car-
pet and dust every where. Then
the doctor would come in and ex-
amine the patient. In our case this
meant taking Sidney’s blood pres-
sure and pulse, asking questions

-and then leaving to make a writ-

ten report at a nearby desk. She
was in the Hospital from morning
until late afternoon. and attended
also to patients who were return-
ing for surgical dressings and
¢Onsultative treatments.

e

Specialists were available at
the slightest sign of need and one
day when my husband’s temp-
erature was not “normahl” a
Specialist came in (a man this
time) to sound his chest and ex-
amine his throat. A little later
a shestra brought in a quartz
lamp to sterilize the air in the
room and gave me detailed in-
structions in mime to avoid look-
Ing towards its light. An electro-
Cardiograph machine was brought
to the bedside, a team of blood
Samplers came in to get speci-
mens, and so it went.

When an interpreter was need-
ed they would arrange for some-
one to be on hand. Once an as-
sistant secretary from the Canad-
ian Embassy made a special trip
for me, another time an Italian
Patient helped out, but mostly it
was a patient in the next ward
who was born in Leningrad and
spoke excellent English who help-
ed us. Her husband was a Scot
and he helped immeasurably to
make us feel at home in a new
country.

There was always time for a
short rest or reading session be-
fore dinner which was_ served
about 1:30 p.m., never before.
This meal began with a big bowl
of soup accompanied by bread.
Mine was frequently borstch, but
my husband’s was a lighter kind
with fewer vegetables. The main
course was meat, fish or fowl

With potatoes, followed by a des-
sert consisting of a pudding, fruit
compote or fresh fruit. Again a
“Shestra’”’

brought in medicine

ic. _Eeeles in the London Daily Worker
“Er, would you like to help. me

get the economy on its feet
again?”

and then an afternoon rest period
was in order until “chai’’ appear-
ed on the dot of four.

Supper was a comparatively
light meal and varied considerbly
‘Perhaps an omelet containing
vegetables, a boiled frankfurter,
a salad, or pancakes with jam,
perhaps some pudding, kayfir or
other milk product. Medicines and
vitamin pills came along again,
and that was the end of the day
for my husband. He went to sleep
early and got plenty of rest.

An electric knob at the end of a
cord attached to the pillow could
be pressed at any moment to ring
a bell in the corridor to summon
a Shestra or Nya Nya!

A patient’s needs being simi-
lar in any language it was not
really necessary to learn the
words ‘‘ootka’’ and “soodna”’
which indicated the need of urin-
al or bed pan. There were pat.
jents from many parts of the
world in this building and it would
be impossible to learn even a
smattering of all the languages
needed. Time and a careful at-
tention to need were all that were

necessary-
co

There was a noticeable lack of
orders given by anyone. Every
person seemed to know what had
to be done and did it. If a Shestra
or Nya Nya felt like sitting down
at any time she did so, with no one
to criticize. Everything ran
smoothly and efficiently and
everything was kept spotlessly
clean, including the sub-tropical
plants growing in the lounges and
halls. Nearly all the nurses would
find time for reading in their
spare time, especially those on
night duty. One knitted and two
were studying to be doctors.

There seemed to be plenty of
help available at all times and
each department seemed to be
responsible for certain duties.
There was an early morning con-

ference of nurses at which I think .

one of the doctors on duty pre-
sided. I saw them emerging from
the room several mornings at
9 a.m. chattering and laughing
like young people anywhere.
Only one of our nurses would
have weighed 80 kilograms (1 kg.
—<@2.2 pounds). The rest were
smaller and even petite. Most had
blonde or mid-brown hair. Most of
our doctors were women and
they gave the careful attention
to my husband that a watchful
skilful mother would give to a
sick child.

Everyone was helpful, co-oper-
ative and friendly, and except
for the language barrier there
were no differences between us.
We loved them all.

the anthropologists’ finds, show-
ing Indian life in the Fraser
Valley 9,000 years ago, were of
deep interest .

Standing in the cool of the
longhouse with the huge chim-
ney, one doesn’t require a lot
of imagination to drift back in
time and see the communal
hustle and bustle of the Salish
people. The thought brought to
mind Engels’ ‘Origin of the Fam-
ily” and ‘‘Ancient Society,’’ by
Morgan.

The flash of paddles in the 12-
man canoe races and the lunging
of the muscular brown bodies of

See ‘INDIAN’ Pg. 12

A memorial fund for Joe Forkin,
above, long-time Winnipeg Com-
munist alderman and party lead-
er who passed away last year,
has been set up to provide a fit-
ting memorial to his memory. It
is planned to unveil the memorial
August 24. Contributions can be
sent to the “Joe Forkin Memorial
Fund,” Mr. Jacob Penner, 607
Main St., Winnipeg 2, Man.

MORGAN

Cont’d from Pg. 6

next 12 months, is evident. For
as the Vancouver Province was
compelled to acknowledge in a
leading editorial April 11, the
NDP “the official opposition in
. . . predicting their victory in the
next provincial election . . . are
not deluding themselves either.”
For once, the Province is right,
for twice in the last 20 years
the CCF all but achieved gov-
ernment.

On June 12, 1952, it held 18 .

seats to Social Credit’s 19, and
in one riding the contest was so
close it nearly reversed the party
standings. Only the absence of
clear, sharp leadership on the
issues of the day, and a policy
of labor unity stood between vic-
tory and defeat. Nor should the
fact be overlooked that in the last
Provincial election in 1960, the
NDP came within 6% of the total
popular vote received by the
Socreds. In both the last two
Federal elections the NDP elected
the largest block of MPs from
this Province.

Communists, and progressives
within and without the NDP, must
speak and work to make the NDP
an effective challenge to monop-
oly rule. The good beginnings

made in. the recent Federal elec- ~

tion toward independent labor
political action and unity must be
energetically pursued and ex-
tended. The struggle for working
class policies, and an end to class
collaboration, has got to be pres-
sed in every factory, camp and
mill; in every local, every con-
stituency; and with every trade
unionist and NDP member.

We must see that the cold war
in the labor movement is ended
and help the labor movement to
develop greater unity, a clearer
sense of direction, more militan-
cy, more confidence.

History and the whole world is
on our side!

behind the province.

results.

PT Drive results

As the PT went to press, funds were still rolling in for
the annual Press Drive, with the city trailing considerably

Watch next week's PT for the complete and final drive

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Canada Day Message
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of its member organizations on
the July.1st anniversary of the
founding of our country.”

The statement goes on to say:

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among equals in our country —
both in our rights and in our
responsibilities . . .

“Canada’s assets are her vari-
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of all Canadians regardless of
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“We are greatly disturbed by
the fateful step taken by the Cana-
dian government in 1963 toward
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be able to celebrate her 100th
birthday in 1967 as an independent
and prosperous country?’ ?

“We call -on all members of
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SUGAR FROM CUBA

Basing its information on an
Ottawa news item, the Hsinhau
News Agency, Peking reports the
first shipment of Cuban sugar in
the port of Montreal. The’ overall
Canada-Cuba purchase agreement
is said to cover sixty-thousand
tons.

BEST WISHES
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Peaceful, Prosperous &

Industralized Canada
This

96th CANADA DAY

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June 28, 1963—PACIFIC TRIBUNE—Page 11