--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Some will say: \"Why should we celebrate…" description: "\"Some will say: \"Why should we celebrate the birth of colonialism, of oppression, of cultural genocide through Canada 150?\" It's 2017. In spite of the g..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/862/perry-bellegarde-28982_birth_some-will-say-why-should-we-celebrate-th_1706800.jpg" --- # Some will say: "Why should we celebrate the birth of… ![“Some will say: "Why should we celebrate the birth of colonialism, of oppression, of cultural genocide through Canada 150?" It's 2017. In spite of the genocide we faced via the residential school system, and all we have endured from colonialism and control, from 1876 to this day, we're still here…” quote by Perry Bellegarde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/862/perry-bellegarde-28982_birth_some-will-say-why-should-we-celebrate-th_1706800.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/862/perry-bellegarde-28982_birth_some-will-say-why-should-we-celebrate-th_1706800.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/862/perry-bellegarde-28982_birth_some-will-say-why-should-we-celebrate-th_1706800.jpg) > “Some will say: "Why should we celebrate the birth of colonialism, of oppression, of cultural genocide through Canada 150?" It's 2017. In spite of the genocide we faced via the residential school system, and all we have endured from colonialism and control, from 1876 to this day, we're still here. We need to show the country and the world that we are still here.” [Perry Bellegarde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perry-bellegarde/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Despite historic oppression, Indigenous peoples assert presence and demand recognition, using resilience to challenge colonial narratives. **In simple terms:** Indigenous peoples survive and demand acknowledgment. Key Takeaway Amplify Indigenous voices and histories. Themes resilience colonialism identity activism Mood determined proud Type political social When to use this quote - education curricula - public policy - media representation - community events Key Concepts Indigenous rights historical truth reconciliation cultural survival Questions to Reflect On - How can societies support Indigenous sovereignty? - What steps foster genuine reconciliation? A Different Perspective Recognition alone may not repair systemic harms; ongoing action required. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Birth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/birth/) [Colonialism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/colonialism/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Genocide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genocide/) [Oppression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oppression/) [Patriotism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patriotism/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Spite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spite/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Here's the reality. The image of a white Jesus has been used to justify enslavement, conquest, colonialism, the genocide of indigenous peoples. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wise/here-s-the-reality-the-image-of-a-white-jesus-has-been-used-to/) [Tim Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wise/) > [... As long as you continue to tar social democracy with all the crimes of communism, I feel equally entitled to tar the free…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-erwin/as-long-as-you-continue-to-tar-social-democracy-with-all-the-crimes/) Greg Erwin > [“No badge can baptize brutality, no holy water can bleach blood stains – the land remembers the salt of tears of every people ever slain.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/no-badge-can-baptize-brutality-no-holy-water-can-bleach-blood-stains/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“You know why the West makes such a song and dance about nonviolence, because when your entire empire is built on systemic extermination of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/you-know-why-the-west-makes-such-a-song-and-dance-about-nonviolence-2/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [Insofar as the genocide embodied in residential schooling arises as an integral aspect of colonialism, then colonialism must be seen as constituting that source.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ward-churchill/insofar-as-the-genocide-embodied-in-residential-schooling-arises-as/) [Ward Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ward-churchill/) > [“There's a universally recognized jewish holocaust remembrance day, and that's great, but I have just one question - where is the native american holocaust…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/there-s-a-universally-recognized-jewish-holocaust-remembrance-day-and/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“You know why the West makes such a song and dance about nonviolence, because when your entire empire is built on systemic extermination of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/you-know-why-the-west-makes-such-a-song-and-dance-about-nonviolence/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“Our nation was born in genocide when it embraced the doctrine that the original American, the Indian, was an inferior race. Even before there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/our-nation-was-born-in-genocide-when-it-embraced-the-doctrine-that-2/) [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) > [“Leaves of Ash (Divine Violence, Sonnet) You know why the West makes such a song and dance about nonviolence, because when your entire empire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/leaves-of-ash-divine-violence-sonnet-you-know-why-the-west-makes-such/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“The