[Wamvan] Outrage at UBC renewed as racist chant alleged

[Joanna Chiu]

Oh geez. Does anyone know more about this?

By David P. Ball <http://www.theobserver.ca/author/david-p-ball>, 24 hours
Vancouver

Wednesday, September 18, 2013 2:52:19 EDT AM

http://www.theobserver.ca/2013/09/17/outrage-at-ubc-renewed-as-racist-chant-alleged

As the University of B.C. is set to reveal its findings Wednesday about the
use of an infamous rape chant, new allegations have surfaced that students
also shouted a chant that mocked aboriginals during FROSH week activities.

Computer science graduate and orientation squad manager Benjamin Israel
said he witnessed a chant of “white man, steal our land” as part of a
Commerce Undergraduate Students team called “Pocahontas.”

"While they were doing the chant, they were sitting in a circle and banging
on the ground rhythmically,” Israel said. “They were imitating a Native
circle with drums ... My entire squad saw this.”

Israel said many people witnessed the chant, but no one intervened.

“The commerce FROSH this year was apparently Disney-themed, and so each
group had its own name to go with the theme,” he said.

A third-year UBC student, who did not want her name used due to fears of
reprisals, said she also witnessed the chant.

The allegations comes just as the Truth and Reconciliation Commission opens
hearings Wednesday into abuse suffered by aboriginals at residential
schools.

UBC spokeswoman Lucie McNeill said the unproven allegations emerged during
the school's investigation into a commerce student chant proclaiming, “At
UBC we like ‘em young, Y is for your sister, O is for oh so tight, U is for
underage, N is for no consent, G is for go to jail.”

That controversy led to the resignation of the CUS president and three
other leaders, and the cancellation of future FROSH events.

“It's come to light as part of the fact-finding we're doing,” McNeill said.
“We don't have anything very solid at this point ... The university will be
addressing all issues related to FROSH, including the actions we want to
take (on Wednesday).”

For Daniel Justice, chair of UBC First Nations Studies department, the use
of the name Pocahontas and the alleged chant is racist towards aboriginal
people, particularly women, because “Pocahontas is a figure used to justify
men's claims over land and women.

“It's not only racist, it's also misogynist,” Justice said. “On every
level, this just gets worse and worse.

“When white people stole the land, they raped, butchered and dispossessed
human beings ... It's profoundly disappointing and extremely unpleasant
considering not only that this is a week of supposed reconciliation.”

But Justice emphasized the issue is bigger than a single campus, adding
that Canadians have an “opportunity” to inform themselves and “wake up to
what's going on around them.”

The Alma Mater Society declined interview requests, and CUS didn't return
calls.



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