Story of the Week
May 3, 1999
Our story this week is a special event, because we are launching two learners stories on the Internet, and you can read their stories as well as hear them. Both people are doing upgrading at Carnegie Learning Centre, Vancouver, BC
This story was written by Fred Arrance. Fred was born St. Boniface, Manitoba in 1956. His mother is from Pine Creek band, Northern Manitoba. His father is Metis, born in Leark, Saskatchewan. Fred himself grew up in Prince George, British Columbia, where he lived from the ages of 3 to 8 years old, and he had four brothers and 5 sisters. He ran away from home when he was 10 years old and ended up on the streets of Vancouver. He became a ward of Childrens Aid from the ages of 11 to 17, and he went from one group home to another.
From the streets, Fred learned who to trust and how not to get caught. He lost 13 members of his family: sisters and cousins - to the streets, through substance abuse and violent deaths. Today, Fred is involved in First Nations and disability issues in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver. He uses writing as a way to stay busy and as a kind of therapy to keep his mind healthy, and away from drugs.
Play an audio version of this story
Lone Bear
by Fred Arrance
Hunting for food along the banks of the Fraser River, lone bears claims his territory.
He hunts for food, but there is none. His hunting grounds are no more.
Lone Bear has nowhere to go, nothing to eat, this is where Lone Bear lives.
Where are the fish and game. Where are the berries and wild forests. Must have somewhere to live, something to eat, Lone Bear finds none.
Across the river, farmers cattle, fruit trees, small game. Lone Bear swims across very hungry.
Farmer kills Lone Bear for being on what the farmer thought was his land.
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