Students extolled to follow through with goals

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A two-time graduate of the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) made an impassioned plea to Native students there.

"Create a picture in your mind about your dreams and desires, and then drive to make it come true. Remember, when we don't make our goals, we decrease in self-esteem, and that in turn fosters self-destruction," said Pat Buffalo.

Buffalo, a Samson Cree Nation member, graduated NAIT as an electrician in 1977 and returned in 1990 to earn a certificate in Business Management. He kicked off the guest lecturer series of the newly-formed Aboriginal Student Club in early April.

"I can feel the stress of classes and the isolation you are feeling now as Aboriginal students on a campus the size of NAIT," Buffalo told the students. "But you have to set your goals high and strive to attain them. And even when you get there, another door opens beyond. Life and its challenges don't ever stop."

Buffalo enjoyed several years of successful business ventures following his initial course of studies at NAIT, including establishing Hobbema Broadcasting.

"I was the first person to appear before the Canadian Radio and Television Commission (CRTC) to apply for a local TV channel in Hobbema," said the 376-year-old Cree, laughing.

Buffalo said his business career was filled with risks and challenges which made the work satisfying.

But the many social issues challenging Native communit9es today called Buffalo away from a successful business career. First he took 12 weeks of training as a life skill coach and sought the advice of elders. Eventually, through several months of soul-searching and questioning, Buffalo began to see how to might help.

"What is all boils down to is a type of grief counselling. Not just for loved ones who have passed away, although that is a very real grief, especially when it occurs tragically, such as suicide, or one of the other social ills," he explained.

An even more deeply felt grief is for a way of life what it no more. "Where once we learned at our parent's side, today's generation of mothers and fathers have only years and years of residential school living as their role models."

Although Buffalo doesn't advocate going back to living in a tipi, he does recognize that many old ways can be reinstated. "Remember, the systems that are in place today are foreign to us. We need our traditional way of life, one where hierarchies do not exist, and where we decide jointly on our future," he says.

Instrumentation student Lynn Hamilton says Buffalo's talk got right to the heart of the problems of Aboriginal people today.

"Buffalo said goal setting is important, and I agree. We have to face up to the fact that we sometimes make excuses as to why we aren't achieving our goals. We have to get back on track, get ourselves out of the excuse-making mode, and finish off what we started out to do, for the good of all of us," she said.

Ernie Hawke was also inspired by Buffalo's talk. "We have to keep chipping away at the social issues and not be discouraged by how long we think it's going to take to heal our communities," says the Buffalo Lake Metis.

"But one thing's for sure," continues Hawke. "It does start with ourselves, with each one of us finding our own identity, and sense of peace."