This quote really stood out to me because it demonstrates one of the many traumatic realities in Indigenous communities during this time. I feel like it demonstrates the strength and determination of these women, and it's amazing that after losing however many children, they're still willing to take in their grandchildren and help raise them as their own.

This is important because I feel like it is an example of the effects of residential schools over time. The inability to pass along skills like processing fish has resulted in generations of hard work and knowledge being lost, and it's truly heartbreaking to see. I feel like this would be very troubling for the elders of these communities to watch over time.

I can relate to this from my own experiences at home hunting with my dad. I learned from a very young age that we need to respect the animals and nature around us, and that when we do, they will provide for us. Hunting season is still my favourite time of year even after I've moved away from home because it reminds me of how lucky we are to live on this land, and it holds so many important memories. I can hear and feel the excitement in this quote, and it reminds me of my own excitement from my own experiences.

I grew up in a very small town next to the FNFN (Fort Nelson First Nations). Every year the schools would host Rendezvous and all of the kids would participate in learning traditional ways from the elders of the town. They taught us how to trap, tie lures, skin squirrels, cut wood, etc., and they spoke to us about the Creator as they taught us these skills. They thanked the Creator and taught us the importance of respecting our surroundings by demonstrating it themselves, and even though I was too young to fully understand when I started participating in Rendezvous, I understood that there was something bigger than us to thank for the opportunity to learn.

This reminds me of modern day societal pressures that are put on men. I’d be interested to hear the perspectives of some of the men who were put under this pressure during this time, and I’d like to learn more about how that affected their mental health. Feeling the weight of their ancestors, community, family, etc., and feeling like you’re letting them down if you can’t prove yourself as a man would be such a degrading feeling. I wonder if it was more or less acceptable during these times to be vulnerable as a man, compared to today.

I found this really interesting because it shows how much has changed over the years, and it’s interesting to think about how modern day laws are so different from what was considered reasonable during this time. When I think of a twelve year old today, I think of a kid whose mom still drives them to school and makes them dinner, and definitely not someone who is ready for marriage. I also think it’s very interesting to see how much western society has changed “social norms” and roles of individuals over a relatively short period of time.

I feel like this is a very sad reality for a lot of Indigenous people, and it makes me wonder what effect this would have on their mental health. Struggling with identifying who you are as a person has been shown to cause psychological damage, and I’m interested to learn about the long lasting effects of the Department of Indian Affairs through generations.

This quote demonstrates the power of communication among Indigenous communities. Passing along knowledge through storytelling was a primary source of knowledge, and unfortunately due to residential schools this is something that has been lost slowly over time. Children now generally don't grow up learning their native language, making it difficult for them to communicate and learn from certain elders in the community.

I feel like this quote is important because it demonstrates the unspoken aspect of respect among Indigenous culture. We've talked a lot about respecting the land and thanking the Creator for opportunities, the land, nature, etc., respect for the elders and other members of the community, but I feel like theres an unspoken spiritual level of respect as well. Dance and music is an example of this as they're used to express feelings and pay respect.

I feel like this is something that has really been lost in society. We don't learn to appreciate our abilities and small moments and I often catch myself complaining about irrelevant things. This is something that I would like to work on more in my life, and it's something that I respect and admire the elders in these communities for.