Page 88 - Walking_The_Red_Road

My Journey to a Good Life
By Steven Rickard
Along with being an athlete and part of the men’s drumming group, Steven was an active member of the YAC, offering leadership and speaking out about the importance of culture. For Steven, reconnecting with culture helped him get sober and contributed to his well- being. This is the story of his journey.
Waachay, Aanii, Welcome. My name is Steven Rickard. I’m from a small community in the James Bay area, called Moosonee. I moved to Cochrane when I was six and we lived there for seven years where my mother was deputy chief of our band: Taykwa Tagamou Nation, which means “water on high ground.”
My journey revolves around my late uncle, George Linklater Jr.
My uncle George was born in Moosonee in his home on June 12, 1966. He was the third of six children to my grandparents Dorothy and George Sr.
Growing up with five other siblings was rough for him because my grandparents didn’t really have money but they did their best. My grandfather worked 24/7 and my granny was a stay-at-home mom who would always find a way to feed all of them with one can of Klik.
When my uncle was growing up, he got involved with the local hockey team. In hockey, even though he was a small guy, he could hit hard. As he got older, he would get in trouble a lot. As a teenager he was my mom and my aunt’s protector because that was his job as an older brother, like he would fight if it was necessary. He was also a prankster too. He got addicted to drinking and drugs at an early age but he managed to sober up at 35 years old.
Walking the Red Road | REPORT OF THE URBAN ABORIGINAL COMMUNITIES THRIVE PROJECT
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