The reason some GwichSA国际影视传媒檌n people do not play hand games today is because of the destruction of their culture in the past, says Fort McPherson elder Charlie Snowshoe.
He was responding to an editorial in the Inuvik Drum questioning the practiceSA国际影视传媒檚 history and attitudes toward it in different communities.
SA国际影视传媒淚n the olden days, way back in the 1700s, the GwichSA国际影视传媒檌n people had their ways of traditional games, they had their own beliefs, which is what they used before the missionaries came in,SA国际影视传媒� said Snowshoe.
Snowshoe says that when the missionaries came, the GwichSA国际影视传媒檌n people were told that their beliefs were not right.
His mother-in-law passed a story on to him of the missionaries asking the people to pile up items representative of their beliefs and ways of life.
SA国际影视传媒淲hat they did is they got whatever they got, (and) they burned everything,SA国际影视传媒� said Snowshoe. SA国际影视传媒淭he only thing they couldnSA国际影视传媒檛 burn was a drum song.SA国际影视传媒�
ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 what happened to his people in Fort McPherson, Dawson, Old Crow and Fort Yukon, he said.
SA国际影视传媒淒awson, they got (their culture) back,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淔ort Yukon got it back. Old Crow and McPherson, they have nothing, absolutely nothing.SA国际影视传媒�
Responding to the editorial, Snowshoe said, SA国际影视传媒淵ouSA国际影视传媒檙e asking the question how come we donSA国际影视传媒檛 have hand games? We got absolutely nothing on our side.SA国际影视传媒�
There are old time dances, he said, but those are modern dances.
SA国际影视传媒淭he elders were so brainwashed into their religion they donSA国际影视传媒檛 want to talk about anything that our people used to believe in,SA国际影视传媒� said Snowshoe.
SA国际影视传媒淭hatSA国际影视传媒檚 a fact. Very few people might say this is what we used to do at one time, this is what we believe in. Maybe 10 per cent of our people talk about the traditional knowledge, but concerning the religion part of it, theySA国际影视传媒檙e pretty well brainwashed.SA国际影视传媒�
He said itSA国际影视传媒檚 not that some GwichSA国际影视传媒檌n donSA国际影视传媒檛 like handgames, but that theySA国际影视传媒檝e never had it. He believes most people would enjoy them if exposed to the games.
SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 not that they donSA国际影视传媒檛 like it. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 that they donSA国际影视传媒檛 know too much about it,SA国际影视传媒� he said.
The Inuvialuit still have their drum dance, he said.
SA国际影视传媒淲hat do you see form our side, the GwichSA国际影视传媒檌n people? Fort McPherson, Inuvik, Aklavik, Old Crow, nothing.SA国际影视传媒�
Snowshoe relayed a story about a GwichSA国际影视传媒檌n gathering in Old Crow two years ago, saying some young children started dancing to a drum dance but were told by an adult not to go up and dance anymore.
SA国际影视传媒淚 just happened to see that and the chief was sat beside me,SA国际影视传媒� said Snowshoe. SA国际影视传媒淭he way I look at it, itSA国际影视传媒檚 in their blood, and the chief made a sign to them (to) go, and they all went back and really enjoyed themselves.SA国际影视传媒�
He said itSA国际影视传媒檚 a shame about how many elders are gone, but he wants young people to understand what really happened and why cultures in different regions vary.
