By Roma Breese
“We’re not here to serve ourselves – Dikée Aankaawu (creator) made everything for a purpose and that purpose is to serve others, – like the moose serves us, the wolves, bears, even the plants in both its life and death – all things, all of nature same thing – it is about serving others – we do so in life and in death.” Pete Sidney, Elder – Carcross/Tagish First Nation
Some time ago, I was privileged to visit White Horse, Yukon and even more honoured to spend a day in Carcross with a First Nation community. The Carcross/Tagish First Nation (CTFN) is situated in the village of Carcross, just south of Whitehorse. While I did not think to journal my experience at that time, I certainly remember well the awesome beauty of the land, lake and mountains, the spirit of the people I was so blessed to meet, a meal shared together with them and some of the ceremonies and symbols they spoke of that day.
The Sacred Tree is a symbol for native people and helps to provide meaning and purpose in their lives. One of the many interesting teachings of the Sacred Tree is the gifts of the four directions. This includes a symbolic and spiritual journey to the south, east, north and west with lessons in the form of qualities or gifts to be learned in each direction. Each way represents a certain part of one’s infinite potential as a human being and together the gifts balance one another. In the eastern journey, we learn that one’s very essence as a human being is found in service to others. This important lesson is re-emphasized in the virtues that guide the lives of the CTFN.
Selflessness is one of eight virtues and includes being generous to others without concern for oneself. This virtue requires that the good of the whole be paramount and outweigh the good of the individual. There are a number of values that support this virtue including, sharing, service, cooperation and generosity. In the CTFN, cooperation means ensuring that all interactions with others are good and for the benefit of the whole. Sharing and generosity are defined as giving without the expectation of anything in return. Finally, service includes giving to one’s community to ensure that all are cared for.
The CTFN is committed to the First Nations practice of potlatching. Potlatches are spiritual in nature and were historically used to celebrate special events. Potlatches might, for example, be held to celebrate a boy’s first kill, a marriage, the naming of a child, a funeral, the placing of a headstone, and the rising of a totem. They could go on for many days and involved the constant giving to others. Honour was associated with this giving. In other words, the more one gave the more honour that was bestowed on oneself, one’s clan and one’s community. Feasts were an important part of the potlatch and included the offering of food. Dance and song were also significant aspects. Practices such as potlatching had a unifying effect by connecting clans and communities to each other. Further, the resulting exchange of goods redistributed wealth among them.
This aspect of First Nations culture and history was very nearly lost. In response to complaints that potlatches encouraged non-Christian beliefs and took Aboriginal people away from “productive work”, potlatches were deemed an offence by federal government in 1884 and could result in a penalty of up to six months in jail. This ban was not strongly enforced until the 1920s and was not lifted until 1951. Today in CTFN, potlatches are only held to commemorate someone’s passing or when placing a headstone on their grave i.e. memorial potlatch. The practice of potlatching helps them express and act on their virtues and values in a way that is unique to their culture. This important tradition continues to bring First Nations people together to build a stronger community and nation.
Works Cited
The Sacred Tree, Phil Lane, Jr., Judie Bopp, Michael Bopp, Lee Brown and elders Statutes of Carcross/Tagish First Nation, Books One and Two http://www.ctfn.ca/tiki-page.php?pageName=Home.
Banning Traditional Practices http://www.sd79.bc.ca/programs/abed/ACIP/references/govt_policies/ban_traditional_practice.pdf.
