Elders share their stories during family dinner

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Children and their cheerful chatter combined with the gentle messages of Elders during a family dinner held Oct. 4 to celebrate National Family Week.

Connie Shingoose, Yorkton First Steps Aboriginal Headstart executive director, and Josie Crane, Yorkton Tribal Council Child and Family Services Inc. resource development manger, got together to host the dinner in the building that was the first site of the Yorkton Friendship Centre. Shingoose said the two groups are natural partners.

"Since we both work with families in the community and it's National Family Week, we thought we would coincide with that and kind of put something up to entertain our target groups based on our cultural background. We're bringing families together to be able to listen to some traditional music and to be able to sit with Elders," she said.

"We all kind of belong together anyway. We thought to come together like this would be good for all the First Nations and Metis families."

Elder Myles Musqua of Keeseekoose First Nation began the evening saying a prayer in Saulteaux for the 60 or so people in attendance. The group was hushed although it later became impossible to repress the energy and noise of the many little children taking part.

Elders went first for the self-serve meal of various soups and stews, two types of bannock and desserts, including rice pudding and Saskatoon berries. The others followed in random order.

Then the Elders took turns, each standing and holding a package of tobacco as they spoke, offering glimpses of the old days when people's lives were so much different and Aboriginal culture was more intact.

Edna Sangwais of Sakimay First Nation began the addresses. She said she was happy to see many parents at the supper.

"I'm glad to be invited here tonight and to come and share a meal with you and the kids again. They said I'm supposed to talk about families. I always tell the younger generation to keep their families together. The way you act with your kids at home, your kids remember that so you've got to watch what you say and do," she said.

"Our way of life was different than it is today. We didn't have workshops. Elders would stand up and talk to us at powwows. The schools were different too. I went to a residential school. I didn't go to the Catholic school. I went to the United (Church of Canada) residential school."

Sangwais said that, at the school she attended, the students were allowed to speak their own languages.

"We used to talk to each other. Our life there was good. I learned things like laundry, cleaning house and those kinds of things. If you had done wrong, we used to get the strap."

The next speaker, Musqua, told them that he had been chronically ill and prayed to the Creator to find out what he could do in return for being well.

"I want to get well. I want to be able to walk. I don't want to be in a wheelchair," he said.

One day he had the revelation that he could be a speaker. As he did that he began walking better and better as he offered his knowledge to his people.

"I don't go around judging anybody but I know our kids today."

He went on to discuss some of the problems facing young people, such as drugs.

"It's up to us to look further and see what's ahead of them," he said.

Musqua said he cherishes the time he spent with his grandparents. His grandfather was a kind and gentle man and both gave him a pure love.

Campbell Papequash of Key First Nation said he's been working with people for a long time, teaching the old traditions. Everyone has five gifts-sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch, he said. In the old times "your parents, your grandparents, taught you about those five gifts."

There were many ceremonies, including naming, puberty rites, spirit naming.

"There was a big celebration whenever you got that spirit name. There was a big feast. Everybody took part in the ceremonies. All the people were very strong and very united from those three northern communities that I cme from," Campbell Papequash said.

"All those teachings gave me my integrity as a human being. I know I'm Nishnawbe, which means man lowered to earth by the Creator. We have a very rich culture, beautiful moral and spiritual values."

Elder Sylvia Popowich of Yorkton was the last to speak during the National Family Week celebration and invited everyone to attend the drop-in centre Basket of Hope meals she started four years ago.

"We serve families. It's a home away from home. I don't charge. All I ask for is a donation," she said.

"You're welcome here every day of the week."