months by Dr. Don Wilson, a Heiltsuk doctor then working in Haiti. (Facebook) Peter Haugen, the president of the board for the All Native Basketball Tournament, declined to comment. A letter sent to Wilson by the tournament rules committee chairman and obtained by CBC News states, "All players must be of North American indigenous ancestry/bloodlines i.e. 1/8th First Nations ancestry." 'Extremely insulting' "We saw it as extremely insulting," Josiah's father, Dr. Don Wilson, told CBC News. "It's upholding that abhorrent notion that blood quantum or DNA or birth is what defines us as indigenous people, and it absolutely is not." Wilson is a Calgary obstetrician and status Indian from the Heiltsuk First Nation. He was working in Haiti in the 1990s when he adopted Josiah, then five months old. Josiah Wilson plans to return to the All Native Tournament in Prince Rupert, B.C. in 2018. (Liette Wilson) Wilson says the Heiltsuk First Nation has a long-standing tradition of adoption that tournament organizers must acknowledge. "We do not make a distinction between our children," said Wilson. "They're all ours. We as the Heiltsuk Nation accept my son as one of us." Wilson said Josiah is legally adopted, is registered with the Heiltsuk First Nation and has a status Indian card. He said Josiah was allowed to compete at All Native with his team for several years. A letter from All Native organizers states concerns were raised this year, and that Wilson's birthplace and adoptive status make him ineligible to play. 'I love All Native' "It actually really hurt me," said Josiah. "I love basketball. To come after me and tell me I can't play, that really hurt me. I love the All Native tournament. It's probably the best feeling in the world to be up there with my cousins, my family, to play basketball with a lot of the different tribes and members." "I wanted justice for my son, " said Dr. Don Wilson, with Josiah Wilson. Both men are status Indians and members of B.C.'s Heiltsuk First Nation. (Facebook) Josiah acknowledges his situation is unique. "When I was younger, visiting my grandparents, my sister and I would be the only two black kids on the reserve. People kinda question me and they're like,' For real?' And I have to pull out my status card and show them, and they're like, 'Wow, that's cool," said Josiah. "I'm black, I'm from the Caribbean, but at the same time I'm part of the Heiltsuk Nation. I consider myself one of them." Josiah Wilson was allowed to play in the All Native Basketball Tournament in previous years. (Facebook) Dr. Wilson says his push to have Josiah reinstated has drawn widespread support from the Heiltsuk First Nation and on social media. Wilson hopes to change the ruling through discussion, but says he has consulted a lawyer and the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal. "I want to shield my son," he said, "and protect him from the impact of this discrimination." Many indigenous leaders support the right of First Nations to define membership on their own terms. But the concept of blood quantum to include or exclude First Nations people is controversial. Indigenous scholar Pam Palmater has written extensively about blood quantum. In a recent scholarly article, she calls it "part of colonial legislation" and a "racist criteria that only serve[s] state attempts to assimilate indigenous peoples." Betsy Trumpener · CBC News · Posted: Feb 10, 2016 4:09 PM PST | Last Updated: February 11, 2016 Carry out an in-depth analysis of the case below. Your analysis will address the following points 4. Explain the result that occurred as a result of this incident Did changes occur? Who/what changed? Why? Do you think the outcome was positive for the victim? Should anything else have happened or not happen? 5. Does this tie into a larger societal issue? Did this incident help highlight or create progress on the larger issue? Explain why or why not 6. Do you think this particular type of discrimination will ever disappear from sport? Why or why not?
months by Dr. Don Wilson, a Heiltsuk doctor then working in Haiti. (Facebook)
Peter Haugen, the president of the board for the All Native Basketball Tournament, declined to comment.
A letter sent to Wilson by the tournament rules committee chairman and obtained by CBC News states, "All players must be of North American indigenous ancestry/bloodlines i.e. 1/8th First Nations ancestry."
'Extremely insulting'
"We saw it as extremely insulting," Josiah's father, Dr. Don Wilson, told CBC News. "It's upholding that abhorrent notion that blood quantum or DNA or birth is what defines us as indigenous people, and it absolutely is not."
Wilson is a Calgary obstetrician and status Indian from the Heiltsuk First Nation. He was working in Haiti in the 1990s when he adopted Josiah, then five months old.
Josiah Wilson plans to return to the All Native Tournament in Prince Rupert, B.C. in 2018. (Liette Wilson)
Wilson says the Heiltsuk First Nation has a long-standing tradition of adoption that tournament organizers must acknowledge.
"We do not make a distinction between our children," said Wilson. "They're all ours. We as the Heiltsuk Nation accept my son as one of us."
Wilson said Josiah is legally adopted, is registered with the Heiltsuk First Nation and has a status Indian card. He said Josiah was allowed to compete at All Native with his team for several years.
A letter from All Native organizers states concerns were raised this year, and that Wilson's birthplace and adoptive status make him ineligible to play.
'I love All Native'
"It actually really hurt me," said Josiah. "I love basketball. To come after me and tell me I can't play, that really hurt me. I love the All Native tournament. It's probably the best feeling in the world to be up there with my cousins, my family, to play basketball with a lot of the different tribes and members."
"I wanted justice for my son, " said Dr. Don Wilson, with Josiah Wilson. Both men are status Indians and members of B.C.'s Heiltsuk First Nation. (Facebook)
Josiah acknowledges his situation is unique.
"When I was younger, visiting my grandparents, my sister and I would be the only two black kids on the reserve. People kinda question me and they're like,' For real?' And I have to pull out my status card and show them, and they're like, 'Wow, that's cool," said Josiah. "I'm black, I'm from the Caribbean, but at the same time I'm part of the Heiltsuk Nation. I consider myself one of them."
Josiah Wilson was allowed to play in the All Native Basketball Tournament in previous years. (Facebook)
Dr. Wilson says his push to have Josiah reinstated has drawn widespread support from the Heiltsuk First Nation and on social media. Wilson hopes to change the ruling through discussion, but says he has consulted a lawyer and the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal.
"I want to shield my son," he said, "and protect him from the impact of this discrimination."
Many indigenous leaders support the right of First Nations to define membership on their own terms. But the concept of blood quantum to include or exclude First Nations people is controversial. Indigenous scholar Pam Palmater has written extensively about blood quantum. In a recent scholarly article, she calls it "part of colonial legislation" and a "racist criteria that only serve[s] state attempts to assimilate indigenous peoples."
Betsy Trumpener · CBC News · Posted: Feb 10, 2016 4:09 PM PST | Last Updated: February 11, 2016
Carry out an in-depth analysis of the case below. Your analysis will address the following points
4. Explain the result that occurred as a result of this incident
- Did changes occur? Who/what changed? Why?
- Do you think the outcome was positive for the victim? Should anything else have happened or not happen?
5. Does this tie into a larger societal issue?
- Did this incident help highlight or create progress on the larger issue? Explain why or why not
6. Do you think this particular type of discrimination will ever disappear from sport? Why or why not?
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