Prepare for a new beginning

Page 4

The millennium has come. The Y2K scare has come and passed. The doomsday threat was anything but, and the cosmic alignment of planets in early May went off without a hitch. Yet, the millennium is so much more than a number or these events. It's a state of mind, a time of looking back and reflecting on how far we've come as human beings. More accurately, how far we've come as Aboriginal youth.

We've had our traditions to look to the past, which helped to define the very core of who we are. The old legends told to us by our grandmothers and grandfathers and the ceremonies have become icons to me, as an Aboriginal youth. I call upon these icons and the grandfathers to help me say, "Yes, I am Aboriginal and these are some of the things that make me proud to be who I am."

In traditional times, the youth were highly valued. They were taught to respect themselves and were treated with dignity by adults, parent and grandparents. From this, a clear sense of pride, stability and self became evident and these values established great leaders of tradition such as Big Bear, Starblanket and Piapot. The mold was cast and set for our people to grow with pride and respect.

And then our world changed.

With the arrival of European settlers, the nomadic lifestyle of our ancestors changed rapidly. No longer were the skills they learned highly regarded. Instead they were treated with contempt and disdain. Traditions that had been learned over centuries, as well as a mindset of peace and tranquillity, were lost during the attempted assimilation of our people.

Being thrust into residential schools was a great blow to our people and resulted in a cultural genocide of sorts. Children raised in such schools lost the ability to speak our languages and were, instead, taught "higher learning skills" such as reading and writing a language that decades previously hadn't even existed in this part of the world. Erasing our cultural ties meant a loss of connection to family and people and tradition. Gone was the mindset of oneness with the land and peace of mind. That was replaced with shame, humiliation, anger and confusion.

Being unable to leave the residential schools resulted in forced assimilation. Having to register and stay within a certain area or face retribution from the dreaded Indian agent called for the reservations. Land placed aside by the government as well as other rights such as health care, and education in exchange for land entitlement meant a definite end to a lifestyle that our people relied upon for centuries. This as well as the diminishment of the buffalo which were so highly used and regarded by our forefathers.

This forced assimilation caused a lost generation. During a time of great of distress for our people, many of our people regretted being Aboriginal and were ashamed of our people, ashamed of our tradition and culture. This shame, combined with the many proven cases of abuse in the schools, caused so much damage to our people. It introduced new factors into our family lives - drugs and alcohol.

We as Indian people had a new opponent that was much more damaging and evasive than the system which was forced on us.

Though we cannot condone the vices that plague so many of our people, forgiveness and surely understanding is certainly warranted. So few of us now are fully capable of understanding such rigorous assaults upon our heritage, our sense of being. For these people, no hate can be administered, no retribution by our beloved Elders, but rather a hand can be offered and freely at that.

Still, considering the new factors entered into our family makeup, we still suffer. As is so often heard, the drugs, alcohol, violence and hate, cause a vicious cycle that is still felt today. Certainly it has diminished somewhat, but it can never be fully eliminated. So many of our people are somewhat lost.

From the past, new lessons are learned. The millennium is here and new leaders are emerging. No longer are we a people seeking o grab scraps at a dinner table, but now there are leaders who fight for more. More rights, more respect and more sense of who we are. These leaders all have the one lesson of our ancestors in mind. We are from the people and we are for the people. It is a time of change and while we cannot ever return to who we were before the settlers arrived, we can hold on to what we have kept and move forward with pride and dignity.

A new age for Aboriginal people has come upon the youth of today. More ambition is present among our youth, more determination. The ability to not only compete in today's system, but succeed and prevail is becoming more and more evident as we see more and more Aboriginal doctors, lawyers and politicians. No longer is it a time of sorrow for those we have lost but rather a time to look ahead to the future and aggressively pursue what we desire - respect, pride and a sense of self.

I can only look to the positive aspects of our people. Such as the Aboriginal winter and summer games. In observing these athletes, I became fully aware of just how proficient in sports Aboriginal people have become. From observing the raw determination to win, despite any odds, that I saw on the face of many athletes, I shuddered to think of the will it had taken to get to that level of proficiency. Other positive steps are also being taken.

At only 22 years of age, I find it hard to find the right words, sometimes. I can only write this article in the hope of calling on new heroes among our youth to attain the hunger for success. We need to look toward a better time for our children and to seek new ways to grab hold with both hands and fight for what is owed to us.

It's time to reflect and set new goals.