WUN FEATHER -- We take viruses, bacteria, and illnesses very seriously, but the nature of our lifestyle dictates that we are used to taking risks

 

I suppose I need to apologize to some of the people who are no longer on my friends list. One of them claims to be a trapper, and an outdoors person, but he would always argue with me when I talked about not wanting to wear a mask, and not jumping to the front of the line to get a jab in my arm.

Listen folks, it takes a certain kind of person to be a trapper ... someone who is willing to spend hours and hours under the cover of darkness, deep in the wilderness.

Most of the time we are alone, cold, and right in the middle of the predator zone. Wolves and coyotes and cougars, or bears surround us...

Sometimes we discover our bodies covered in ticks, or mites, or fleas after packing an animal out of the forest.

Other times, when we are away on the trail for a week or two, all alone, we end up eating raw meat, or grubs that turn inside our stomachs, but we keep on going.

Being a trapper or outdoors person, it is hard to imagine for me, that any of us would be pro-mask! Just have a look around at the trappers you know, and you will get what I mean.

We are a tough bunch of men and women. We take viruses, bacteria, and illnesses very seriously, but the nature of our lifestyle dictates that we are used to taking risks.

We wear a mask if we have too, but I highly doubt that any of us is going to give anyone else a bad time if they don't wear one -- just keep your distance from us!

Anyway, that's just something I had to mention.

I know that I have some sensitive people on my friends list -- I totally get that -- but for the most part, they realize that I am different from them.

I will be the first to run into a burning building to save someone. I got my name because I saved someone from drowning, by jumping right into the cold water, and dragging him out. Trappers and outdoors people are that kind of people.

Please don't try to change us ... we are still needed in this tender society.

 

About Wun Feather:

I am one of the last of my generation to have actually attended residential and Indian day schools. I have lived on and off reserve and have seen the benefits and the hardships of my people in both situations.

My parents taught me that any time I fell down physically, or emotionally, I just needed to pick myself up, shake myself off, and continue in a forward direction. So, I cannot claim that I did it on my own; I had great Elders.