Youth shown "the way of the peaceful warrior"

Page 7

Blessed with a quick wit and engaging personality, Lee Mason makes no bones about how he knows about the dark side of society.

When he's asked for a mug shot for a newspaper article, he quipped, "you can find better mug shots of me at the police station."

But the First Nations man from Welland, Ont. renounced a life of crime three decades ago. He now spends ten months of the year educating young Aboriginal people about the best way to stay out of detox, out of the courts, out of jail, out of trouble.

Mason calls it "the way of the peaceful warrior." It was that message of hope and respect for themselves, other people and their world he brought to a youth conference at the Treaty 4 grounds recently.

The founder and executive director of the Young Warriors Foundation gave a series of speeches and seminars to about 175 youth during the Youth Empowerment Workshop, hosted by the File Hills Qu'Appelle Tribal Council during the first week of August.

He said many of the social ills which currently plague First Nations society-alcohol, drugs, abuse of children and spouses-were actually brought into their society after contact with non-Aboriginal peoples.

Many First Nations youth are the latest in a "domino effect" of people victimized by colonization, racism, non-Aboriginal government hostility and indifference, and the physical and sexual abuse suffered by their forefathers in residential schools.

"The residential schools were the last big trauma inflicted on our people," said Mason. "You can imagine what it would be like if you're five or six, then taken forcibly from your parents, and sent far away to live for as long as 10 years amongst strangers and people who beat and sexually abuse you."

Non-Aboriginal society often doesn't understand the destruction caused by such policies, Mason added.

"The history books tell lies, especially about our people. For a long time, we were out of sight, out of mind," he said.

"A lot of non-Native people don't understand the plight of Native people, and what Native society has actually gone through-the deep emotional scars Native people still carry."

That's why First Nations people must understand their history, their culture, their language and their spirituality as part of the healing process, he added.

"As young as they are, they have the chance to change their lives around," he said.

"We've seen the changes from day one. A lot of the kids come in with bad attitudes, but now, they want to be better. They want to be better-for themselves and their communities."

Conference points way towards recovery

Sheri Trapp, Sage Writer, Keeseekoose First Nation

Residential school survivors and their families were given some guidance and support in their journey toward recovery, during a Road to Recovery conference held on Keeseekoose First Nation Aug. 6 to 10.

The conference featured a number of guest speakers, the most prominent being Assembly of First Nations Grand Chief Matthew Coon Come and Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations Chief Perry Bellegarde.

Grand Chief Coon Come agreed that it is time for the government and the Prime Minister himself to take responsibility.

"It is the duty of the Prime Minister to step in and make things right. The government must assume full liability for their past actions," Coon Come said.

"It was the government that enforced the legislation called the Indian Act that legally required children under the age of 16 to go to school. Therefore it is 100 per cent their liability."

Keeseekoose First Nation partnered with the surrounding reserves of Cote First Nation and Key First Nation to host the conference.

"The government has taken strides in attempting to obliterate our culture, language and traditional way of life, but have failed us miserably," said Keeseekoose Chief Ted Quewezance. "Now the people who have suffered through decades of these genocidal attempts are now leading the way in educating others to the devastating effects of the rsidential school legacy.

"We are now recovering slowly and I feel that the conference will enhance initiatives to take back our communities and start our road to recovery," he said.

The conference was an opportunity for the survivors and their families to attend workshops that address these impacts and the intergenerational effects they have had.

The workshops covered such topics as legal perspectives, residential school issues and facts, lateral violence, community action, and the road to recovery.

Overall, it was an opportunity to promote healing using the holistic approach of mind, body and soul in a safe and caring environment for community members and visitors.

Chief Ted Quewezance was quite satisfied with the turnout, with 723 registrants for the conference.