Module #3 – Post #3

Resource: First Nations House Magazine, University of Toronto. (http://www.fnhmagazine.com/issue3/preserving.html)

There are resources available on the main page of the First Nations House Magazine, however I linked to the Elders Program.  Entitled, Preserving: for the sake of handing down, written by Giles Benaway, he describes the role of the Elders Program in establishing meaningful relationships and connections with Aboriginal elders who “represent a living memory of who we are…”

In reflecting on Western society, or modern day society and how we perceive the role of Elders in our community, they are often associated to symbols or representations of weakness, fragility, old-fashioned and of little value within contemporary times. Often, they are unable to participate in the workforce and the economy and therefore are seen to be of little value.

After watching Alluriarnaq: Stepping Forward, it became very apparent how vital elders are in shaping and cultivating their culture within the community. In addition, providing a sense of context and identify for youth who are so lost terms of understanding their culture and place in the world (torn between modern, urban and traditional, land-based).

I wanted to provide this resource for the weblog, because I thought that this program description was very explicit in outlining their objective but also in recognizing increasing populations of Aboriginal people finding themselves in urban settings where their culture and identity is easily lost or forgotten. This kind of program brings context and value to Aboriginal peoples no matter where they live, it does not forget those people who have had to, or wanted to move outside of their home communities.