Some believe that beautiful women in beauty pageants are there to been seen and not heard. Or at least, if they are to be heard, they’re meant to talk about ‘world peace’.
Ashley Callingbull – a 25-year-old First Nations model and actress from Alberta’s Cree Nation - was anything but peaceful after winning the Mrs Universe pageant overnight.
The Mrs Universe contest has been running since 2007. Unlike the similarly named ‘Miss Universe’ – owned by global redneck Donald Trump – Mrs Universe is open to women aged between 25 and 45 who are married.
In a Facebook post earlier today, Callingbull corrected any misperceptions that she was going to use her crown to flash winning smiles and open county fairs.
“Really? People think I'm too political for my first day as Mrs Universe. Did you really think I was going to just sit there and look pretty? Definitely not. I have a title, a platform and a voice to make change and bring awareness to First Nations issues here in Canada. I'm getting all this media attention and I'm going to use it to the best of my ability. I'm not your typical beauty queen. Look out... I have a voice for change and I'm going to use it!”
The comment was in response to the expected onslaught of Canadians attacking Callingbull for raising First Nations issues during her very public media victory lap.
She tweeted that Canadians needed to get out and register to vote for the October poll, and added that "We need a new PM", a reference to conservative Stephen Harper, widely accused of harming the interests of First Nations people in Canada during his decade in power.
For hardened pageant veterans everywhere horrified by Callingbull’s bluntness, she signed the post off with a smiley face.
Callingbull’s disarming nature hasn’t convinced everyone though. She told Canada’s CBC network overnight that as she rose through the pageant ranks in 2010 she was the target of many racist comments.
"A newspaper (wrote), 'What is she going to do for her talent, write a welfare cheque with her toes?'" Callingbull said.
Like Australia, Canada has long struggled with First Nations issues.
It has its own Stolen Generations history, known in Canada as the residential schools scandal.
Up to 30 per cent of First Nations children were removed from their families and placed in boarding school accommodation, where authorities tried to assimilate them into non-Aboriginal Canadian life.
The system began with the passing of the Indian Act in 1876. The last government-owned residential school was finally closed in 1996.
Inspired by Kevin Rudd’s National Apology in 2008, Harper issued a national apology of his own in June that year. Unlike Kevin Rudd – and Australia – the Canadian government also delivered a $2 billion settlement to compensate the victims of the policy.
One of the biggest scandals to rock Canada in recent decades is the murder and/or disappearance of more than 1,000 First nations women between 1980 and 2012.
In May 2014, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police finally released a report into the scandal – it’s first attempt nationally to investigate the issue, and only after a decade of mounting pressure. To date, 105 women are still officially listed as missing.
Despite their struggles, First Nations people in Canada fare comparatively better than First Nations people in Australia on all major social indicators, such as health, housing, education and employment.
Life expectancy gaps, however are similar, at around a decade or more, depending on locality.
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Waajuice
Posted Tuesday, September 1, 2015 - 14:31
Let's see if she is now booed mercilessly at every appearance. Not because of race but because they just don't like her.
jexpat
Posted Tuesday, September 1, 2015 - 15:00
Outstanding.
This user is a New Matilda supporter. RossC
Posted Wednesday, September 2, 2015 - 00:23
dx2013, you are a disgrace.
Just wtf do you mean by 'normal looking'?
Most people on earth are dark-skinned,
as has always been the case. (Dark skin works better in the sun, you know). Majority rules, so i guess that makes you the pasty-faced weirdo.
hope thats cleared up any confusion for you.
This user is a New Matilda supporter. Nirak
Posted Wednesday, September 2, 2015 - 07:23
Thanks RossC - my reaction also.
