Page 57 - 1st Anthology 2011

The ladies I felt didn’t accept me. I think it was because I was a strange girl in the
community. I guess they had to get to know me first, I thought your great grandma was

friendly to me. I remember certain women, Mary Big Plume your mom’s mother, she
reminds me of my grandmother. She always use to be friendly to me. When I use to meet
her she was always smiling and shaking hands with me. So I’ll always remember her, and
that’s how I made friends with Katherine your aunt. Your mom was more distant and
Katherine was more outgoing so I made friends with her cause her mother was very
friendly to me. She made me feel welcomed. I can’t say that about the others because
some of them didn’t like me, that’s honest.

I think that’s why your grandma had that spirit. When I first came here she was friendly
to me and open hearted. I can’t say that for all the ladies though, just a few. I can name
them, I know who they are myself.

It is very important for the Nation to get that message. When the Chief and Council get
sworn in, the night before the swearing in, two elders asked me, can you make sure they
use the bible at the swearing in. I said I thought they did because I missed the last one
two years ago. The one two years ago, the lady said I think they did I’m not sure she said.

Okay I’ll find out I was phoning around and I couldn’t get a hold of any of the councilors,
the old councilors. I finally got a hold of Marie, because Brent got sworn in two years ago.
I asked Marie were you at the swearing in two years ago. She said yes, I asked did they use
the bible for oaths for swearing in. She said yes but it was a choice, she said. I said that
settles it, they’ll use it. I thought this was the night before the swearing in. So I’m not
going to worry about it. I’m not an authority but I have a right to speak up because as
elders you’re the gateway to the future.

The teachings of the church. I think the teaching of the church is very important because
that’s what I was bought up with and that’s what made me stable. I was not an alcoholic
or a drug addict. One husband so that makes a person strong and you get your values
through that.

You have to give advice to the younger people and to stand on what you think is best for
the nation. I’m not talking for myself I’m talking for all the young people. One day you’re

going to be old too. So they didn’t use it, I didn’t see the Bible. So that really bothers me,
so I spoke to some of the elders after. They agreed with me that they should use it. The
way it is now, they’re turning more towards the traditional ways, mind you to a point it’s
good.

My concern is what I said that we are not teaching the children about the Bible, the word
of God. As a result I see a lot of carelessness, a lot of drinking going on, changing partners

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