I wrote this speech earlier this month. I stood up and delivered it at the Gwichin Annual General Assembly this afternoon. I thought that I would post it for those who where unable to attend. The Gwichin people are being faced with a crossroads before them. They have the choice of travelling down a road well travelled but littered with baggage or choosing a new pathway, never traveled before. The Gwichin Nation is a family. We are all from the same bloodline. Whether we are born into that family or chosen to be a member of that same family, we are all one. I see the past leadership as being a paternalistic one. The grandfathers, fathers, uncles, brothers have been making the decisions for all. There has been very little room for our grandmothers, mothers, aunts and sisters to share in the guiding of the family. I believe that the lack of women within our leadership is a missed opportunity. The Gwichin people are in need of guidance. The people are troubled and lost. Where do most people turn when they find themselves troubled and at a loss? They turn to their Mothers! A Mother is the ultimate nurturer and caregiver. She has the insight and life experience to see faults in our ways, she has the wisdom to instinctively know what action needs to be taken, she has the compassion and quiet strength to help her children make their own choices, she has the courage to lead her children toward the right path for them and she has enough faith and trust in the teachings to stand aside to allow her children to make their own way. A Mother is used to making hard decisions, she is used to being resilient, she only wants the very best for her children, she understands that her children are not all the same and is willing to measure success individually rather than have her children compete for her praise. A Mother does not wait to be given support. She has responsibilities to her children and she will take steps to see that all of their needs are being met. She is resourceful and can make something from the most humble beginnings. Our strong, beautiful Gwichin Mothers need to step forward and take the people by the hand and lead them toward the path of being self-reliant, of being independent, of being confident, of achieving personal success, of achieving freedom from oppression and most importantly of achieving the ability to rise up to lend a hand to someone still struggling along their journey. Isnt that what all Mothers strive to achieve? The knowledge that she has raised her children to become a success in their own lives, to be active within the community, to look out for their brothers and sisters and to be able to be independent long after their Mothers have left this world. Gone are the days where mothers stood by and allowed their men to make all of the decisions. Too many times have the women and children been left to suffer the consequences of the mens actions. Decisions made out of personal loyalty, decisions made in secrecy, decisions made for personal gain. The gwichin people need to take a really hard look at our past. We need to evaluate honestly each of the actions taken. Are these actions benefiting the people as a whole or only a chosen few? As I mentioned earlier, a mother would not be happy if one of her children received an advantage over another. A Mother wants equality and opportunity for all if her children to maximize their strengths, building their confidence and eventually seeing their great success in their life choices. As a gwichin people, I feel that we need our Mothers to take on that leadership role. We have all experienced the love of a Mother. Regardless if that woman was your mother, aunt, grandmother, sister or a member of your community, we have all felt that. She helped you to see the error in your ways, she encouraged you to make goals, she cheered for every one of your successes no matter how small, she wept when you wept, she comforted you and gave you the courage to try again, she gathered her strength to be strong enough for when you felt you could no longer carry on, she was there. And because she was there through it all, you felt the support and you were able to succeed. That is when you looked up from your struggles and saw the pride in her eyes. This fall, when it is time to have our elections, we need our women to come forward and represent our people. Put aside your fears and trust that you have the knowledge and the strength to help guide our people to success.
Posted on: Fri, 22 Aug 2014 23:58:20 +0000
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