Cry of a broken arrow

Page 4

We are living in a fast-paced, complex world. Technology has advanced far beyond our wildest imaginations. Scientists and inventors are unraveling new technology at incredible velocity.

The 747 jumbo passenger plane can carry 300 to 400 passengers, plus cargo, with no effort and cruise 30,000 feet in the air. We may wonder, what in the world could keep anything that big and that heavy floating in the air? Another wonder is the army fighter plane that travels faster than sound while firing missiles from a mile high and barely ever missing its target. Now that's accuracy! Try to beat that with a "bow and arrow!"

Space is the "last frontier" they say. Man has now explored space for many years.

The world of electronics is a vast industry, changing every day. Inventors have flooded the market with every conceivable electronic device. Trying to name them all would be foolish but there are a few electronic gadgets that cannot be ignored. The computer is one of these. With a computer you have access to the world via the Internet. It is absolutely incredible what you can do with this communication network. One of its uses that caught my attention is how it can be fed a message which can be received anywhere in the world within minutes. I suppose we will have to admit, that it is better than "smoke signals."

The computer has many facets. This machine has brought mankind down to its knees and it has changed our way of life completely. Today it is useless to try and find a job without thorough knowledge of how to operate the computer. It is very much the same way "John Deere" put the horse out of business. At one time Native people were more or less self-sufficient, living off the land - trapping, fishing, hunting, logging - or working for the railway company in various departments. That kind of life is gone - that was yesterday. Today we stand still and watch one man pushing buttons and accomplishing the work in one hour what 50 men used to accomplish in one day. So here we stand, out in the pasture in very much the same way as the outdated and obsolete horse. Is the world going to change back to the old ways? Never! It's going forward in a more complex and sophisticated manner.

We have seen progress in motion everywhere we glance. There is evidence that knowledge has increased in every phase of life. In order to be competitive in the world of scholastic achievements, a person must equalize himself with education.

For us, the Indian Nation, education has to be our common goal. Therefore, all the moccasin paths should lead to hallowed halls of learning. Yes, the time has arrived for Native voices to echo in the ears of our young people to urge them to attain the highest possible educational goals. We need physicians, lawyers, nurses, educators, technologists and skilled tradesmen. We also are in dire need of politicians at every level of government in this country. Education is our door to equality, our "ace in the hole." Without education we are nothing, with education we can be equal in modern society.

Our young people are not the only ones that need education but we the parents at home also need to re-evaluate our lifestyle. We have trod on our Native culture much too long. It is time we put the old tradition aside and put on a new. I suppose we could say that our culture has driven us to live in third world conditions in the midst of a prosperous country. We don't have to give up our values, beliefs or principles but we do have to move on. Many of our people are not much better off than those in third world countries. The majority of us live in poverty. Who can we blame for these conditions? I would say, "We are to blame! I'm really sad to admit that the most haunting scenes which flash through my mind are very disgraceful home scenes. Those run down shacks where scrawny dogs wobble around, while children with dirty noses are left alone to fend for themselves while their inebriated parents are out terrorizing the neighborood in their drunken stupor.

Is it any wonder I'm afraid to lift my head high and admit that I belong to the once proud "Red Nation of North America?" How, then, can we expect our children to be proud of who they are if we the parents don't clean up our act at home?

Pride begins at home; therefore, we must give our young people something of which to be proud. According to psychologists a child's character is set by the time he is seven years old. The life pattern has already been established. What he sees, what he eats and the type of lifestyle at home is the influence which will mold his character for the rest of his life.

We have not given our children good role models. We have projected a legacy of failure and defeat in their minds instead of success, trophies and achievements. It has been said "There's a reason for being poor but there are no reasons for laziness and carelessness."

Whatever happened to the spirit of our forefathers? Their honesty, fearlessness, perseverance, and their words were true as the stars above. Their promises were true as the needle to the North Pole. They were fearless. Not afraid to lay down their lives for what they believed.

They persevered to achieve their goals regardless of the consequences. Yes, our forefathers established the role models for us to follow but somehow that role model vanished like the prairie buffalo and the results have been detrimental. Just stop and look around you and see for yourself what has happened to our people. First of all, the majority of the inmates in the penitentiaries are Native people. The suicide rate among our young people is at an all-time high. It is a sad situation that our young people live in despair.

They have few role models to follow, no one to lead them, no guidelines to follow, no sympathy, no money, no education and no encouragement. They are caught in a web of self destruction. For some the only way out is suicide. It is tragic isn't it? I feel a tear drop coming on behalf of ou Native generation. Don't give up. It's never too late to make changes.

We can start at home to change our lifestyle and to stand behind our young people, to encourage them to attain the highest profession possible. Only then can we gain respect and equality in today's modern society. Then can we lift our heads high and be proud of our North American Red Nation. Then we can carry our forefathers' torch and be proud of our culture and heritage.