This user is a New Matilda supporter. Stephen10
Posted Wednesday, September 2, 2015 - 07:34
DX...your comment is well out of line and incredibly racist! I bet your ugly face sits on an ugly body within your ugly mind that noone would ever want to share any kind of normality with!
troll patrol
Posted Thursday, September 3, 2015 - 02:45
Please don't discriminate against each other by calling people ugly. Judging somebody else on the basis of looks is every bit as evil and wrong as racism, Sexism or killing puppies. I think you should all take a deep breath and stop labeling people.
wcorneli@oneida...
Posted Thursday, September 3, 2015 - 07:37
Native American culture, religion, and environmental rights is a huge issue that is unrecogzined or pushed aside by a large percentage of non-native people. Some one needs to address these issues. Ashley Callingbull will now be our voice. congratulations Ashley!!
Ciaraking03
Posted Thursday, September 3, 2015 - 08:11
Some people act as though voicing the hard truth is a bad thing: The Theme for this Mrs. Universe was on Domestic Violence. Ashley is using her right as winner, despite the opposition she will face. First Nations in Canada and in the USA are diverse with their genetic features. Also, the reason for First Nations is to let the colonizers know that this land was ours first, before all the battles-stealing and treachery took place here. It's to remember that history. Also not all Indigenous people like the term First Nations, just FYI.
Natasha1975
Posted Thursday, September 3, 2015 - 09:52
Great that she is speaking out for First Nations. One thing they keep ignoring in First Nations communities though is the amount of crime, the abuse to women and children. Alot of the problem with the missing First Nations woman are caused by First Nations men. It they want to put a stop to it, the two tier court system and special Treatment for first Nations criminals need to stop. A criminal is a criminal. If they are First Nations they are given a tap on the wrist and released with special treatment. If there is no punishment for crimes they will re-offend. The first Nations women and children are going to continue to be sexually molested and murdered until there are harsher sentencing and the two tier system is abolished. There will never be enough punishment for anyone who commites these crimes. No criminal deserves special treatment. I'm not saying it's only first Nations men who commites these crimes, but alot of it is, many who previously committed the same crime and were released as they laughed at the judicial system. Mrs Universe if you want to fight for first Nations women, you need to fight to abolish the two tier judicial system to help keep all criminals locked up for as long as possible. If this system is not changed, children will continue to be molested and women will continue to be assaulted. All you have to do is look at court dockets to see what is going on in First Nation communities. Look at what the men are being charged with over and over and over. Then they are back out in no time. If you want change change the system!!!
This user is a New Matilda supporter. Chris Graham
Posted Thursday, September 3, 2015 - 10:03
Folks, thanks for bring DX2103's comments to our notice. His account has been deleted and he's been permanently banned from the site. - Ed.
Robynll
Posted Thursday, September 3, 2015 - 10:13
Good grief! Who decided that was an appropriate headline?
"They created a monster"?
Since when is a strong woman who speaks out, and so eloquently, about relevant social issues a "monster". Come on, the days of beauty queens only getting to say they "wish for world peace" are long over. Thank you, Creator!
DON_de-Plume
Posted Thursday, September 3, 2015 - 17:50
Congratulations Chris. Excellent moderation. I wasn't even quick enough to read the offending tosh - but the content never varied. Confrontational, but pointless.
This user is a New Matilda supporter. swarmi
Posted Thursday, September 3, 2015 - 21:14
DX needed to go. Thanks Chris. However, it is a shame his contributions disappear with him as it is a good reference for when racism is too overt to be harmless. And they are coming out of the woodwork in abbott's 'team australia'!
by comparison Natasha 1975 is a 'harmless' and bland racist of the 'i'm not a racist but....' kind. She wouldn't do the deed herself but would nevertheless, in her own ignorance, allow someone like DX to act for her.
Natasha 1975 is probably a good example too of why Ciaraking 03 shares a common view amongst many blacks here ie being referred to as as a 'First Nation Peoples' is not to the liking of all it seeks to cover. In Natasha's mind the reference, First Peoples, helps hide her real thoughts and feelings on the matter of race politics as they matter to her ie black men are crimminals and protected by our limp-wristed judiciary.
