Outside Looking In: Prince Albert Youth …

1 Outside Looking In: Prince Albert Youth photovoice project Ride This train is a hot spot for gang activity at night. It s also an adequate spot to escape the cold. Why don t our Youth have some where warm to stay at night? Conversations Sadly, this is the most positive message I could find in all of my home town. Pathway Think about our paths. Our shadows reach where we want to be, but there are many distractions and ways to stray from the path. Waking Me Up The next one who comes to mind who really has had a big impact on me being an Aboriginal women would have to be my kokum, I know she tries to be more in tune with her culture and I can t blame her for not helping me to understand Cree and the culture.

2 This picture is us at the Prince Albert Women if the Earth, together we are learning something new. She has now finished making a jingle dress. Plus without her I would never have learned to wake up to the bright morning to experience everything. Left You may think it s funny that somebody left their underwear in the snow. But, think of the circumstances that got them there. Maybe an addict out of his mind? Or the alcoholism that affects so many of our people? Lest We Forget Walking through the graveyard, there seems to be no memorial to our veterans.

3 To our Moshums who were part of our education. It seems we ve forgotten them. I am sacred, I am Cree and I am Proud A part of knowing who you are is being proud of what you are. The Reserve In these past weeks taking pictures I have lost someone very dear to me. This picture was taken when we were on James Smith Reserve, on our way to bury my relative. I thought that I would include this picture because my Auntie was a wonderful woman who would be the first one to always plan a get together, come and visit and lend you anything in her power to get.

4 Being a young Aboriginal Youth growing up you really learn a lot about your family passing away, how they are doing and any new members to it but being Aboriginal doesn t matter where you come from but who you are as a person. Walking I was just taking a picture of nature-just because, to get used to taking pictures related to aboriginal culture- when I noticed that there was a woman walking to me, and a young aboriginal girl biking, which got me thinking about transportation, and how many aboriginal people don t have any. Even the seats to wait for the bus are atrocious.

5 I m always being asked for rides by my aboriginal friends. Why can t we have better transportation, free transportation? What do you see? If you look at this particular picture, you see a neighbourhood with a school. What you don't know is that this long stretch of road is the 'red-light district'- where young aboriginal girls go to prostitute themselves because they are desperate. It might be because of their situation at home, or they can't get a job, but something drives them to sell themselves. It makes me wish we could do something to help them other than what we have now.

6 Memories Taking a look at these, I remember some things I'd rather forget- a chance at being raped, being called some derogatory names, being afraid because there is a man lying on the ground. For an aboriginal woman, this is pretty normal. And it was normal for a while, for me. It's hard to imagine being used to this all the time. Meet My Maker My mother is the one I have learned most from because from her life experiences I have learned what road I want to go down. She may not be the perfect mother like the ones on TV but her being around as often as she can gives me a good sense of security and no matter what mistakes I make and all the bad decisions in the world, she would still be there for me and without her I would have never been born.

7 My Mush and My Sunshine His Precious Great Granddaughter. Harmony Sunshine s Great Mushom Through the help of my grandfather, George Lafond, I was able to return to school (after I had dropped out) and focus on a brighter future. Harmony Sunshine Life is difficult with a new baby, especially being so young. Feelings of when she smiles, every emotion disappears and all the world is still. I am free in her eyes. Tall, Worn Totem A far away view of the most prevalent symbol of our culture in this city. From a far away view point, it looks tall, standing proud against the elements.

8 Closer, you'll see it's getting worn down. People don't bother to take a closer look at things that look 'fine'. They don't see we're rotting from the Outside and the inside. If we took a closer look at our culture, we could all strive for a better future. Jets In one day, I took a picture of two jets in different cities. One going up, one going down. It just reminded me that an aboriginal girl's life is different anywhere you go. One's life is going 'up', while the other's is going 'down'. We all have different lives. We are not of one stereotype. Mother,Daughter This isn't an odd image in our culture- young aboriginal mothers.

9 Right away, you stereotype though- you think 'slut', 'whore', and that the mother underachieves. But this girl doesn't- she dances, she goes to school, takes care of her daughter. She's a good mother, if not a little young. Pose! Enjoy! This was a funny picture, again just blurred together. I got my friends- all jiggers- to pose, just funny little poses that were fun. And they were which is important. Why jig if you can't enjoy it? Under the Bridge There have been many songs about 'under the bridge' a symbol of poverty and desperation. Nirvana, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Oasis, all of them have written songs about this.

10 How many of them have lived through the poverty? The desperation? Yet again, this is nothing new to a young aboriginal girl. Hidden This picture is a little more symbolic- a girl wearing moccasins, which are half-covered with some new slacks. This could represent past events, are how young girls of our culture don't really practice the tradition anymore. Hockey Time I love to travel and one of the places I love to travel to was Beardy s Reserve because it was fun at times there. It may seem there isn t much to do but the best was hockey games. I feel like a lot of people went to pass the time.