CHIPPEWAS OF THE THAMES COMMUNITY STORY - Cottfn

espect for women, and will be prepared to be good husbands, fathers and family
members.
As well the future will provide many opportunities for men to develop their gifts and
true potential as human beings and to pursue education and training that will enable
them to fully participate in a vibrant economy. Young men will no longer see collecting
welfare as a reasonable choice. The possibilities of real prosperity and deep satisfaction
in being able to contribute their gifts and skills will be far more attractive than a life of idle
dependency could ever be.
Men will also play strong roles in community life as volunteers and as active
participants in community development and governance processes. All of this progress
will be rooted in a strong re-connection of our men to the cultural knowledge and wisdom
that is our heritage and birth right. Through a revitalization of our identity and heritage
as Ojibwe men, our spirits will be healed and reconnected to the spirit of all life, and that
scared connection will provide the energy and the guidance needed to make the journey
that is required.
4. What has to happen and what do we have to do to get from where we are
now to where we want to go?
a. I‘m learning to become a man…learning to protect the women and children of this
community. Today is the day that we make a stand; to stand up and acknowledge
that we need to do more in order to become better men.
―I call on all my brothers here to stand with me. I invite you to join me in creating a
strong circle of men. In that circle, we will work together to heal ourselves and give
our very best to our families and our community.
I invite all the men to give their names and numbers and to help me to coordinate our
men‘s group, so we can learn together how we are as men, and what we need to do
to fulfill our obligations.‖ [This call when put on in these words during the Community
Story consultation meeting.]
b. We should have a feast for the men to honour them and their responsibilities.
c. In order to heal, a man needs support to admit that he is unhealthy, and needs help.
Humility and courage are required to be able to do this.
Chippewas of the Thames Community Story
October 2011
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