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FortChipewyanhopestohealwithculturalgathering14TuesdayMarch102015HEALTHWELLNESSSUICIDEPREVENTIONElsiehasspentmostofherlifepreservingIndigenousheritagewhilepromotinghealthandeducationinhercommunity.ShehasservedaspresidentoftheboardofVoiceofNativeWomenofAlbertaworkedwiththeYoungOffendersBoardandtheNuneeHealthAuthorityinFortChipewyan.HereffortshaveearnedherablessingfromPopeJohnPaulIIandaGovernorGeneralsCommemorativeMedal.SuncorisproudtosupporttheannualIndspireAwardswhichrecognizesAboriginalpeoplewhodemonstrateoutstandingachievementintheireldsmotivateothersandserveasrolemodelstoallCanadians.CongratulationsElsieYanikRecipientoftheLifetimeAchievementAwardatthe2015IndspireAwardsCanwehelpmakecommunitiesstrongerself-sufcientandsustainableComeandseewhatyescando.comByDALICARMICHAELThecommunityofFortChipewyanistak-ingstepsnowmorethanevertopreventthetragedyofsuicideafterayounggirltookherownlifejustlastDecember.CommunitymembersworkedtogethertohostaconferenceonCulturalInterven-tiononSuicidePreventionfromMar3to5whereAboriginalpeoplesfromacrossthecountrysharedtheirwordsandtraditionsinthehopesofhelpingyouthndcomfortwithintheirownculture.TheconferencewasplannedtomeetaneedsaidorganizerRubiHelenSakeskanipwhoalsoholdsapositionastheAthabascaDeltaCommunitySchoolADCScounsellor.AftertheDecemberdeathresidentsintheareacriedoutforincreasedmentalhealthservicesfortheirkids.Theconferenceonsuicidepre-ventionwastherstofongoingpreventativemeasuresSakeskanipindicated.Theresalwayssupportifyoujustreachoutshesaid.Itsthatrststepofreachingoutthatisthemostcrucialforhealthandwell-beingforanyindividual.ThoughtheeventskeynotespeakerWell-brietycreatorDonCoyhiswasunabletoat-tendtheeventatthelastminutetheconfer-encewenton.Topicslikesuicidepreventionbullyingdealingwithtraumaandisolationaddic-tionsandsubstanceabusewereallontheagenda.Studentsandtheircaregiverswereinvitedtoattendtheeventsencouragingintergenerationalandfamily-supportedhealing.LocalelderslikeDavidTuccaroandvisi-torslikeMtisjiggerBeverlyLambertandcomedianOpiOppenheimsharedlessonsinyouthempowermentandndinghappinessevenwheninthedepthsofdespair.BasicallyIwantedtolightenupthecom-munityandbringinlaughterlaughterisgoodmedicinesaidOppenheimwhoadmittedtoghtinghisowndemonsbeforeleadingalifeofsobrietyoverthelast37years.Imjusthelpingthecommunitywhichisinadownplace.ItsawoundedcommunityImapersoncominginjustcomfortingthem.FreddyHenryfromBritishColumbiawasoneofseveralelderstodemonstratehisownmentalwellnessroutineslikedrummingandsmudg-ing.Allweekheofferedtovisitthehomesofattendeesandperformtheceremonies.ThemainthingIwastryingtoputacrosswaskidshavetorespectthemselvestrustthem-selvesandworkonthemselvesinagoodposi-tivewayHenrysaid.Whatchildrenseetheydo.Theypickthatupfromthecommunityortheirparentsfromthenegativethingsthatarehappeningandthatshappenedtothem.Itsjustahealingthingforthechildrenandtheparentsandtheteachersandthecommunitytryingal-waystobepositiveasyoucanthatmakesthecommunitystrongerwhenyoureallworkingtogether.Thegatheringwasonlyonestepalongthepathtohealingandhappinessforthoseinthecommunitybutsomestudentssaytheyhavealreadyfelttheimpact.Youcanstartthinkingthatnoonecaresandnooneisthereforyouwhentheresactu-allyadultsthereforyoubyyoursidesaidGrade9studentShaquilleTaquettereectingontheexperience.Ilearnedhowtorespectandlistentopeoplewhentheyretalking.TalktosomeoneifyourefeelingdownsaidGrade7studentSilasVoyageursharingthemainmessagehelearnedoverthecourseoftheconference.Denedrummersperformedforthecrowdencouragingtheyouthtopickupthetraditionalactivitytokeeptheirmindsactiveandhappy.JunowinnerGeorgeLeechalsosangforthegrouphisentertainmentalleviatingsomeoftheweightoftheheavytopicsaddresseddur-ingtheday.Sakeskanipsaidshewillbetakinglessonsfromthegatheringandimplementingthemintoherstudentsupportsystemsandafterschoolprogramming.Around70kidswerereachedthroughtheeventsoftheconference.WehadapowerfulmessageaboutchoosinglifeotherthanselfdestructionSakeskanipsaid.PhotocourtesyofRubiHelenSakeskanipTheMeanderRiverDeneDrummersperformforstudentsattheAthabascaDeltaCommunitySchoolinFortChipewyanhopingtoencouragekidstotakeuptheactivityasastressreliever.