Tatiana Wugalter, Program Coordinator

This month, at the Alberta Native Friendship Centres Association’s (ANFCA) Youth and Elders Gathering (YEG), one of the participating Elders gave a poignant presentation on the detrimental impact of drugs and alcohol on youth. She began by explaining each of the seven teachings: love, respect, courage, honesty, humility, wisdom and truth. It was her description of courage that resonated with me most strongly. While I can’t remember her exact words, her message relayed that it isn’t always bad to feel afraid;  it simply means that you respect whatever unknown experience you must face so greatly that you need strength and courage to confront it. I had never thought to associate fear with respect but completely understood the connection, especially as I had just overcome my own nervousness about attending the YEG. While I was incredibly honoured, privileged and grateful to be there, I was also quite scared. As a young Canadian of Ukrainian and Irish descent, I have very little knowledge of First Nations’ culture and was worried I would accidentally do something wrong or unintentionally say something insensitive. Just like with any new experience, I was uncertain of what to expect. Yet, the Elder’s message helped me to realize that my fear and nervousness came from a place of respect towards the participants of the YEG and their incredible knowledge, experiences and skills. It was this realization, and my overall experience at the YEG, that reinforced my belief in the tremendous importance of intercultural and intergenerational learning.

The purpose of the YEG was to connect Aboriginal elders with youth from across Alberta to foster intergenerational learning throughout the course of a 4 day retreat. It allowed participants to disconnect from the realities of home (literally, as there was no cell phone service or internet connection) and enjoy spending quality time together in the beautiful Rocky Mountains. Many of the Elders who attended have been members of ANFCA for years and have developed strong relationships not only with the youth but also among themselves. Thus, the participants of the YEG form a close and supportive family that very warmly welcomed me into their circle.

At the Gathering, I joined both Elders and youth in a variety of informative, engaging and meaningful activities. I took part in early morning pipe ceremonies, received the generous help of many Elders while making a traditional drum, participated in a medicine walk where I learned the medicinal powers of what moments before I had considered weeds (who knew dandelions are edible!), tried my best at carving an arrowhead, listened to traditional songs around the campfire, made my very own turtle rattle, listened to powerful teachings filled with practical life lessons, joined my tribal team in a fun scavenger hunt, connected with my feminine self while howling at the moon during an incredible women’s-only full moon ceremony, attended a Clown workshop, and, to top it all off, joined in on a Lady Gaga dance party. I began to understand that Aboriginal cultural beliefs and practices are often based on a strong connection to the land as well as a very deep respect for the Creator and the natural gifts He provides. As I helped offer tobacco to the Creator, in exchange for the picking of sage, and watched elderly women overcome their physical ailments to pick medicines and herbs, this deep and respectful connection was evident.  I left the YEG with a renewed appreciation for the natural world and have caught myself excitedly jabbering about what I learned to everyone I know. Having the opportunity to share the Aboriginal worldview during my time at the Gathering was very meaningful for me and I cannot stress enough how important the lessons I learned in respect, compassion, kindness, confidence, wisdom, joy and love have been to me.

In addition to these experiences, I also received a powerful history lesson that I could not have gained elsewhere. During the YEG, JHC’s Executive Director and I facilitated a workshop on indigenous rights where we took participants on a journey through Canada’s history. Each participant received a note card outlining a moment in Canada’s history that affected Aboriginal people. As they read these cards aloud, participants began to voice what they knew about each particular time in history or how it impacted their personal families or communities. Learning these dates from a book is one thing, but listening to how they affected those whom you have been sharing the past few days with is quite another. Stories about the ‘Indian Problem,’ the double marginalization of Aboriginal women, the loss of land and traditional ways of being, residential schools and the confines of reserves began to unfold. We delved into difficult topics such as racism, assimilation, discrimination, forced sterilization, the detrimental impact of modern development on the land and substance abuse, gaining firsthand accounts of these atrocities from the Elders who were present. We also heard about profound human resiliency, as Elders recounted how an undying faith in the Creator assisted them in overcoming the barriers placed against them or shared how they engage in advocacy efforts to challenge systems of oppression. 

This true human experience is a lesson that cannot be learned in a textbook or through a Google search. It is imperative that today’s youth, no matter their cultural, religious or socioeconomic background, take time to listen to experiences such as these, ask their own elders about past injustices and put a genuine human face to history. If we do not take time to understand these human experiences, we perpetuate the dehumanization of the ‘other’ and risk repeating history’s mistakes and atrocities all over again. With Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission having just taken place in Edmonton, and the importance of learning about residential schools still in the air, the time has come to truly listen and understand the oppression Canada’s First Nations, Metis and Inuit have faced. Intergenerational learning cannot stop here though and must transcend all cultures, faiths and backgrounds. It can even be simple as taking grandma out for coffee and asking about her life. As youth, we have so much to gain from our elders and must make every effort we can to gain it before it is lost forever.

I have had the privilege to learn how powerful learning from elders, as well as from other cultures, can be. The importance of intercultural and intergenerational learning truly cannot be underestimated. In a world of systemic racism, vast economic disparity, religious tension and xenophobia, among many other human ills, we must overcome our fears and foster opportunities where we can truly learn from one another. So, the next time you have the opportunity to learn from someone who is perhaps a bit older or wiser than you are, or to participate in a cultural practice you know very little about, try not to be afraid. And if you do feel a bit nervous or scared, remember that those feelings come from a place of deep respect for the person you are about to learn from or the culture you are about to share. Embrace these opportunities with an open mind and an open heart – I promise, it will be worth it!

This reflection could go on forever as I try to put into words how meaningful the experiences and connections I made at the YEG were to me. I would like to thank the Alberta Native Friendship Centres’ Association, Christopher Coutrie, Sarah Jackson, Stacey Poirier and Renée Vaugeois for giving me the opportunity to attend and the Elders and youth at the Gathering for making it as special as it was.