Native youth take steps to mend 'broken circles'

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EDITORIAL

By the time you read this, Christmas Day will have come and gone. For most of us, our strongest memories are of the children in our lives. Christmas is made for them . . . they are the ones who believe in glitter and magic, and that anything they imagine is possible.

This youth issue is our salute to the young people who believe they are capable of anything. They are working hard to see that their dreams come true and know about sacrifices, commitment and letdowns. It is also for those who have fallen off the path to their dreams, so they might see the heights they can reach. The runaways, drug and alcohol users, delinquents and misdirected; they have a little more work to do ? on themselves.

We have to stratch our heads and wonder where things started to go bad for these young people. It could be any one of a number of things, but usually the major culprit is lack of love. Somewhere along the line, these kids started to feel unneeded and unwanted. We all need basics like food and shelter to survive, but the need for love is just as important. Though a lack of love, or loneliness never killed anyone, something dies inside a child raised without his or mother's touch, father's guidance or sisterly and brotherly kinship.

Residential schools are partly to blame for the problems we're facing. Mothers and fathers of today, who were raised by strict priests and nuns, often lack social skills they would have gained had they been brought up in a warm, loving family circle. Now, they have no sense of family since they were disconnected at such an early age. They pass on this disunity when they relate to their own children. The lack of a loving, guiding family can leave a vacuum for distrustfulness, confusion and hate to set in.

To a large degree, the family circle has been broken, but it is in the process of being mended. In November I attended a youth conference centered around Elders, traditional games and dances, and that most important thing ? love. About 600 kids learned about their culture, talked to wise superiors and learned it's OK to show affection. They told me they especially like the round dances, in which they could hold hands and move to the beat of the drums. They talked about how they loved to learn about their culture and how proud it made them feel to be Indian. Some even said they'd think twice now about taking drugs and drinking.

Maybe those kids have already forgotten their vows or what they learned at that youth conference. But, at least a seed has been planted in their minds. They may feel just proud enough and caring enough about themselves to refuse that drink, pill or needle.

Only our old ways of respect, sharing and honor will see our circle become whole again. If there's an Elder sitting somewhere, and the seat beside him or her is empty, fill it! Listen to the old ways and absorb as much as you can.

Take the broken ends of the circle and reconnect them and be proud that one of the strongest links in the circle's chain is our youth.