Blaming parents irresponsible

Page 5

Dear Editor:

The letter "Suicide is the fault of the parent" published in Windspeaker, December 1999 edition, really disturbed me.

I suppose it was the parents that told themselves to live in the most desolate and barren lands so they could create a reserve. These people were told to live there and make the best of it. The government made up these reserves. You do not see fresh water lakes, green trees, and fresh green grass here.

I myself contemplated suicide. It was not until I realized who I was that things turned around for me. My parents always told me who I was. I did not accept it. Today, I am an Indian. I was not proud of that at one time.

No, we can't go on blaming other people for what happened in the past.

What we do today will affect the young people, our children and our future. We have to get up, wipe the dust off our faces, pick up the pieces, and move on knowing that we can change things. We can change things for the better, and for the future of our children.

Many do not see the value of education that encompasses our way of life, language, and culture. This is where the answer is. It is not in religion, and it is not in trying to be like the European culture.

Many parents do not have the opportunity to have their children schooled right on the reserves. They have to send them off to who knows where. They might have schools on the reserves, but you are lucky if you have a teacher that loves to teach your culture, your language, and way of life, along with the educational requirements to graduate in modern day society.

The challenge is to teach the young children that they are loved, they are accepted, and provide them with the opportunity to learn in their own culture. There is nothing wrong with our culture. It is right. It is what the Creator gave them way back from the beginning of time.

I just know that when one takes his or her life, it is not the fault of the parents. It could be someone else hurting them - like an aunt, uncle, teacher or even a priest. Or the child does not have the opportunity to learn how to survive in this harsh world.

Caroline Ignace-Spade

Sioux Lookout, Ont.