Tla’amin Nation ushered in the future on treaty-implementation day and its next generation of leaders are already thinking about the responsibilities they will face.
Three Tla’amin youth at Brooks Secondary School, 17-year-old grade 12 student Layla George and 15-year-old grade 10 students Keden Cole and Brooke Peters, understand the expectations, although they are not prepared for them, yet.
All three have years of life to experience before being called upon as potential nation leaders. When it is their turn, they expect to feel the weight on their shoulders.
“I feel like there’s pressure on this generation just because we’re next,” said George. “We’re going to be the next wave taking care of Tla’amin and being in control; that’s kind of scary.”
Each student agrees what the future holds is unknown. For now, each has their sights set on completing studies at Brooks and personal post-secondary aspirations to further their education.
Cole, a star soccer player and Brooks Thunderbirds’ leading scorer, hopes for an athletic scholarship from University of British Columbia (UBC).
George also wants to attend UBC and become a registered nurse. Peters’ goal is to attend British Columbia Institute of Technology and study to be an x-ray technician.
For the time being, they are typical high school students, with the exception of being first nations. Peters, Cole and George want to learn more about their community’s past and, according to all three, their school is failing.
Students at Brooks are taught some first nations’ history in social studies, said Cole, and there is a class in the Coast Salish language. However, George thinks there should be more.
“I don’t think there’s enough taught here, and I don’t think it’s very accurate,” said George. “Residential schools are a big thing and there’s a paragraph in a textbook about it in grade eight. I don’t think there’s enough about our culture in general. I’d like to see more about history; a more accurate history.”
Tla’amin hegus Clint Williams agrees. According to Williams, one of the goals of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada is to educate and tell the true history of Canada. The commission undertook a seven-and-a-half-year discovery to reveal abuse and its legacy suffered by aboriginal people at residential schools.
“I know this is a black eye on the history of Canada, but hiding the truth isn’t the way to educate our students,” said Williams. “I’ve had some discussions with the superintendent of School District 47 and I know the local school district will be supportive.”
Changes are coming, said superintendent Jay Yule. The new provincial curriculum will include aboriginal perspectives and content integrated into every grade and subject. Changes for students in kindergarten through grade nine start in September 2016, with the new curriculum for grades 10 to 12 implemented in September 2017.
Yule said first nations’ culture will be infused throughout the school year rather than it being a standalone subject.
George and Peters see the new curricula as a necessary change and believe every student, not only first nations, should know about land they occupy and the people who lived on it before European settlement.
“They should know all the land we used to own here,” said Cole. “We’re from the same Tla’amin ancestry. It would just be cool for everybody to learn about it.”
The students said they are also keen to learn more about the treaty process that led to self-government.
Williams pointed out the importance of youth in the community and said some young people spread the word through their families and community, and took a leadership role during a divisive time in the vote toward self-government
“Some people think we’re not ready for self-government,” said Peters. “I know a lot of my family doesn’t think we’re ready, but now that it’s here we have to be.”
George said she feels empowered under the new Tla’amin self-government, but she expects to face new challenges.
“We are our own people and not dependent on the [Canadian] government to make our decisions for us,” said George. “I feel like we gain a lot, but it is a lot of responsibility on how we handle it.”
While Cole, George and Peters prepare for their futures and that of their people, statistics show lower rates of graduation among first nations students compared to non-aboriginals.
Nationally, one in four aboriginal students graduate from high school, while nine out of 10 non-aboriginals complete grade 12. Statistics from 2014/2015 for School District 47 indicate 46 per cent of aboriginal students graduated, compared with 78 per cent of non-aboriginals.
According to Cole and Peters, some of their peers do not worry about finishing school because they have the community to fall back on.
“A lot of people here don’t have motivation,” said Peters. “My aboriginal friends don’t see the point of going to school. They don’t see themselves going to college.”
That fact alarms Williams, who believes it is too easily accepted among aboriginal people.
“I don’t want to preach to families,” he said, “but I think they need to get on their children to stick with it.”
For its part, Yule said the school district continues to work on building programming, such as Ahms Tah Ow School, which provides academic upgrading, completion of grades nine to 12, regular and adult graduation diplomas and career counselling. However, Yule shares Williams’ concern regarding aboriginal student graduation numbers.
“It’s certainly not as good as we would like it to be, so we’ve worked with Tla’amin to find programs more relevant for the students and parents,” said Yule. “That’s ongoing.”
Cole, Peters and George are dedicated to following through with their education plans.
After she becomes an x-ray technician, Peters does not intend to come back; she likes cities.
Cole and George are prepared to step up when their turn comes and join the leadership of Tla’amin Nation. However, like most high-school students, they want to see some of the world first.
“I don’t want to come back right after school,” said Cole. “I want to travel and then I’ll probably end up coming back to my community.”
