Friday, August 12, 2005
Hee Yaaw, I was in younder Back Country
You know the schools remote when you have to go on three different dirt roads to get there. Nice enough school, looks brandy new, the teachers look highly motivated.
They were mostly 14 and 15, some older councellors were there, and we talked to them a little. Not really much in the way of a success, but I'm starting to realize this was a slapped together event. The Sgt responisble for the NW portion of Alberta, just got back from "30 day break", so the WO probably was hedging his bets on whether Sgt Eady was going to make it back or not.
If any of that made sense, you're no doubt in the military already.
Mostly uneventful and I should make about 60 dollars more for having gone, not too bad considering all I had to do was stand about in a flightsuit. The children there were taking all the free stuff they could carry, we had to remind them that its "one per person, even if you give that first 'LED light keychain/whistle' to your 'friend' (lying little bastards)". Mostly good kids, it was a youth camp, kinda like a christian youth group for First Nation's people.
It was interesting to see them do morning prayer, I think it was in Cree, that was neat. They also talked about how "non-native" peoples tried to take away their traditions, which really is true. Ofcourse I felt really stand outish, what with not only being very white, but also being very Government. A lot of the camp was about Drugs and Alcohol abuse prevention, and sexual health, and maintaining healthy relationships with people.
One very retund man did a lip-sync of B.E.Ps "where's the love", I couldn't stop laughing, but the message was very clear. The kids there wanted to change their lives for the better, and that makes me happy. Society gives First Nation's people benefits sure, but what about respect? We don't respect them, and they often don't have respect for themselves. Is one causative of the other? I don't know, but I had a lot of hope for these kids. One had won an award for school, and was attending grade 11 after having honours 7-10. He had written a little speech, and this is a snippet from it.
"I do well in school because I want to achieve great things. I stay away from drugs and alcohol, because I know what it does to our people. I see them hitchiking back from the bar on a sunday morning, after having spent all their money in the bar"
Powerful words for a 16 year old. I'll never understand whats its like to be him, or having people who've never met me, loathe me and my entire culture. I wish them all the best, and hope First Nation peoples can acquire to the respect and prominence they deserve.
They were mostly 14 and 15, some older councellors were there, and we talked to them a little. Not really much in the way of a success, but I'm starting to realize this was a slapped together event. The Sgt responisble for the NW portion of Alberta, just got back from "30 day break", so the WO probably was hedging his bets on whether Sgt Eady was going to make it back or not.
If any of that made sense, you're no doubt in the military already.
Mostly uneventful and I should make about 60 dollars more for having gone, not too bad considering all I had to do was stand about in a flightsuit. The children there were taking all the free stuff they could carry, we had to remind them that its "one per person, even if you give that first 'LED light keychain/whistle' to your 'friend' (lying little bastards)". Mostly good kids, it was a youth camp, kinda like a christian youth group for First Nation's people.
It was interesting to see them do morning prayer, I think it was in Cree, that was neat. They also talked about how "non-native" peoples tried to take away their traditions, which really is true. Ofcourse I felt really stand outish, what with not only being very white, but also being very Government. A lot of the camp was about Drugs and Alcohol abuse prevention, and sexual health, and maintaining healthy relationships with people.
One very retund man did a lip-sync of B.E.Ps "where's the love", I couldn't stop laughing, but the message was very clear. The kids there wanted to change their lives for the better, and that makes me happy. Society gives First Nation's people benefits sure, but what about respect? We don't respect them, and they often don't have respect for themselves. Is one causative of the other? I don't know, but I had a lot of hope for these kids. One had won an award for school, and was attending grade 11 after having honours 7-10. He had written a little speech, and this is a snippet from it.
"I do well in school because I want to achieve great things. I stay away from drugs and alcohol, because I know what it does to our people. I see them hitchiking back from the bar on a sunday morning, after having spent all their money in the bar"
Powerful words for a 16 year old. I'll never understand whats its like to be him, or having people who've never met me, loathe me and my entire culture. I wish them all the best, and hope First Nation peoples can acquire to the respect and prominence they deserve.
# posted by Ty @ 3:29 PM 
