An Easter weekend rather like no other. A minor knee injury made staying in less of a punishment than the current pandemic. And other experiences gave it some positive flavour that probably would not have happened otherwise.
I finished Elizabeth Wilkerson’s admirable book Caste. As a PBS Newshour watcher I feel in good company when I see it on the bookshelves of both Jonathan Capehart and David Brooks. Its strengths relate to its impeccable research and portrayals of three examples of caste systems - India, Nazi Germany, and the United States - with their long term effects on their cultures and how they handle them. Her personal experience in India and America also brings the experience of caste to light. This is a must read for anyone who wants to see a different outcome to our heritage of race and caste and gives a reality to any settler culture like our Canadian one.
The next was a presentation that happens once a month, led by a Roman Catholic leader called an eco-sabbath. In past times it would not be possible for me to attend these because of a time conflict, but in Zoom time, that changes. Dennis O’Hara noted that he had tried this presentation ten years ago and met considerable pushback - but decided to try it again on Easter Day. His main point was that resurrection applies not only to the Christian story but the story of the universe itself. These views come from his understanding presented in the writings of American “geologian” Thomas Berry and Australian theologian Denis Edwards. In both writers, the universe itself moves toward fullness and fulfillment. The resurrection for today happens through our meeting all the creatures and creations of the world with the opportunity to ease their suffering and help them realize their full reality and beauty.
His audience was far more accepting of this view this time - formed by the writings of Berry whose influence on the book and film presentation “Journey of the Universe” is also celebrating its tenth anniversary this year.
The last was a good column yesterday celebrating the views of indigenous leaders in The Globe and Mail. Known as Jaqueline Ottman where she is Vice Provost of Indigenous Engagement and Professor at the University of Saskatchwan. But she is also known as Misiwaykommigk Paypomwayotung in her Anishinabe first nations community. She is an advocate for indigenous ways of knowing and being.
Spending a lot of time with a grandmother who understood medicinal plants and astronomy, and who had escaped being sent to residential schools and retained her original language, was a rare advantage. Ottman learned both the language and her culture first hand. She had the rare privilege of seeing western culture through those eyes as she was able to continue her secondary school and further education. And this combination as well as encountering racism framed her search for social justice.
She notes that the closest ideas of western leadership to those of her own community would be servant or adaptive leadership, adding to this both respect for the views of the ancestors and a recognition that decisions look ahead to the next seven generations. Our North American culture contrasts strongly as we neglect our history and express concern for our grandchildren - only two generations ahead. It also has huge implications for how we treat the land - not as part of all our relations, but as something to exploit.
A good Easter - transformative and thought provoking. What actions can evolve?