Inuit need to be accountable -- Amarualik
Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Rankin Inlet (Nov 15/00) - Maggie Amarualik says former residential students should get on with their lives.
The Nunavut victim support services worker says too many young Inuit are suffering because their parents can't let go of the past.
"What we have now are people who were not in residential schools suffering for the stubbornness of those who were," says Amarualik.
"They keep talking about how they were abused in these schools, when they have to stop feeling sorry for themselves and recognize what this is doing to their children."
Amarualik says Inuit youth are getting in trouble and the abuse suffered by their parents at residential school is used as an excuse to explain their behaviour. The abuse is still being used to explain everything from teenage pregnancy to criminal acts, she adds
Former students are busy feeling sorry for themselves and don't realize the affects of their "blame everybody" attitude, she says.
"The people abused at these schools keep saying, 'Oh, I was abused when I was in residential school, that's why I act this way and now I want to get paid.'
"They want to blame the people who abused them for all their problems, including how they're raising their children.
"At first I felt sorry for them, but then I started to realize they're not looking at themselves and trying to move on with their lives and be better parents.
"They're too interested in just blame, blame, blame."
Amarualik says it's time for victims to be willing to look at themselves and what they can do for their children in order for them to have a good, happy live.
"Some Inuit aren't taking the time to realize what's going to happen to our children in the future if we don't leave this behind us once and for all. It's time for Inuit to be accountable for their own actions."
