Youth must act to protect our most vulnerable

The COVID-19 crisis has had varying affects in Indian country. So far, some communities have successfully evaded the pandemic while others have not been so successful.

The epicentre of the pandemic in Saskatchewan is the northern community of La Loche. As of Thursday, there were 167 cases in the far north — including 129 in La Loche and 18 on the Clearwater Dene Nation, which is close by.

The source of the outbreak was a construction camp north of Fort Mcmurray. When the workers returned home, they inadvertently brought the virus with them. If it had been caught early, the construction workers could have been quarantined and the outbreak could have been contained. Unfortunately, it got away on them and it has since spread throughout the community.

The problem now is that while the majority of La Loche residents have been practising physical distancing and staying at home, there are groups of young people who continue to gather and meet, seemingly oblivious of the threat. Most of the cases in La Loche involve young people who are less susceptible to the ravages of the disease.

COVID-19 is a highly contagious disease and social distancing and the use of face masks are necessary to prevent it from spreading. Young people might assume they are bulletproof, but the same does not apply to the elders or those with underlying health issues.

In the southern communities, the pandemic has been contained and there have been few cases on reserves. Most reserves have set up security systems that include check stops and community monitoring for large groups and house parties.

But both life and death continue. Last week

This pandemic is having an impact on our culture.

we had a funeral on my reserve. We lost a good friend and cousin. He had been sick for some time and his death was not Covid-related. The funeral took place at the band hall and masks and disinfectant were offered to the mourners; the seating was arranged with physical distancing in mind.

Reserve communities consist of groups of families and we are interrelated. So, when there is a funeral the band office is closed and the whole community turns out to pay their final respects. Also, the immediate family will be mourning and want to hug and be close to each other.

During the 1918 pandemic, people would drive slowly past the diseased person’s home. Back then, wakes were held in the family home and teams of horses would pass by, allowing the people to pay their respects.

We have a social practice of shaking hands when we get together. If we meet an old friend, we automatically shake hands. If I have a meeting with the trustees or the band council, we all go around the table and shake hands. The pandemic has put an end to this, making social encounters awkward but necessary.

The spring and summer are times for important ceremonies and gatherings. In June, during the longest days of the year, the sundances are held. These important gatherings are special and require a serious commitment from the people participating.

A sundance is not just a single event; it must be repeated each year for four years. During the year gatherings are where songs are sung in preparation for the ceremony. If one makes a vow to participate, they must not fail to do so. Also, the political leaders have no right to interfere, since the person putting it on is in charge.

My dad told me the story of how the RCMP came out to the reserve one year and dismantled the sundance lodge since it was outlawed. This was a sacrilegious act that would never be allowed today.

This summer, the sundances will most likely be held, but scaled down and closely guarded. However, the large summer gatherings such as the pow wows have been cancelled. Sports leagues and summer games have suffered the same fate.

This pandemic is having an impact on our culture and lifestyle, but we must keep in mind that our elders are the vulnerable ones and we must follow the rules in order to protect them.