North End activist Michael Champagne inspires Shamattawa youth to be leaders

North End Winnipeg activist Michael Champagne visited his home community of Shamattawa for the first time on Monday to inspire kindergarten to Grade 12 students to be leaders in their community.

Champagne said he was told for years that the northern community where his family is from is hopeless. What he found was the opposite, he said. 

"Shamattawa is actually a beautiful place and the people are very gentle, generous and kind," he said. 

"That's the Shamattawa that I want the world to know and understand because for too long, people have looked at Shamattawa and thought negative things and thought sad things without looking at the resilience, the hope, the beauty, the laughter and the gifts that all of these young people and community members have to share with the world."

Last year the northern Manitoba reserve of Shamattawa was shaken after the deaths of four young people and four more suicide attempts in six weeks.

• Shamattawa suicides shake northern Manitoba reserve

Recently, Manitoba community Pimicikamak (Cross Lake) and northern Ontario community Attawapiskat both declared a state of emergency following a wave of deaths by suicide and suicide attempts. 

• Pimicikamak declares state of emergency to deal with suicide crisis
• Attawapiskat declares state of emergency over spate of suicide attempts
• For First Nations facing suicide crisis, the solution is rooted in the community

"Amidst this youth suicide crisis, if only we could focus on the good, we'll be able to get to our solution for many First Nations youth much faster," he said.

Champagne and other aboriginal youth mentors from the University of Manitoba's Aboriginal Youth Mentorship Program visited Shamattawa to share their stories of struggle and success, he said. 

• Movement to end violence in North End celebrates 4 years
• 5 indigenous voices changing the conversation

He connected with students he's related to, teachers who know his family and family members who have been following Champagne for the past few years. 

"It was an absolutely beautiful experience," he said. "I'm definitely changed. There's something really welcoming about being able to say that I've gone home."

Champagne said a moment that stood out for him was at the end when a young woman hugged all of the mentors without saying a word. 

"Without saying any words, I was able to feel from this young person that our presence in Shamattawa had really made a difference and that was really moving for me," he said.

Champagne said Shamattawa needs culturally appropriate mentorship from within the community, such as opportunities for young people to learn to hunt, to get back to the land, to be on the trapline and to learn their language.

"Us as Canadians have to quit trying to prescribe what these communities need because these young people already know what they need. If we open our ears, I feel like we'll be able to get there," he said.

"Shamattawa is a place that's full of hope."