Tradition of fishing provides future for youth, Garden Hill man says
Fisherman believes economic opportunities exist in First Nation's fishing industry
Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and it could mean a secure future for his entire community. Borrowing from the old proverb,Ivan Harper believes fishing isthe future for Garden Hill youth.
Harper's family has set a net in the same spot in Island Lake for three generations. On a recent trip home, he was nice enough to take my son and I out on the lake.
Pulling nets looks easy. Harper and his two friends run like a finely tuned machine so smooth, it's almost automatic. They're out here on almost a daily basis, even in blizzards.
"I know some of them had very traditional parents, but they went to school and came back they don't know nothing about fisheries, fishing and food," he said.
It's important for more youth to be re-introduced to traditional practices, Harper said.
Last year, gardening and chicken farming programs were introduced to Garden Hill youth.
"What I want to see is restaurants ordering from this fish plant, like every order we get, we just deliver to the airport," Harper said.
"Because we have premium fish up here."