Home > News > Headlines

printer friendly version
Opinion: Indian people suffer from disconnect
Monday, March 28, 2005

"Mitakuyepi, today we struggle with a pervasive sense of disconnection. It encroaches on our family and community time together and on the priority we give to children, our environment and the most vulnerable, troubled among us.

That disconnect drives grim statistics that persist about the conditions in which Native youth are living -- disproportionately higher rates of poverty, suicide, out-of home placement, poor academic achievement and incarceration. That Native youth have been alienated from a predominant, mainstream non-Indian culture is perhaps more easily understood and acknowledged than the alienation that some of our youth feel within their own families and communities.

Residual effects of colonization can still be felt today on every aspect of Native life, including a devastating loss of language. Intergenerational and community healing must be done; the beauty and resiliency of our language and life ways still hold the key to that healing. This is our responsibility, our sacred trust."

Get the Story:
Gabrielle W. Strong: At Red Lake, a people's pain (The Minneapolis Star Tribune 3/27)
Username: indianz, Password: indianzcom

Relevant Links:
Red Lake Net News - http://www.rlnn.com
Red Lake Nation - http://www.redlakenation.org
Red Lake High School - http://www.paulbunyan.net/rlschools/hs.htm

Related Stories:
Surviving victims talk about Red Lake tragedy (3/25)
Opinion: A dark day in the history of all tribes (3/25)
Column: Red Lake members in Twin Cities head home (3/25)
Opinion: Everyone to blame for Red Lake tragedy (3/25)
Deadly tragedy puts focus on Native youth problems (3/24)
Response continues to tragedy at Red Lake Reservation (3/24)
Yellow Bird: Red Lake community in deep pain (3/24)
Ojibwe Leader: Answers needed to help youth (3/24)
Opinion: Violence not uncommon at Red Lake (3/24)
Column: Has media underplayed Red Lake? (3/24)
Opinion: Media circus won't get to heart of matter (3/24)
Letters: Star Trib readers respond to tragedy (3/24)
Indian Country sends support to community in shock (3/23)
Details emerge on tragedy at Red Lake Reservation (3/23)
Tribal Member: My reservation will never be the same (3/23)
Opinion: Above all, this is a tribal nation tragedy (3/23)
Editorial: Tragedy at Red Lake unites all in grief (3/23)
Editorial: Solidarity with the people of Red Lake (3/23)
Column: Sacred pipe ceremony begins the healing (3/23)
Column: Media gets crash course in sovereignty (3/23)
Shooting at Red Lake Reservation leaves 10 dead (3/22)

Copyright © 2000-2005 Indianz.Com