My Indigenous Life

As the world keeps changing – housing prices rising, food costs climbing, and communities growing more distant – I find myself seeing our villages (aka reserves), with new eyes. What some once saw as places of hardship and limits are quickly becoming places of refuge and hope. On our lands, we still have what so many are searching for: affordable homes, community gardens, food fish, and hunting rights that feed both body and spirit.

Here, our youth, entrepreneurs, and young families can actually afford a house – a place to call their own, surrounded by family and familiar faces. Our children are still safe to go outside and play, and our youth can learn directly from our elders about harvesting, gathering, and sustaining ourselves and our community. These aren’t just skills; they’re lifelines that have carried us through generations.

Our villages offer something rare: connection. The kind that comes from knowing your neighbors, from seeing your family members at the band office or community events, from sharing stories and meals and laughter. In a world that often feels rushed and disconnected, this is priceless.

But it’s not just about the physical place – it’s about the heart of who we are. Our culture gives us a deep sense of belonging and identity. Through ceremony, feasts, and the everyday practices of our heritage, we find meaning and purpose. Living our culture isn’t just something we do – it’s how we know ourselves, and it shapes our goals and gives our lives meaning, grounded in traditions that have guided us for generations. In a world where so many search for connection and purpose, often turning to material things to fill that void, our culture offers a deeper sense of fulfillment – one rooted in community, history, and belonging.

As the world turns back to Indigenous peoples for answers on how to sustain life – how to live in harmony with the land, how to build real community – we have a chance to lead. This generation holds the power to make our villages not just places of survival, but places of thriving.

We can prioritize affordable housing, support community gardens, protect our food fish and hunting rights, and create spaces where young families and entrepreneurs can build a future. We can ensure our children grow up knowing their culture, their language, and the value of learning from their elders. We can make our reserves true places of refuge – not just for us, but for the generations to come.

Let’s think ahead. Think 7 generations ahead. Let’s make this a priority. Our world is changing, and people everywhere are looking to Indigenous knowledge and community for guidance. We have the opportunity – right now – to make our villages a beacon of hope, resilience, and sustainability.

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