As I sit here and write, I'm thinking to myself is this really worth it? The Red lake Nation is falling apart; I don't think there's a week that has gone by that something tragic has't happened, a loss, a death, another shooting. There's no faith in our community, we have no real strong leader, and we are stuck between living the real life and living the life of drugs, greed, and deceitfulness. Life is really what you make it, and if you live in Red Lake you know everyone and yourself are really part of a separate nation.
Native Americans today really have a lot to live for; we have our pride, our heritage, and our culture. Many haven't grown up into anything that was really based on our culture so I feel that's one of the main reasons why everyone may feel lost and maybe a little confused. You need to know and understand yourself before you can do anything for yourself, if you don't know yourself what do you really have? I was told by many people that our culture and spirituality is very strong, having a connection to the creator and other spirits can be very fulfilling in your life, asking for help when you need it the most, they are always there especially when you need them. That's another thing I don't see much of my peers getting into, our spirituality, the gift our ancestors left for us, Praying, tobacco, and just being one with the earth.
Today I see more and more adolescent teens falling into the whole gang scene just to belong to something, friends that you can be with just to feel like you really do belong. That's another thing bringing our community down, people in gangs that are more worried about the color their wearing then the people they hate. If someone doesn't step up and do something about it, what's going to happen? Another killing? Another death? This really does need to stop, and it's going to take a community to do this. If you wait until its too late there isn't going to be much left of our culture, it really is going to be lost and if it does get lost, do we even have a right to call ourselves Native Americans?
Native Americans centuries ago knew their culture, knew their heritage, and really understood there spirituality; that's what made us strong. We are weak, we have no real guidance, and we are lost. I will be waiting for the day when we are back to the ways of our people, a more understanding of life, today it has many things to offer. Its going to take a community to realize this, if we all don't come together now, no change is going to come, everything is going to keep on happening like it is, more killings, and more deaths. I hope writing this opens the eyes to people on our reservation that something needs to be done.
Thank you*
Jerick Head |