West broke the world, now the human race gotta resurrect the world, offspring of the terrorists and terrorized alike - but we can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/the-west-broke-the-world-now-the-human-race-gotta-resurrect-the-world/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“First law of poultry farming: keep your livestock busy with trivial problems, so they stay ever oblivious to systemic criminal activities. That's why the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/first-law-of-poultry-farming-keep-your-livestock-busy-with-trivial/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“There were waves of genocide that overcame indigenous populations of Oceania and do we have a library of books or films to tell our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-b-dallocchio/there-were-waves-of-genocide-that-overcame-indigenous-populations-of/) [M.B. Dallocchio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-b-dallocchio/) > [“Holocaust Theatre (Naskaristana 2799) Most social issues are rooted in religion, most religious issues are rooted in politics, most political issues are vestiges of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/holocaust-theatre-naskaristana-2799-most-social-issues-are-rooted-in/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“The human race comes from Africa, but inhumanity originated in Europe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/the-human-race-comes-from-africa-but-inhumanity-originated-in-europe/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“You know how the dinosaurs went extinct - they committed suicide when they saw the white man coming. They said to themselves, clearly white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/you-know-how-the-dinosaurs-went-extinct-they-committed-suicide-when/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) ## More by Perry Bellegarde > [Now is the time to take stock of a painful part of our history. Only then can we move past it. Anything less would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perry-bellegarde/now-is-the-time-to-take-stock-of-a-painful-part-of-our-history-only/) [Perry Bellegarde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perry-bellegarde/) > [Indigenous people made huge contributions to this country. The biggest is in sharing the land and resources. People need to see that, understand that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perry-bellegarde/indigenous-people-made-huge-contributions-to-this-country-the-biggest/) [Perry Bellegarde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perry-bellegarde/) > [We focus on bringing back Indigenous languages, ceremonies, cultures, traditions - all that was lost over the past 150 years. This is how we'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perry-bellegarde/we-focus-on-bringing-back-indigenous-languages-ceremonies-cultures/) [Perry Bellegarde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perry-bellegarde/) > [In Cree, an oskâpêwis is a servant or a helper, someone who hauls in rocks for sweats, or pipes or medicines. I equate that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perry-bellegarde/in-cree-an-osk-p-wis-is-a-servant-or-a-helper-someone-who-hauls-in/) [Perry Bellegarde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perry-bellegarde/) > [Being the only Indian in class, I had to be able to stand up and defend myself and debate the others when they tried…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perry-bellegarde/being-the-only-indian-in-class-i-had-to-be-able-to-stand-up-and/) [Perry Bellegarde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perry-bellegarde/) > [Indigenous languages are Canada's national treasures. They are our identity. We simply have to put greater effort into rejuvenating and revitalizing them. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perry-bellegarde/indigenous-languages-are-canada-s-national-treasures-they-are-our/) [Perry Bellegarde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perry-bellegarde/) > [If you want to change a mind, there's no better way than a dialogue over coffee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perry-bellegarde/if-you-want-to-change-a-mind-there-s-no-better-way-than-a-dialogue/) [Perry Bellegarde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perry-bellegarde/) > [To be treaty person means coexist in peace and with mutual respect. That's at the core of these treaties. They intended for us to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perry-bellegarde/to-be-treaty-person-means-coexist-in-peace-and-with-mutual-respect/) [Perry Bellegarde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perry-bellegarde/) > [Living on reserve we hunted; we fished; we trapped. We lived off the land. If we didn't hunt, we didn't eat. In summer, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perry-bellegarde/living-on-reserve-we-hunted-we-fished-we-trapped-we-lived-off-the/) [Perry Bellegarde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perry-bellegarde/) > [I experienced racism in different settings: I was followed in stores, in cars. The way you experience racism depends on how you deal with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perry-bellegarde/i-experienced-racism-in-different-settings-i-was-followed-in-stores/) [Perry Bellegarde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perry-bellegarde/) > [Growing up, the major institutions were school and church. We were taught our culture was no good. We didn't have sundances. The last ones…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perry-bellegarde/growing-up-the-major-institutions-were-school-and-church-we-were/) [Perry Bellegarde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perry-bellegarde/) > [I went to elementary school in Goodeve, Saskatchewan, a small Ukrainian town. I played a lot of hockey, a lot of ball. Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perry-bellegarde/i-went-to-elementary-school-in-goodeve-saskatchewan-a-small-ukrainian/) [Perry Bellegarde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perry-bellegarde/) > [We are a nation within a nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perry-bellegarde/we-are-a-nation-within-a-nation/) [Perry Bellegarde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perry-bellegarde/) > [The seven sacred teachings: love, respect, courage, honesty, wisdom, humility, truth. These are the seven virtues that lead to a full and healthy life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perry-bellegarde/the-seven-sacred-teachings-love-respect-courage-honesty-wisdom/) [Perry Bellegarde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perry-bellegarde/) > [My dad died when I was 17. He had heart and other problems. He was a good father, lots of love. But he was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perry-bellegarde/my-dad-died-when-i-was-17-he-had-heart-and-other-problems-he-was-a/) [Perry Bellegarde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perry-bellegarde/) [Explore all 19 Perry Bellegarde quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perry-bellegarde/) ## More Birth quotes > [“Conception is the beginning of human life. From the time that an ovum is fertilized a new life begins that is neither that of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declaration-on-procured-abortion-congregation-for-the-doctrine-of-the-faith-1974/conception-is-the-beginning-of-human-life-from-the-time-that-an-ovum/) Declaration on Procured Abortion Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith 1974 > [In the entire history of the universe, let alone in your own history, there has never been another day just like today, and there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/in-the-entire-history-of-the-universe-let-alone-in-your-own-history/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [The greatest mystery in life is not life itself, but death. Death is the culmination of life, the ultimate blossoming of life. In death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/the-greatest-mystery-in-life-is-not-life-itself-but-death-death-is/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [Guns have little or nothing to do with juvenile violence. The causes of youth violence are working parents who put their kids into daycare,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-delay/guns-have-little-or-nothing-to-do-with-juvenile-violence-the-causes/) [Tom DeLay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-delay/) > [“Every child is born as angel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/every-child-is-born-as-angel/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Nirvana is a word that means enlightenment, being beyond the illusion of birth and death, the illusion of pain, the illusion of love, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/nirvana-is-a-word-that-means-enlightenment-being-beyond-the-illusion/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [It was no accident, no coincidence, that the seasons came round and round year after year. It was the Lord speaking to us all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-rivers/it-was-no-accident-no-coincidence-that-the-seasons-came-round-and/) [Francine Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-rivers/) > [We do not want to be reminded that it is we, the indigenous people, who are poor and exploited in the land of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-biko/we-do-not-want-to-be-reminded-that-it-is-we-the-indigenous-people-who/) [Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/) > [There are two kinds of beauty; there is a beauty which God gives at birth, and which withers as a flower. And there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-kuyper/there-are-two-kinds-of-beauty-there-is-a-beauty-which-god-gives-at/) [Abraham Kuyper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-kuyper/) > [Always keep the smile, because the smile is the beginning of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-imad/always-keep-the-smile-because-the-smile-is-the-beginning-of-love/) Adam Imad > [The wailing of the newborn infant is mingled with the dirge for the dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucretius/the-wailing-of-the-newborn-infant-is-mingled-with-the-dirge-for-the/) [Lucretius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucretius/) > [I gave birth to most of them MC's... So when it comes around to the month of May, Send me your royalty check for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roxanne-shante/i-gave-birth-to-most-of-them-mc-s-so-when-it-comes-around-to-the/) Roxanne Shante > [“A Beautiful verse takes birth when "U"n"I" VERSE.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajesh-walecha/a-beautiful-verse-takes-birth-when-u-n-i-verse/) [Rajesh Walecha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajesh-walecha/) > [“There is no born evil, only a corruptible canvas darkened by a formidable perpetrator.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yefon-isabelle/there-is-no-born-evil-only-a-corruptible-canvas-darkened-by-a/) [Yefon Isabelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yefon-isabelle/) > [I've always thought that the most extraordinary special effect you could do is to buy a child at the moment of its birth, sit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/i-ve-always-thought-that-the-most-extraordinary-special-effect-you/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) [Browse all 6,183 Birth quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/birth/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Some will say: \"Why should we celebrate the birth of colonialism, of oppression, of cultural genocide through Canada 150?\" It's 2017. 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