Tekahné:kake Stacey recounted a distressing incident that resonates with many Indigenous individuals. Following their participation in a National Day for Truth and Reconciliation event at the Montreal Children’s Hospital, Stacey, her mother, nephew, and his friend, all fell victim to a racially motivated attack on a Montreal Metro train.
Upon boarding the train, they were immediately subjected to derogatory remarks mocking their cultural war cries, alerting them to a brewing confrontation. Stacey’s nine-year-old nephew had showcased the smoke dance, a traditional Haudenosaunee performance honoring residential school children, at the hospital event. Still dressed in his traditional attire, the boy became the target of a woman’s scorn on the Metro.
The woman, visibly perturbed by the sight of the boy in his cultural dress, proceeded to insult and ridicule him. Stacey captured the distressing encounter on video, which she later removed due to the influx of hateful comments. The video depicted the woman mimicking war cries, making offensive gestures, and behaving disrespectfully.
The situation escalated when the boy became upset and started crying, prompting Stacey’s mother to intervene. Despite attempts to reason with the woman, she remained belligerent, leading to a physical altercation where the woman struck Stacey with her bag. Subsequently, Stacey’s mother pushed the woman off the train, yet the verbal assault continued until the train departed.
The incident deeply affected the young boy, who had always taken pride in his cultural attire but was left devastated by the assault. Stacey expressed gratitude for the outpouring of support on social media following the incident, opting not to pursue legal action against the aggressor due to her familiarity with enduring racism as an Indigenous woman.
Moving forward, Stacey emphasized resilience and pride in their heritage, striving to uphold their cultural identity amidst adversity. While forgiveness and resilience are paramount, she acknowledged the lasting impact of such traumatic encounters on the young boy’s emotional well-being.
