We Were Not the Savages

is a history of the near demise, caused by the European invasion of the Americas, of ancient democratic North American First Nations; with special focus on the Mi'kmaq, from a Mi'kmaq perspective. Although other European Nations, Spain for instance, were in on the slaughter this history relates in detail the actions of only one, Great Britain.

In Great Britain's case it isn't hard to prove culpability, because British colonial officials, while representing the Crown, recorded in minute detail the horrors they committed. When reading their records one often gets the impression that they were proud of the barbarous crimes against humanity that they had committed in their brutal efforts to acquire the properties of sovereign First Nations Peoples by exterminating them. From my knowledge of what they did I can, without fear of contradiction from men and women of good conscience, use the term monstrous to describe it.


In Great Britain's case it isn't hard to prove culpability, because British colonial officials, while representing the Crown, recorded in minute detail the horrors they committed. When reading their records one often gets the impression that they were proud of the barbarous crimes against humanity that they had committed in their brutal efforts to acquire the properties of sovereign First Nations Peoples by exterminating them. From my knowledge of what they did I can, without fear of contradiction from men and women of good conscience, use the term monstrous to describe it.


In fact, after reviewing the horrific barbarities that the European invaders subjected First Nations citizens too, one finds it almost impossible to comprehend how any survived. That some North American First Nations Peoples did survive the best efforts of their tormentors to exterminate them, 1497 to 1850s, and then from the mid-1800s to the mid-1900s a malnutrition existence under the rule of Canada and the United States, is a testament to the tenacious courage and faith in the Great Spirit of our ancestors.

Today, although starvation and malnutrition have been mostly eliminated, the systemic racism instilled in the majority of Caucasians by colonial demonizing propaganda about our ancestors, which depicts them as the ultimate sub-human savage, is still widespread. This is witnessed by the level of discrimination still suffered, which is a very heavy burden for our Peoples to try to overcome.


Interestingly, although both claim to be compassionate countries with justice for all as a core value, Canada and the United States are not making any viable effort to substitute demonizing colonial propaganda with the truth. This is why I wrote We Were Not the Savages, my small effort to air as much of the truth as possible.

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