Page 18 - Walking_The_Red_Road

I was really shocked and I started talking to my mom about it. She said that residential school is one of the biggest reasons why so many of our people have lost their languages. And I said, “Oh, yeah? My people didn’t lose their language because they were strong to keep
it.” We were so far up north that the residential school teachers and the company didn’t want to come up there because it was too cold
and it cost too much money, so they mostly left us alone up there. Still, I’m afraid to lose my language. Most native people don’t have their language anymore. My dad was in residential school and he wasn’t allowed to speak Cree to his brothers, sisters, or friends. If he did, he would have gotten slapped. As soon as he came back, he still had his language but it wasn’t as strong as it was. So he went back into the bush to learn it again, learn about his traditions, hunting skills.
Every time when I am hunting or walking home in a big blizzard, I think about my dad and how much pain he went through. He’s still got his language and his hunting skills, and I think to myself, “If he can do it, I can do it.” My dad is my role model.