Saddle Lake Cree Nation “Mamawokamatowak” Whats Inside MENTALMENTAL Mothers Day Celebration Childrens Easter Carnival HEALTHHEALTH Fathers Day Event EDITIONEDITION Cree Language Awareness Walk May/June 2019 Edition “Mamawokamatowak” O TANSI N Words From the Heart I Check out by Pauline Hunter H C.R.E.S.T. the new website at C WHO ARE WE? saddlelakecreenation.ca I The Saddle Lake Cree Nation Community Crisis Responce Emotional K Support Team is a group of community members (both staff and volun- teer) who are trained in responding to crisis situations. I We offer emtional support and guidance. S Our services are open to everyone in Saddle Lake Cree Nation and con- K fidentiallity is our priority. W THE C.R.E.S.T. TEAM ASSIST WITH A INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS OF ALL AGES P Some examples of situations we respond to include (but are not limit- Join our news ed to): media page on O • Grief and loss healing workshops facebook W • Trauma and recovery workshops all you have to do is • Individual and group debriefing like the page and I • One on one counselling follow N • Group counselling • Home visits find us at • Assisting people who have experienced any trauma due to major Saddle Lake • disaster or crisis Cree Nation • Suicide prevention and intervention CREST - Crisis Response Team news, events and 780-210-0664 information Health Centre 780-726-3930 Eagle Healing Lodge 780-726-3661 Kids Help Line 1-800-668-6868 Residential School Crisis Line 1-866-925-4419 Mental Health Hotline 1-877-303-2642 Mental Health Crisis Line (24hrs) 1-888-225-3353 Bullying Help Line 1-888-456-2323 22 “Mamawokamatowak” TANSI Words From the Heart by Pauline Hunter I just wanted to let everyone know how grateful I am for the support leader fully understands and can engage in conversation in their moth- I’ve received during this term. Time has gone by ever so quickly and I’ve er tongue. I myself wasn’t fluent coming in and I’m sad to report that learned and grown in so many ways. I’m still not fluent. I can only speak and understand a little bit. It’s not enough. I really thought I could do both coming in...work, lead, and learn I’ve learned how to take direction/give direction, how to take construc- the language. Truth is, I didn’t have time, or make the time to learn. I tive criticism/give constructive criticism, how to take compliments/give was always so extremely busy or too exhausted by day end that I began compliments (and I must say we don’t do nearly enough of this in our losing sight of that. I became too wrapped up like everyone else...mov- nation). I’ve also learned how to be more open minded and take value ing in the moniyaw world/ways. in our grassroots people and their views. And I truly believe that every employee (leadership included) must often be reminded that without all Those ways and those rules (laws/policies) have done so much dam- of you no one would have jobs. age to our people. Thank goodness we’re starting to wake up by realiz- ing it’s now time for new rules. However it appears that nobody really More to that, I’ve learned about: knows what the new rules should be. When the question is posed, more questions come. What does that even mean? What are our own laws... *Service delivery and budgets of every program and business company and how do we begin developing them? Many think we simply take the owned by the nation. *The true spirit and intent of our Treaty #6 and moniyaw laws (policies), change some of their wording into our word- about inherent rights (with the responsibilities attached) *Government ing, insert the Cree language, stamp our SLCN name on it, and there it is. influences/tactics all being used to ween us out of our lands, resourc- Sorry to say, but nope, thats still not our own law. es, identity, and overall existence. *That we as a nation need to pull up our socks and start working more closely together. *Poverty politics and The challenge is we are caught between 2 very opposite systems. One how often we steal from Peter to pay Paul. *How to look for loop holes being an english/written system...and the other being an oral/hands on/ within the existing policies we are stuck in to help our people. *How to land based/ceremonial/cree language system. The difficulty is the ma- be persistent in encouraging Directors to be more creative in maneuver- jority of our people don’t follow or understand about nehiyaw pimahtis- ing to also help our people (reminders to inform that policies are not owin or speak Cree. I have yet to meet a person (from our nation) whose law). Quite often this was frowned upon and looked at as micromanag- 40yrs (or under) that is completely fluent in Cree. We’ve become too ing. To that I say... so be it. As many times I’ve seen policies being bent colonized. Even within our own administration, I’ve observed that our only for certain people, families, and staff. And yes, I would make it a programs work in isolation, all in silos, each taking care of their own. point to question about fairness. My motto is, if you can help one then We are set up to fail. We need to tear the entire system down and start please, help all. building a new foundation. One that is wrapped around our children/ youth. As they are the hearts of our people, our nation, and they are the The work has not been easy. Many days were so overly exhausting, and future leaders. And one that also has our Elders back at the forefront, many more being stressful and sad (especially with all the losses/funer- guiding and teaching. als we’ve been having). It is said the answers are there within our traditions and that we must Other days, were full of inspiration, enlightenment, joy, and laughter go back and find them. That we must unlearn what we’ve learned and (which helped in healing and in taking the edge off of sensitive situa- relearn what’s been forgotten or left behind. That speaks volumes. In tions). These were the days that made the job rewarding. ceremony, I myself have been told that we must put ospwakan, ceremo- ny, and our language first. If we don’t embed ourselves in this, we will Today, I just wanted to take the time to thank everyone who voted continue to be defeated. On a positive note, I do see efforts being made for me...to all who believed and trusted in me. I have done my best to to move our nation forward, baby steps are being taken, but we have a help our people and make changes (when and where I could). I know very long way to go. My plan from here is to sit on our Mother Earth and it wasn’t enough. I see that with my own eyes as I know many of you learn about the natural orders of life (natural law) and about creation. I see with yours. But truth of the matter is this; it’s hard to make change also plan to meet with our spiritual Elders to learn about ceremony and when people fear the unknown (as many don’t know of any other way become fluent in Cree. As the foundation of our nehiyaw pimahtisowin to work...other than what they’ve been taught). And during my time (our true governance) is embedded in all of that. And I will learn at what- in office, I’ve come to observe that so many would rather stay in what ever pace Creator sets for me. they’re familiar/comfortable with and remain in status quo (even at our leadership table). Personally, I am not okay with that. We’ve become One day I know I will be more equipped to lead again. I just don’t know more accountable to the government, their standards, policies, report- in what capacity as there are different ways to lead. Political leads (chief ing, and expectations; we’ve adapted so much to the point that we’ve and council), spiritual leads (ceremonial knowledge keepers), grassroots forgotten how to be accountable to our own people. leads (trailblazers who coordinate movements by the people), technical leads (consultants/staff) and legal leads (lawyers), homefire/clan leads You all must know by now, that I’ve made a decision not to run. And this (moms, dads, kokums, mosoms, aunts, and uncles), communication choice hasn’t been made lightly. I sought out much guidance...from fam- strategy leads (camp criers and public relations), land based leads (hunt- ily, friends, Elders, and most importantly from spirit and Creator. Bottom ers, trappers, fishers, and traditional medicine keepers), skills and trades line, I still have a lot to learn. Based on my own values and beliefs, I’m leads, etc... not up to the standard of what a leader should be. In any case, my belief is that our Cree language is “vital” to understand If you’ve heard me speak in meetings or at public events, you’d know and speak. Especially when one steps into the role of a political leader... that I always talk about raising the bar. Specific to three areas: 1) Cree and more specifically into the role of Chief.