Remand centre Elder makes Canadian history

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Andrew Jackson has become the first Native spirituality correctional services Elder in Canadian history to be issued a clergy license by the government.

His ordination took place Oct. 14 at the Canadian Native Friendship Centre in downtown Edmonton.

The recognition places Native spiritual Elders on the same level as Roman Catholic priests, Protestant ministers and Jewish rabbis.

"I've been on a high since Sept. 20, because that's when I was told that I would be issued this license," said Jackson, the 71-year-old from Saddle Lake First Nation who counsels inmates at the Edmonton Remand Centre. "I've made history."

Jackson's license allows him to perform marriages, burials, memorials and christenings. At the remand centre, where he has worked approximately two years, he provides sweetgrass to Native and non-Native inmates for traditional prayers. Jackson also performs pipe ceremonies, offered to all inmates "from brown-eyed to blonds and blue eyes."

"I don't discriminate because everybody gets lonely in here, so it's open house," said Jackson. "I encourage everyone to come because that way they get along better and there's less fighting."

Jackson also conducts memorial services inside the facility for the inmates, so this means if an inmate has a death in the family and they are prohibited from attending services on the outside, Jackson will perform a service in the chapel at the centre.

"My congregation is larger than what the Catholic priest and the lady from the Salvation Army has, and that's because the majority of the inmates don't want them because of what happened in the past, for example, the residential [school] experience."

Besides performing his daily activities, Jackson is a friend to the incarcerated because they have no one else, he said. He teaches the Cree language and culture to a select few.

He gives the inmates photocopies of parts of a Cree dictionary. He also encourages the inmates by telling them "Education is what is going to help you, not drugs and alcohol."

"I told them that if everybody stops drinking beer for one day there would be a mass unemployment right across Canada because Aboriginals are job creators," said Jackson. "All we are good for is creating jobs for white people, right from the judge down."

Jackson believes that if people know how hard he struggled to obtain a bachelor of arts that it would motivate them to work even harder. He achieved his BA in Native Studies from the University of Alberta almost 10 years ago and since then he has been "boogie-ing along with my BA."

"I was kicked out of U of A three times because my writing was bad, so if people know this, especially the younger generation, then I think it would drive them to work harder," he said.

Outside of his responsibilities at the remand centre, Jackson has been taking part in activities at McDougall United Church in Edmonton for several years. He also hosts a healing circle at the Canadian Native Friendship Centre every Monday at 6:30 p.m. He conducts this healing circle in Cree for about 20 people.

"Pretty soon we will need another building," said Jackson. "The government and the city of Edmonton will provide me with a church if and when my Monday night ceremonies become too large. They will give me a church for a dollar and when this happens, that's when you really spread the good word."

He said he has always believed in and has been committed to help people who truly need it because, "that's tradition."

For example, Jackson performed a healing service in late September for a person who had just recently had a stroke. Jackson said the individual came into the church using a walking aid and about an hour-and-a-half after the service the person was walking without assistance from anyone or anything. The individual thanked Jackson for his prayers and tried to give him money, but Jackson refused because he said that's not a part of tradition.

"That's what people try to do is buy you off to showtheir appreciation, but I won't accept their money because I strongly believe that if you sincerely pray for someone with a pipe that's tradition and money is not a part of that."

When asked why he is so sincere about helping people, he simply said, "There's a need for it.

"People need it because they have been turned down so many times before," said Jackson. "They hit rock bottom and the only way out is faith and/or education. That's why I have accepted this clergy license. Because I know it will help the future generations.

"Once you get a little Mickey Mouse degree like the one I have, it's a beginning and it can open many doors for you. This is what I wish for my fellow Native people, to pursue the lines of education."