Beating drums and singing warrior songs, about 60 people marched through Sechelt Indian Band lands last Friday to take a stand against drug and alcohol abuse and offer help to those afflicted.
Twenty-three letters were delivered by marchers to homes identified as having someone living within that allegedly sold or used illegal drugs.
Some responses were angry while others were joyful, saying thank you to the crowd for their support.
"They know we have a good purpose to being here today and some of these people are victims in their own homes from family members who are selling and using. They care about that family member and we do too - that's why banishment won't work. It's not the person we are against, it's the thing they are doing. And that, they can change," said Lori Dixon, member of the Taking Back Our Community Society that organized the march.
The letters delivered that day laid out the legalities of using and selling drugs and alcohol and said that "Illegal activities regarding drugs and alcohol are not supported or given permission to in our community oppression of our community is not supported. Abusers of our community do not have the community's permission to abuse themselves and the rest of us. You are destroying both your personal and all our children's futures with these illegal activities."
The letters went on to say the group does support an individual's choice to be a healthy, contributing member of the community, that "you as a person in our community are valued" and that the Society would help individuals get clean and change their lives. Information about support programs already in place was attached with the letters.
"Our forefathers were proud to engage in the struggle for our community to survive and thrive once again. Let us all honour that. Let us all build on that. Let us not be oppressive to our own selves. Let us all be strong and proud and say that we have all done our part in building a strong, safe and thriving community for our children, adults and elders to live happier lives in. Let us all start today."
People supporting the march included children, adults, elders, RCMP members and politicians sporting signs saying: "Smoke fish not crack," "Kids need hugs not drugs" and "Build a nation not a record."
Chief Stan Dixon, Sechelt Mayor Cam Reid, Powell River - Sunshine Coast MLA Nicholas Simons, West Vancouver - Sunshine Coast - Sea to Sky Country MP Blair Wilson and School District No. 46 board chair Greg Russell came out to show their support, all noting they felt the cause was a worthy and deserving one.
Lori Dixon noted the march was organized after drugs had been sold to children as young as eight years old on Band lands."It's unacceptable, and we won't tolerate it as a community," she said.
Before the march started she said there had been some intimidation in the community that caused some people not to come out to the march. She added, "That is why we are doing this - for those people. And we're going to do it if there's only two of us out there."
A low turnout wasn't a problem in the end, with dozens of supporters joining the march behind the Raven's Cry Theatre around 1 p.m. last Friday. Elders rode in vehicles lifting hands of support and children piled in to a canoe on a trailer and a bus that picked up spectators along the route.
Some spectators sat on their porches smiling and waving at the group on a mission, while others hid behind curtains, peering out or mouthing the words "thank you" in the hopes they wouldn't be seen giving their support.
The two-hour march ended at Sechelt Elementary School (SES) where songs were sung and speeches given by Society members, politicians, the RCMP and Our Lady of Lourdes priest John Nicholson.
Taking Back Our Community Society member Carlene Joe read out the Society's mission statement that said the group believes in supporting healthy communities. "We are dedicated to the proposition that there are alternatives to dealing with the major problem of illegal drugs and alcohol abuse in our community. These alternatives include supporting cultural and recreational activities for individuals and for families. This Society will focus on fundraising to support events and programs that benefit our community. Our main goal is helping provide positive reinforcement and supporting positive choices away from the oppression of illegal drugs and abuse of alcohol by supporting community building activities," Joe read.
Chief Stan Dixon thanked the Society for their efforts to make the march a reality.
"For me this is a very emotional situation that we have had in the last four or five hours," Dixon said. "The thinking and anticipating of what was going to happen gave me a little fear that it wouldn't work. It reminds me of the courage that took place here to make this an awareness day and the Taking Back Our Community group should get a really big hand. I would do that every day if I could. I want people to understand that it took courage."
Some courage was found by marchers with the help of the Sunshine Coast RCMP who were on hand to offer support and back up if needed. RCMP members thanked the community for allowing them to take part in the march during the closing ceremonies at SES and noted they plan to continue to be involved with the Society in the future as they continue to work towards a healthy and safe community.
Wilson and Simons offered their support in the future as well and congratulated the Society for what it has achieved so far."It's been an honour and a privilege to join you today. You all deserve a debt of thanks from the community," said Wilson. "I'm so impressed at how everyone was able to come out today and show their strength as a community. I think that's the one thing that binds us all together - our belief in having strong, healthy and safe communities. I'd also just like to say if there's anything I can do to continue the work that was started today it would be my privilege. I'm at your service, and I think with your guidance the job I can do here in the community and the job I can do for you in Ottawa has been made a lot easier with your help."
Simons noted the community's struggle is far from over and is influenced by policies made by government.
"Your struggle against the things that cause problems in the community is an ongoing struggle," Simons said. "The fact that you're trying hard and continuing that struggle shows a lot about your strength. Stay with it. And I think taking back your community is an important statement. I always like to point out that with alcohol and drugs - some people say they are the cause of the problems and some people say they're the symptoms of the problems. I think it's good for us to think about what Carlene said about spiritual and cultural effort to re-discover some of the things that were lost through the policies of previous governments, federal and provincial. We must always remember at the root of the problem, the causes of the problem have a lot to do with the societal changes caused by governments and the poverty that exists."
At the end of the day community members vowed to continue their fight against drug and alcohol abuse and the Society planned to continue fundraising and planning events to support those wanting to break free from the cycle of abuse.The Band council also planned to look at its own laws around drug and alcohol use and propose some changes to the community to make the laws more enforceable.
"This is not the end. It's just the beginning, and we still have a lot of work to do," Lori Dixon added.
