I haven't blogged in so long. It was very hard after I lost my grandma. She was the glue that held the family together. I miss her everyday. I'm so blessed that I finally feel her presence with me when I go out to subsist in our favorite places. I also feel her presence knowing she would be proud of me continuing what she practiced (sharing with others in the community). She had the sweetest heart and always thought of those who had less than others. She would have so many presents to wrap at Christmas time because she didn't want kids to go without. She also couldn't resist donating to charities. I couldn't even count how many charities sent her mail because she sent money every year. It is because of her and my mom that I have learned that it is important to help others.
Lately, I have been really trying to understand how our people have become so disconnected from one another. We have always been a collectivist culture. Our people depended upon one another to survive. Lately, we have not been as intertwined as we should be and our children are feeling the impact. Our children are the future and they need guidance. We need to be setting them up for success and help them figure out how they will contribute to our society. As collectivists, we all have a duty to perform. There is no laziness allowed. Our ancestors didn't play video games to survive. They walked by foot for weeks to trade furs for food. Everyone had a purpose. Everyone had a role to play. We need to remember the strength of our ancestors and pass it on to our children. Laziness was never a cultural value. Survival was the top of the list. To survive as a community, we need to come together and raise our children to know what our ancestors endured and how we can heal from the traumas that passed generation to generation.
If you have children, tell them that you love them and that you believe in them. If you don't have children, tell other peoples' kids the same. Tell them that the sky is the limit. Everyone has a place on this Earth. Everyone has a mission. Everyone has a duty to fulfill. How are you contributing to you hometown? Let' s bring our people back together and let's bring about healing. The closer I get to my culture, the more healing I feel. Take your kids out fishing, berry picking, teach them the native dance, tell them stories of the past, make sure they go to school daily and on time, teach them our cultural values (very very important). It's one thing that was not forced from us. Be proactive. Let's heal for our children and our children's children.
