a new friend and a Canadian history lesson

During my lunch (yummy Thai chicken soup) break yesterday I met a sweet Young Woman named Brianna. She is from the Vancouver area and is descended on her Father's line from the Songhees First Nation in Victoria. Her Mother's line is the Numgis or Kwa Kwa la First Nation in Alert Bay, which is the top portion of Vancouver Island. I went on line today and found that there are over 600 different bands (tribes) of indigenous people across Canada that are considered to be part of the First Nations. This does not include the Métis peoples of Canada who are descended of marriages of Cree, Ojibway, Algonquin, Saulteaux, Menominee, Mi'kmaq, Maliseet, and other First Nations to Europeans, mainly French. Neither does it include the Inuit people who reside in the Artic regions of Canada, Russia, Greenland and the US.
They speak the Eskimo and Aleut languages. The First Nations, Inuit, and the Métis are the
three officially recognized Aboriginal peoples in Canada.
I asked and received her permission to relay her story related to her experience with being a young band member and the feelings she has noted from her Elders.
She expressed her concern that there are only 2 or 3 Elders that know the band language.
Many of the Elders are Alcoholics,
not unlike the Native Americans on US soil and the aboriginal peoples of Australia.
(It is interesting to note that all three groups similarly have a genetic disposition to alcoholism). These same three groups have experienced similar intrusion of their cultural traditions and heritage by the national and/or local government. The Canadian government attempted to decolonize the First Nation bands and prevent traditional gatherings such as the Pot lach, which is a cultural event to celebrate a new baby or a recent death in the band.
School age children were previously taken from their families and sent to residential schools, many of the children were lied to and told that their parents were dead.
The bands continued to gather underground.
Unfortunately many traditions are being lost as the Elders are dying off.
There is a website online: look up First voices if you are interested.
You can also read about the stolen generation of Australia.
I was thoroughly impressed and enjoyed the 4 First Nation bands that were represented and who performed at the opening ceremonies of the Olympics.
They were rightly honored as the 4 bands on which whose lands are being utilized for the Olympics on the western area of Canada.

The young Georgian athlete who tragically lost his life in a training event on the luge is being remembered here, I am sure today there will be many more flowers and candles.
The track was modified and the area in which he came off the track has been built up
and the metal polls are now wrapped with pads. I hope and pray that the other athletes will be protected and the rest of the olympics will go on safely.