Elders don't bite

We are constantly reminded that the effects of residential schools on our Elders have created an intergenerational legacy of unhealthy relationships. We also know that before colonization, Elders played a crucial role in transferring knowledge and teachings to the next generation. They knew our history and passed it on.

This relationship was broken from residential schools and the continued separation of Aboriginal children from their communities. As a result, we have lost a lot of knowledge.

We’re all trying to change this. There are programs and organizations all over Canada that work to reconnect Elders with youth like this workshop series that the Elder and Youth Councils of the BC Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres deliver all over the Province.

One of the main barriers that youth identified in approaching Elders is feeling intimidated. Some of the questions you might be asking yourself are:

Do you talk to an Elder in your community? How do you approach them?

• What are the protocols? Are there certain things I need to do to approach an Elder like bring tobacco or food?
• Are there questions that are off limits? I want to know how they survived the residential schools, but I don’t want to bring up trauma.
• What if the Elder is walking a dark path and hasn’t begun the healing process from our cultural trauma?

Do you talk to an Elder in your community? How do you approach them?