With this easy target she can at least feel a little better about herself by seeing someone else is beneath her. Just the way our system loves you to think. Especially when the system itself is experiencing hard times. Capitalism needs you to be looking the other way and racism is just one of the many divisions it promotes in society to achieve this end.
Sexism is another dividing ill and beauty paegeants have played their part in negatively defining gender differences. Even now they still define 'a woman' if in a somewhat more subtle way. So good on Ashley Callingbull for challenging both.
dglewis
Posted Friday, September 4, 2015 - 04:55
Why call her a Monster 3 times? this is a native woman. What would you call a white woman that steps up like this?
Natasha1975
Posted Friday, September 4, 2015 - 05:34
actually I also have First Nations in my blood, I am certainly not racist. I tell it as I am seeing it in our side of the Country. Many Abusive men in the First Nations Communities attacking women and Children. If I were racist I would be attacking my own kind.
Natasha1975
Posted Friday, September 4, 2015 - 05:42
As for whoever Dx is, I didn't get to read his comments. I know many other people black, white, purple, green whatever Color they are, want the two tier system gone. We want the criminals locked up, key thrown away to protect our women and children. We want to see the same Native men who live in the communities that keep re-offending and keep getting released because of a two tier system locked up and kept there.
This user is a New Matilda supporter. swarmi
Posted Friday, September 4, 2015 - 08:02
@ Natasha 1975
My apologies Natasha. I read your comment wrongly. I sympathise with your concerns. I agree that there are many deep and intractable problems amongst your people. It is the result of generations of abuse that have followed the dispossesion of blacks in this country. Our government has an on-going interest in seeing the black community continue to fall apart. You will find no sympathy for your calls from a government that only sees you as an impediment to business.
This, of course, does not give you any comfort from the sorry outcome you have to live with first hand. But abusive black man are victims of this system and asking the system to deal with them fairly is like getting abbott to admit this land was a working model in harmony and sustainability before the invasion.
The best way to restore health to the black community is to provide a more equal and just society. I can only blame our politicians and business leaders for our sorry state but, I do agree, our indigenous people suffer more than most. We have just got to cut through the lies and tragic consequences to see the real cause of our miseries.
My regards.
paiden
Posted Friday, September 4, 2015 - 13:48
* be seen, not "been seen"
SmilingTiger
Posted Saturday, September 5, 2015 - 07:30
Everyone needs to stop focussing on what color someone's skin is. I took offended to the "pasty face" comment. Just because I am white doesn't make me any less human. To top that off my children are half First Nations. The issues affecting First Nations bother me just as much as they bother everyone affected by them. Not because these issues are affecting First Nations but because these things are affecting fellow human beings. Every race has to deal with racism against them including white people. We aren't without issues. I am a single mother with a disability. I have been discriminated against more times then I can count. I have been beaten and abused. I am a statistic. I often find those who say the are being discriminated against also discriminate against those outside their race. These issues are not "only" crimes against First Nations or other races. In my opinion they are crimes against humanity. What race you are shouldn't matter. Everyone is human and everyone should be treated the same.
thunderwillow
Posted Saturday, September 5, 2015 - 12:21
It is no fun to oppress people, learn to be an good person. I still remember in Chinese HongKong director's CJ7 movie the little boy told class he will learn how to succeed as an poor person, does that sink in for you? or you need an few google seconds?
rezwalker54
Posted Sunday, September 6, 2015 - 02:52
Our people have been treated unfair sence, our land was stolen from us. It is my firm belief that this is the year of Native People. Our voices will be heard. We have stood by silenced by Goverments, and watched our Mother Earth being destroyed by trial and error of the moonies. It's time for you to follow our lead, we will show you how to bring the Holy Earth back to a whole and we can do it not by trial and error, but by tenderness and love for the one that has fed us from the begining of time....