Aboriginal youth ready to lead the way

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If Aboriginal people are going to reverse negative trends-and the stereotypes that often come with them-they will need to be led by their youth, who make up more than half of their population.

That was the message heard in Kamloops last month where more than 800 Aboriginal youth attended Gathering Our Voices 2006, the annual provincial Aboriginal youth conference.

The conference, held March 12 to 15, was attended by Aboriginal youth from across British Columbia. The four-day conference was filled with a career fair, workshops, socials and entertainment, with the underlying message being that now, more than ever, youth must step up and become leaders.

"We make up about 60 per cent of the Aboriginal population now, yet we make less than one per cent of the decisions that affect us," conference emcee Kelly L'Hirondelle of Vancouver's Knowledgeable Aboriginal Youth Association, told a boisterous closing ceremonies crowd. "It is time for that to change!"

Change was certainly the focus of most of the workshops, including one about standing up against the stereotypes that Aboriginal people face, particularly in the media. The workshop was titled Don't Call Me Chief or Princess.

"First, we have to get rid of the perception that there is just one kind of Indian," said co-facilitator Rachel Mason, who is the outgoing Aboriginal youth council co-ordinator. She has conducted workshops for youth in such places as Providence, Rhode Island and Tanzania, East Africa.

"A lot of people still see Indians as all living in tipis, being warriors and princesses, and are unaware of the large number and variety of tribes."

The workshop pointed out how media tends to focus on political issues or poverty and drug abuse, while generally ignoring cultural activities or success stories. And, in movies, Aboriginals are either wise Elders, drunks, princesses, or loyal sidekicks, and their character is only revealed through interaction with white people.

Of course, perception is based on some truth and the picture of the drunk, drug-abusing Aboriginal is one rooted in reality, so there were several workshops that attacked that problem from a variety of angles, from straight on lectures on the dangers of drug abuse to interactive theatre.

"A lot of these kids haven't travelled this far before or even been out of their communities, but they're feeling very grounded here," said conference co-ordinator Dianne Biin. "They're seeing how other youth are coping, how other youth are succeeding, when they've been given the chance to be solution makers."

Besides the workshops and career fair, the youth played games and drummed in the mid-afternoons, and held a talent show on the last night. There were a lot of signatures on almost all of the conference t-shirts the youth were given, a testament to the number of new friendships made.

"It's been amazing how everyone is so open and honest, and most of us are strangers," said youth participant Nika Palmer of Smithers. "Back home, it seems so tough to try and change your life but here we see how it can be done and can bring that back to the community."

There was a round table discussion that had Aboriginal youth leaders examining specific, urgent issues, and an all-day forum to develop strategies for capacity building and how to encourage Aboriginal youth engagement in the matters of B.C. The recommendations that came out of these meetings will be released in about a month.