GwichSA国际影视传媒檌n Tribal Council vice-president Jordan Peterson hid few skeletons in his closet when he spoke to a gathering of youth for the YOUth Matter conference this week in Inuvik.

SA国际影视传媒淔rom 21 to 24, I was a drunk,SA国际影视传媒� he said during the opening day of the conference, which gathered youth from across the territory to help them work through challenges and get in touch with their identity. SA国际影视传媒淚 was on the streets here. If it wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 for certain people and certain experiences, I doubt ISA国际影视传媒檇 be alive right now.SA国际影视传媒�

Now, Peterson holds a high position on the GTC, showing just how much circumstances can change.

He grew up Anglican but didnSA国际影视传媒檛 feel truly at home with his culture until he began to take part in drum dancing, smudging and hand games.

One of the defining aspects of his personal development was elder Sarah Jerome asking him what it meant to be proud to be GwichSA国际影视传媒檌n.

SA国际影视传媒淚f we donSA国际影视传媒檛 take those things into consideration and ask ourselves what it means to be proud to be GwichSA国际影视传媒檌n or Indigenous or even Canadian without understanding all of the negative impacts on us, weSA国际影视传媒檙e never going to be able to reclaim those things,SA国际影视传媒� said Peterson. SA国际影视传媒淔or me, that has been one of the biggest impacts on my life.SA国际影视传媒�

Baring all of the mistakes of the past was something of a theme from speakers on the first day of the conference.

Dez Loreen, manager of the Inuvialuit Communications Society, said he threw away his 20s chasing the bottle.

SA国际影视传媒淔or a long time, I just didnSA国际影视传媒檛 like myself,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚 didnSA国际影视传媒檛 like who I was becoming. I didnSA国际影视传媒檛 like the things I was doing and I certainly didnSA国际影视传媒檛 like the way I treated everybody around me. ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 the lesson I learned too late in life SA国际影视传媒� be yourself, be unapologetically yourself, but at the same time take care of yourself and take care of those around you.SA国际影视传媒�

Now in his mid-30s, Loreen has learned to focus on the good things in life and manage his own mood and interpretation of the daySA国际影视传媒檚 events.

Participants in the conference spent four full days engaging in workshops, demonstrations, discussions and listening to speakers. Some workshops centred around learning traditional activities such as printmaking, while others talked about moderating tobacco use or dealing with lateral violence in Indigenous communities.

Other speakers included Terrance Allen and Maxine Lacorne, and scheduled for Thursday was Ellen Smith.