Correction: A previous version of this story stated that Mary Clark SA国际影视传媒渟erved as deputy mayor of her home community for a year in the late 1980SA国际影视传媒檚.SA国际影视传媒� She actually served as deputy mayor in the late 2000SA国际影视传媒檚. SA国际影视传媒 regrets the error.SA国际影视传媒�
Mary ClarkSA国际影视传媒檚 autobiography, MamaSA国际影视传媒檚 Love Lives On, opens with a grainy black-and-white photo of her mother, Maria Blake.
Although her motherSA国际影视传媒檚 story is only one part of ClarkSA国际影视传媒檚 56-year journey SA国际影视传媒� including her childhood in Fort McPherson and Old Crow, a tenure as deputy mayor of the latter, and many children and grandchildren SA国际影视传媒� itSA国际影视传媒檚 the chapter of her life to which she devotes the most time when discussing her book.
ItSA国际影视传媒檚 also a subject that stirred painful memories during the writing process.
SA国际影视传媒淲hen I finished the book, I thought, SA国际影视传媒楳y mom shouldnSA国际影视传媒檛 have died that night.SA国际影视传媒橲A国际影视传媒�
Clark still remembers the night when she was six years old when her father became intoxicated and violent. SA国际影视传媒淗e went into a rage,SA国际影视传媒� she says.
Around midnight, Clark and her oldest brother, Charlie, fled through the cold to the house of the local officer. SA国际影视传媒淎nd we went down there and asked SA国际影视传媒� begged, cried and asked SA国际影视传媒� the to come to the house.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒淎nd [the officer] was telling us, SA国际影视传媒楴o, weSA国际影视传媒檒l come up in the morning.SA国际影视传媒� And they told us to go back home, and we just tried to beg and plead with them, but they wouldnSA国际影视传媒檛 come.SA国际影视传媒�
Clark and her brother headed back home in the cold.
The next thing she remembers, she and her siblings were in the home of an elderly couple who were close to the family.
SA国际影视传媒淎nd we were in their home, and all the family was there, and it was kind of quiet and you kind of knew something was going on, like something had happened.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒滱nd sure enough, in the morning there was a knock at the door, and [it was] the .SA国际影视传媒�
The police had found her mother dead at 7 a.m. that morning.
SA国际影视传媒淚 can remember my brother, the one that went with me to the police station, there was a couch there, and I remember he cried so hard.SA国际影视传媒�
Following her motherSA国际影视传媒檚 death, Clark and her brothers went to live with their grandparents in Old Crow. Her father served about two years in prison before being released on parole. Clark would spend the next few years living between Fort McPherson and Old Crow, including with her father.
Even after the death of her mother, tragedy followed Clark, including her first brush with alcoholism just before starting high school. Both of her older brothers would eventually succumb to their own addictions, as well as her husband, Gordon Clark. The book is also dedicated to their memories.
Despite the tragedies that marked her upbringing, Clark went on to have a full and varied life and career: She served as deputy mayor of her home community for a year in the late 2000SA国际影视传媒檚; She twice ran for MLA of Mackenzie Delta, in 2007 and 2011; She has worked as a community linguist, a justice coordinator, and a life skills coach.
It was in April of last year that Clark decided to share her story, with her self-published autobiography debuting in January. With the publication of her book, Clark hopes her story can uplift others who have lived through similar circumstances. Since publishing her memoir in January, Clark says both close friends and distant acquaintances have reached out to share their own stories of abuse, and sheSA国际影视传媒檚 received much positive feedback.
NWT News/North reached out to to ask what their current protocol is for responding to urgent, life-threatening cases of domestic violence, but did not receive a response.
MamaSA国际影视传媒檚 Love Lives On is available on Amazon in both Kindle and paperback editions.
