Loss of Indigenous languages described in play

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At age 22, James Bear can barely communicate with his Cree-speaking grandmother.

Because Bear only speaks English, he will never completely learn from her the customs and traditions that were meant to be passed along.

"She could teach me all that - but I don't understand the language. Part of that culture is dying through me," said Bear, who never learned Cree while growing up in Saskatoon, away from his roots in Sandy Bay, 330 km northeast of Prince Albert.

That's because he didn't learn the language from his father when he was young. Bear's father never taught him because the residential school his father attended banned the Native tongue and beat students for speaking it.

It wasn't until a few years ago, Bear said, that his father began teaching him some Cree.

But Bear only knows a few words, which still isn't enough to carry on a complete conversation with his grandmother.

"It makes me feel like a stupid Indian - to be blunt."

Bear's story was part of a play performed in mid-March at the Prince Albert Grand Council Child Care and Education Centre. It was written to reach out to Aboriginal youth who are having problems similar to Bear's.

"A lot of people like me are having an identity crisis," said Bear.

Called Truth Hurts, the hour-long play presented by the Saskatchewan Native Theatre Company Inc. follows a group of young Aboriginal people who come back to their reserve to deal with their friend's suicide.

"It's like the Big Chill," said Aboriginal play director Kennetch Charlette, referring to the 1983 film.

"We would like to get across that the journey of healing has to begin with ourselves and our future is dependent on our youth."

As the group of Aboriginal characters in the play remembers their friend's passing, each brings up other past experiences they're coping with such as sexual abuse, domestic violence and loss of culture, said Charlette.

Each of the issues in the play is based on true-life stories told by the 11-member cast and crew who participated in a talking circle before production.

Although Bear's experiences are portrayed by another actor in the play, Bear said he's glad what happened to him is being shared with other youth as the production tours throughout Saskatchewan.

"It makes me feel good that it's going to be brought out," said Bear, adding he hopes the story can help other Aboriginal youth with similar experiences.

"They can say: 'Hey, I'm not the only one,'" said Bear.

Other stops on the tour included La Ronge, Yorkton, Regina, Pelican Narrows and Sandy Bay.

The Saskatchewan Native Theatre Company is a non-profit organization incorporated in January 1999. Its goal is to develop and produce performing art programs and initiatives that encourage and support the involvement of Saskatchewan's Aboriginal peoples.

The long-term goal of the organization is to acquire a permanent venue that could provide professional theatre productions, concerts, workshops, youth programming and mentorships. The company wants to create partnerships to accomplish this task.