At the recent graduation ceremony at Lower Nicola Band school gym, these young people will begin a new path in life, leaving behind the history of negative life styles like imprisonment.
I mention this, because these young men and women are determined to change, and change is good.
The last two articles I wrote were about aboriginal peoples being in prisons, whether it was the result of their own wrong doing, or lack of good education given by their grand-parents, parents, of the moral standards, which ground native people -the standards that would cause them to be immovable, not easily tempted to take the wrong road. Morals include behavior, conduct, habits, integrity, and most of all, manners.
Grandparents, or parents from long ago, taught the young people on moral behavior. They were taught that when among the public, they must respect others, listen to others when they are speaking, and not to interrupt. Conduct was important as well as their attitude when told to carry out a job, and they did not swear, or curse at their elders or others around them. They learned to control their tempers. If they felt they were being mistreated, they felt comfortable enough to speak to someone about their mistreatment and were often given an opportunity to learn from their ordeal. Thus, they avoided being in trouble.
Young adults were taught to become managers of certain things in their village, to administer or organize work. They learned manners like taking your hat off when entering someone’s home, and placing your hat, not on the table, but elsewhere. They learned that the table was where food was placed to eat, thus, respecting the table, and its contents. Young men and young women were also told not to sit on the table.
Once they learned these things, it became a habit to them. Integrity – this was learned after all the other teachings were in place. Honesty was important, because, as one grew older, their word had to be trusted. Most people back in the day of grandparents, did not sign contracts to make sure they honoured their word; their given word was their contract.When all was said and done, the young people of the village were known for their quality of having high moral standards. These standards were taught , right from childhood to young adults. No one told a lie, or stole from their family or neighbours.
Since residential school, these moral standards were never taught to the children, or youth. They became lost, with no guidance, or safety net for them.
That is the reason for so many aboriginal people being in prisons.
Long ago, back before residential schools, no one was put in jail. There weren’t any police on reserve, because back then, everyone had moral standards in their lives. They did not need to steal or kill someone to get food or money or shelter. All of these were provided for them; if one did not have food, someone on the reserve would provide for them.
Help was always there. Now, of course, if someone needs help, or food, or a job, no one would be there to offer that kind of help. Now, when people see someone needing food or shelter, they turn their face the other way, not bothering to help.
If someone would step forward and offer their help, just being a friend to that lost soul, that would stop crimes. People these days need to steal to get food, or money.
I am glad, for the young men and women that did graduate from high school or university. This is a great help to them, they are empowered with the education they have, yes, it is not the old traditional ways from long ago, but still, they are educated.
This also is a huge means of detouring them from crimes. And that is good.
We, the people offer our gratitude to these men: Bob Peacock, SD 58 superintendent; Steve McNiven, assistant superintedent; Bill Lawrence, Merritt Secondary School principal; Keith Jaeger; Wendy Tisdale; and Bruce Tisdale, secretary treasurer.
You believed in the aboriginal students, and you did your very best to teach and encourage them. Thank you for that.
Also, to Shelly Oppenheim-Lacerte, Charlene McRae, amd Martha Chillihitza, as well as teachers or people involved in the success of the aboriginal students.
