National Adult Literacy Database

June 19, 2000

This story was written by Gavin Ear, from the Nakoda First Nation, Morley, Alberta. The Nakoda Reserve is located halfway between Calgary and Banff in the breathtaking Rocky Mountains. Gavin is 28 years old and his hobbies are organizing pow wows and singing traditional native songs. He came back to school because he would like to have a better life for himself. Gavin wants to do his part as a good role model for his community.

The following introduction was written by an Elder on the reserve, Irane Baptiste.

I tell all my sons and grandsons to stay in school. Education is important. But they don't want to listen. So I've come back to school for myself."

Play an audio version of this story

Pure Nature

by Gavin Ear

Once in a natural valley with only the sounds of mother nature. In which the rivers rushing through with powerful waves moving anything. The animals eat grass and branches and drinking the water making splash's. The birds are making sounds. The small birds are singing and the bigger birds like the crows and magpies are more of yelling and argueing at each other.

The trees are at peace, with only a slight wind. The leafs and branches clapping or small sticks breaking at time the wind picks up. The trees makes a whistling.

The sky looks so clear with the sun shining brightly. The clouds are purely white, as the clouds moves slowly, they are different kinds of birds flying close and far from Mother Earth. Flying freely it gives you a sense of freedom. During the night the Mother Earth is asleep. The moon and the stars are watching over them.

We'll never see the pure nature only the animals. Now we have high rise buildings and the sky is polluted with man made air formed into brown clouds covering the area. The trees are planted and most of the animals are gone, and during the night there are man made flying objects going by, we still see the nature growing but its not the same because humans have interfered too much.