Reflections on Lion

WHO AM I?

The Western World is fond of memes, of pictures and mantras that subscribe to a belief we have. A common one often seen goes something like this: "Family isn't always blood. It's the people in life who want you in theirs; the ones who accept you for who you are. The ones who would do anything to see you smile and love you, no matter what."  Ah ... what a lovely sentiment! And so true, right?

Hmm. The movie Lion, released in November of 2016, would suggest that meme was correct. A little boy from India, Saroo, gets separated from his bio-family, and adopted by a lovely Australian family, who love him dearly. If that was all to the story, then it would would have been perfect and we could back it up with every belief we now have.

The movie is about that, but it's also about something else. Something that is not part of our world, something that we have lost. I believe this movie is about identity - that comes not only from who we choose, but also from our history, our past, our family that is in our essence.

Over the last year, I've had the opportunity to learn about our Indigenous People and the struggle they are going through. This struggle has come in part from their separation to their history, to their ceremony, and people. Canadian history has a dark, black smear through it - the attempted genocide of our First People. How? By 'removing the Indian from them', by separating them from their people and forcing them to stop all 'Indian' things, they believed that they could make them white. Who these First Nations people were needed to be wiped clean so that they could become part of who Canada was becoming. What they didn't realize is what happens when a human being is separated from his culture, his identity, his people.

I think this is a part that is missing from understanding the movie from the meme above. As he becomes an adult, Saroo knows that he has a good life, but also knows something is missing. Something missing in his identity, who he is at his core. And with this missing, he is broken. People ask questions, as people do - where are you from? who are you? ... and Saroo gets to a place where his quick, easy answers no longer hold water. He loves his mother and father, but he is missing his identity. And that becomes the thrust of the film. A search for self.

There are times when I ponder 'who am I?' ... what are my roots? what is my culture? where do I come from? And I don't have an answer. What I know about my history is so small ... what rituals? what ceremonies? what food? what traditions?

I wonder what time will bring - will we connect more to our past or less? And, if less, how will that play out in our people? They say we can pick our own family, it does not have to be genetic. But do we then pick our culture? our history? our rituals? I can practice what I see my Indigenous brothers and sisters practice, but it's not the same ... it's not 'mine'. I can honour them and respect them and value them, but it's not the same. Something broke forth when Saroo learned who he was ... something that only someone who walked a like road would know. Maybe this hole is something more of us have than we realize. Maybe this has more influence in our world than we know.

Do you know who you are? Who are you?