Dr. Jean Lafrance

Red Brother, White Brother: a Time for Atonement Dr. Jean Lafrance

Aboriginal families and communities are losing their children to child welfare systems at an alarming rate. Such children have very poor futures to look forward to; rejection, abuse and belonging to nowhere are too often the fate of children in care. Academic failure, poor self-esteem and loss of identity accompany them, often right into life on the streets, experiencing lateral violence, homelessness, crime and ultimately jail, where 70 % of inmates are former children in care. This tragedy compounds over time; former children in care grow up to become parents, too often losing their own children to the child welfare system, and the cyde perpetuates itself. Red Brother, White Brother proposes that we can break this cycle, if we are willing to learn from the experiences of Aboriginal families, children, community members and those who work with them

An ancient Hopi prophesy predicted that after five hundred years of contact, the white brothers would return from their ventures to share their technology and material progress. The red brothers, in return, would remind them of their sacred connection along with the values and responsibilities that this implies. Red Brother, White Brother proposes a process of reconciliation in our relationship, to end the loss of children and the destruction of families. This exploration reflects the pain and pathos of that relationship. While posing some challenging questions to be considered on the path to atonement.