I admire strong people. Thank you ancestors for surviving. I know life was hard. I’ll try to remember that as I go through life. You survived. I’m surviving. I don’t pretend to know your struggles, but I have an inkling. Struggles are different today.
While I entertain myself with TV, internet, and various electronic devices, you were entertained by storytelling. In the fall time, you shared most of the creation stories about animals like raven, frog, wolverine, beaver and more.
You must have had a strong mind. You had a lot of children and lost many to childhood diseases and accidents. Without a hospital nearby, there were often had tragic endings. I love and cherish my two children and cannot imagine your heartbreak.
You had traditional memorial potlatches in memory of those who have passed on. As a child, it was fun for me to connect with friends and eat delicious food. As an adult I know that it was an important part of the grieving process. I know you had ways of coping with loss and heartbreak, and I continue to practice some of those ways.
You had a strong connection to the land. I feel that connection because I am drawn to it. I hunt, fish and pick berries on that same land.
While you read the weather patterns, I read the traffic patterns. Despite our differences and changing times, I feel the connection to you. I realize how hard you had to work and how strong you must have been to survive.
How can I make my mind strong like yours? What did you do when times got tough. You prayed. Your strong beliefs and taking care of the land helped you survive. You didn’t take things for granted. You took care of sisters and brothers when your parents were providing for you. What do I have to complain about? What can I do to have a strong mind and heart. Pray. Believe. Survive.
I might not remember all of the stories or speak Athabascan fluently, but I’ll do my best to teach my children the same values you passed on to me. I am here because of you. Enaa baasee’ Ancestors.