Identity, a major concern of young Atikamekw

For her, the Atikamekw Youth Summit (SJA), through its conferences, workshops and round tables, allows her to reconnect with her culture and her community.

I’m here for that: I want to reclaim my culture, my identity, and above all not to be ashamed of itshe says.

Célina-Émilie Clary considers language to be the issue she heard the most about during the summit. Over the course of the discussions, the woman from Obijiwan noted that a priority for the Atikamekw should be to find how to succeed in preserving and promoting the Atikamekw language, both on the reserves and in the cities.

Her friend, Shawerim Coocoo, is in her first year at SJA. Although she is interested in all the axes explored during the weekend – areas, which, she judges, connects finally between them – she admits to having had a particular interest in health issues.

The young woman from Wemotaci dreams of becoming a midwife in order to open a birth center in her community.

I want to give women in the community a chance to give birth while respecting their language, culture and tradition, while continuing to respect the territory.

Identity, a personal reality

While community spirit and identification with the Atikamekw nation direct the nature and origin of the SJA, the question of adherence to Atikamekw and Quebec identities is a little more complex.

To translate his identity, Shawerim Coocoo paraphrases Atikamekw Nehirowisiw’s declaration of sovereignty to support his words: I’m not Canadian, I’m not Quebecer, I’m Atikamekw. It’s an identity in its own right, but it remains that I live in Quebec.

Shawerim Coocoo and Célina-Émilie Clary admit to seeing an openness on the part of the Quebec population and to being optimistic about the future. It remains that Shawerim Coocoo shares a discomfort felt when she tried to fit in the mold.

” You try to play their game, to be like them, to act like them, but there comes a time when you realize that you will never be like them. “

Shawerim Coocoo also feels that the emphasis is too often placed on community identity, to forget your individual identity.

In recent years, I have learned so much about what it means to be Aboriginal, what it means to be Atikamekw. Today I would like to know who is Shawerim!

Identifying herself until very recently only as Quebecer, Célina-Émilie Clary confides that her identification may change over the years.

Everyone goes their own way differently. […] We can have two identities, you can be whatever you want. It’s not fixedshe says.

Lisa-Marie Coocoo is in her final year as an AJS participant. She also notes that the issues of identity and cultural preservation were at the heart of the discussions at the summit.

Although she recognizes that it is necessary work hard to preserve the practices, the one that proclaims itself the eldest of the young notices that the young people are ready to make the necessary efforts, and that they express the need to go into territory.

For this student life animator (cultural component) at the Kiuna Institution, this meeting is a golden opportunity to learn more about the individuals attending her institution.

Moreover, education was promoted throughout all of the weekend’s activities, whether by artist Catherine Boivin, lecturer Jon-Evan Quoquochi or chief negotiator Dany Chilton.

Education is the key to successlaunches Lisa-Marie Coocoo.

A summit that is here to stay

Kosa Chilton is in his first year as Youth Development Coordinator for the Conseil de la nation atikamekw. The organizer, who has been contributing to the event since its first edition, sees a crucial importance in this summit, which has a growing popularity.

It’s very important, it’s the successionslice the 27-year-old man.

Kosa Chilton notes that a priority for young people is to be listened to, to have space and to be supported. However, he admits that being Aboriginal in Quebec is difficult and racism still exists.

The coordinator also shares the optimism of the young participants as to the future. We are in a movement, we are in a good momentum, we can’t stop!