KOWANYAMA PROJECT NEWS
Agents for change OUR YOUTH
We know we should “walk the talk”, “work together”, “education is the key” and that the “children are our future”. Time now to move on from the words and do it!!
Kowanyama Project is a bit selfish in one way wanting to find the highest achieving students graduating from their years to take Kowanyama Culture Centre forward.
walking the talk if indigenous communities are to move forward into what is an uncertain future for everyone. It is time for the community, schools and administration to think outside the square in creating job opportunities with meaning for indigenous communities. This can only happen if everyone works together. Again, how often have we all heard those words!
Our young are giving their early years to a High School education away from their home and family. Students find they return home and there are no jobs for them. Kowanyama has few opportunities of employment for High School graduates who Working return. Many drop out in the early stages of their away from home high school education which is a serious problem for them and our community.
towards an interesting job in cultural studies
Those who do graduate wonder why they bothered at all spending all that time away. Some Native American communities find that more and more graduates are not returning home because there seems to be nothing at home on the reservation for them to do. Some find employment in cities off reservation and others fall into a life of crime and drug addiction. Our Indian colleagues call it in Washington State “Brain drain”. How often have been to meetings over the last decades to hear that “the children are our future”. They are! It is as sure as the nose on our face. This is a serious community issue, of PAGE 6
Kowanyama Council and School began talks last year on ways to engage students during their home holidays from college. The issue of job opportunities for graduating students in the future was also on everyone’s minds.
Kowanyama Project would like to think that the Cultural Centre and the Kowanyama Collection are left in good hands as part of continuing maintenance of the cultural heritage of the ancestors and their children. Other Kowanyama agencies also need to be actively creative in providing jobs for graduates.
We know education is one of the keys to a better future for Kowanyama. We all now need to help give meaning to the education of our youth with jobs and a brighter future. That is the challenge for Kowanyama in 2021.
