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WATERLOO CHRONICLE, WEDNESDAY JANUARY 27. 1988 â€" PAGE 27 In a lecture entitled "Where there is no Vision the People Perish," Anastasia Shkilnyk, advisor to the Indians Of Grassy Narrows after their river was contaminated by mercury, bared her emotions to an audience at Wilfrid Laurier University last week. At the reserve, 60 miles north of Kenora, Shkilnyk found people "so wounded in,spirit that they seemed to belong to a different world". There was "the presence of a very deep and very numbing pain‘", as well as material poverty and squalor, Shkilnyk said. The merâ€" cury contaminant from a pulp and paper mill in Dryden forced the closure of the Indian‘s commercial fishing industry. Revenue generâ€" ated through the commercial fishery. tourism, and a local lodge was lost. forcing dependence on the government S o The river poisoning was the "last nail in the coffin" for the Grassy Narrows Indians whose lifestyle had been "radically" changed several vears before when the government relocated the reservation. The Indians could not see or smell the poison which lead to neurological damage, coma and death. They interpreted the disaster as "punishment from the Great Spirâ€" tC ‘‘The beginning of the end of their way of life," Shkilnyk explained, had started in the 60s when Indian Affairs officials noticed the ‘"‘problem of poverty" at Grassy Narrows. Isolated from white people the tribe of about 500 Ojibway Indians had retained a traditional way of life. Basically "hunters and gatherers," Horror story at Grassy Narrows OMMUNITY EOPLE XTENDING UPPORT Anastasia Shkilnyk 621 KING ST. WEST, KITCHENER â€" 745â€"9495 COPES is a community program designed to present informed speakers on practical subjects that will be of benetfit to you. The atmosphere will be informal and there will be time for questions and discussion In addition. the fellowship you share with others will be supportive You may attend one or all semiâ€" nars. without cost. and feel free to bring a fmend Ratzâ€"Bechtel is pleased to bring you this series, as part of our imvolvernent in the community and to assist you in your time of loss Funeral Director Ratzâ€"Bechte! Ltd 621 King St. W. EVERYONE IS WELCOME â€" THIS IS YOUR INVITATION each member of the extended family had a role to play in a traditiona} lifestyle. Shkilnyk described the life as "hard work" but satisfyâ€" logging ro@8 in an effort by officials to bring "relatively backwards people into civilization" . There, "the community began to fall apart", Shkilnyk noted. Older values had no place in politics and economy‘were closely entwined so that change to one affected the others. Children now had to attend school, women could no longer accompany their husbands on fishing or hunting expeditions, they could not grow their own food as the land was poor. The desire for money in a consumerâ€"based economy replaced mutual respect and sharing. Beaurocâ€" racy and social segregation "which had never existed before" divided the clans. The chief, traditionally elected for his abilities and strength of character was chosen for his ability to speak English and work with Indian Affairs. The river poisoning was the turning point in a torn society; the Indians no longer cared for their future survival, and they no longer cared for their children. In 1969, 75 per cent of the population died natural deaths, in the 70s that percentage died violently. Oneâ€"third of the children were taken by Children‘s Aid, 80 percent of the men and 65 pér cent of the women went on regular alcoholâ€" drinking binges. There were incidents of gasâ€" sniffing, gang rape, incest and infanticide. "Almost every family has a history of hurt and anguish," Shkilnyk said. _ _ _ _ P Using a 67â€"yearâ€"old woman with 35 grandâ€" children as an example Shkilnyk made her point. She used to drink, but doesn‘t anymore, because she tries to protect the children from their parents. Twentyâ€"seven of them had been in the custody of Children‘s Aid at one time, five had tried to commit suicide, all sniffed gas and during one such session burnt down her house. One grandchild had been smothered, another froze to death and two died because of physical neglect. Eighteen years after the poisoning the fedâ€" eral government has agreed to pay $8.7 million, and the pulp and paper company has agreed to pay $4.4 million as compensation. While "the money will not solve all problems" it will be used to help rebuild the community, Shkilnyk said. The tribe also wants selfâ€"governâ€" ment, skills training and land for compensaâ€" tion. Shkilnyk mentioned several times that had Grassy Narrows been a white community the tragedy would never have been repeated. But the same thing is happening to the Lubicon Tribe in British Columbia and tribes at Red Earth, Sask. and Grand Lac, Que. It isn‘t that the government is racist, she stated, because they do things with the "best of intentions"‘. They fail to consider the culture and traditional values are bogged down by the system n,. was moved four miles, onto a FREE COPES SEMINARS Monday at 7:30 p.m. Gather for Conversation and coffee at 7:00 Our first series of 1988 SEMINARS _ Al . Retzâ€"Bechie! Family Please call it you need a ride â€" 745â€"9405 Monday, February 1 Monday, February 8 Subject _Legal Matiers Aftec A Death Answerng You â€"______ Loved One Has Died . Fim E. Groliman Spearer _ Diane Jennungs R N Ratzâ€"Bechie! Stat Monday . February 15 Subject Mental Health and Relaxation . L nang When A Subject | Am Really Huruing But : Am Going To Bounce Monday . February 29 â€" BRING THE CHILOREN Subject Finances Bas« Banung impues Speaker _ D Grimm Jennings Assisian‘ Manage Lanada Subject Tatlung With Chiigren About Death Dr Detton Giebe Professor 0‘ Pastoral Care and Counseting Witind aurer Univerity Lackenbaue: Herlrberger Dr Earl Groliman By f BOWLING 1S h A FAMILY P AFFAIR. f AVE YOU BEEN . " WWe _ LATBY? _ ASK Reply First, you should realize that you are not alone As a matter of fact, in the dreting populauon, less than ten percent of people will keep their weight off for three years‘ The rea suon most people fail in permanent weight control is that they treat the symptoms and not the problem 1 Jear Martha: Over the past few years I have lost weight and reached my goal only to regain what I have worked so hard to lose Why is it so difficult to keep this weight off / Heres how it works You gain a few pounds. so you go on a diet to lose the weight you‘ve put on As sG0T] as yOu TC back to your g(m] you return to your old cating habits and regain the weightNot only is it more difficult to lose this weight each ume you regain it, but this yoâ€"yo syndrome is also devastatung to your body Dict&@& The weightâ€"loss professionals. Center PSYCHIC FAIR For questions concerning diet, call or write Martha. 7 JANUARY 29, 30, 31, 1988 11:00 A.M. to 10:00 P.M. x Admission $4.00 / Seniors /Students $2.00 f FREE DRAWS & LECTURES PSYCHICS UNLIMITED INC. SHERWOOD KRESS INN 250 KING ST. W. _ . 401 â€" Take Hwy. 8 exit to At Dret Center. we teach you what changes you need to make in your lifestyle to ensure that the weight you lase with us never returns That is why we enjoy such a high rate of longâ€"term success Call today and find out how Dret Genter can help you lose weight and keep it off forever l()()[)ifi'l'ics’l‘hd('.n Change Your Life 360 Regina St. N. 885â€"2760 FREE: