CFB honours native youth

andreas morse/metro edmonton

Members of the River Cree Drum Group perform yesterday at the opening ceremonies of Aboriginal Awareness Week at CFB Edmonton.

Published: May 26, 2010 5:08 a.m.

Last modified: May 26, 2010 12:10 a.m.

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CFB Edmonton opened celebrations for Aboriginal Awareness Week by honouring native youth yesterday.

“We are very privileged in this country that Canada’s military relationship with the native community goes back hundreds of years,” said Lt.-Col. Tom Bradley, base commander, CFB Edmonton. “It’s a very strong relationship.”

Aboriginal Awareness Week is meant to celebrate the rich history, diversity, cultures and traditions of Canada’s Inuit, Métis and First Nations People.

The opening ceremonies at CFB Edmonton included traditional drummers, a drill display by the Hobemma Cadet Corps and speeches from various elders. The weeklong celebration started yesterday and culminates Friday.

“Each year we do this for one week in the month of May,” Bradley said. “This year we’re focusing on youth. It allows us to foster an understanding of the native culture within the Canadian Forces and Alberta in particular.”

The drill display was the highlight of the ceremony with about a dozen young, native cadets marching on command for the elders, military personnel and the RCMP, who were in attendance. The RCMP also presented a teepee to the base as part of the week’s celebrations.

“As a young person, whether it’s my son or the colonel’s daughter, they’re looking for a sense of belonging,” said RCMP chief Supt. Fred Kamins.

“For many of them if they come from a fractured home environment, they don’t have that sense at home. So they get some of that through belonging to cadets. That sense of belonging is what drives people to gangs and we’re looking to provide an alternative to that gap that’s being filled by gangs.”

There are more than 1,000 young people enrolled in the Hobemma Cadet Corps.

“They’re involved and it’s giving them a sense of community spirit and community involvement,” Kamins said.

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