Old White Bird Part 1

I am currently working to acquire my Minnesota state alcohol and drug license. I am in my first half of practicum hours. I have to acquire a total of 880 hours of infield service and professional training. At the same time I am taking a couple of college classes in regards to my professional training(JOKES).
Upon one of my professional observations and experiences, i witnessed ignorance, compliance and brain-washing. And this came in the form of an elderly person I will call " The bird ".
Upon being a visitor in a rural Aboriginal community, i was treated very well and fed a nice hot meal. One of the most important attributes and factors was being in the presence of elderly Aboriginal men and women.
This experience brought back many memories of a better time in my life. It was the memories of my community; Round Lake, WI. As i was sitting and eating my chicken a la king lunch, I could not help but remember sitting back home in my little village at the elderly nutrition center(professional name). What i was remembering were the sewing machines, the blocks of patterns, the commotion of laughter and visiting, the genuine flavor of the last bits of community excitement and realism.
Now, my community is compromised version of a small rural city. Most of the youth have no sense of identity and Spiritual knowledge, but if you ask them what the latest techno. gadget is, they will be gladly to show and tell. Most of the young adults are too busy raising families, trying to keep up with society's demands. So, to ask them to take time out of their weekend to participate in a Drum ceremony or something of equal importance, is too sacrificial and "boring". The middle age adults are like grown teen age rs, trying to continue to fit in and just exist from day to day. The elders that are left in my community are rare. My elders are not valued as they once were. Now, the elders are used and abused by modern day educational guru's. The elders that are left, come out of a time that did not give a damn about Aboriginal rights and a time where being Indian or any other ethnic group was embarrassing and less human. Those elders that prevailed unscathed through the hard times are few. The elders that were not so lucky are trying to make sense of their wisdom they possess. Their wisdom does not make sense in the White world, the world they mostly choose to live in.