"In the past the American school system and the church could and should be blamed for the loss of our Alaska cultures, but times have changed greatly. Today we are able to make choices about the languages our children are taught in with the variety of bilingual programs offered. We are able to home school our children or choose what high school they attend. There has never been a better or more important time for parents and community members to be an integral part of our children's education and life.

What is killing our Native cultures is not our schools but the breakdown of our families.

When we choose to speak English to our children instead of our own language, we are choosing to allow our language to die.

When we allow our children to watch hours of television or play video games instead of sharing our stories, we allow our culture to die.

When we choose to buy meat at the stores instead of trapping, hunting and fishing with our children, we fail to teach them how.

When we buy Doritos and frozen pizza instead of gathering eggs or berries, we hurt our culture."

Get the Story:
Renee Crow: Only families can halt the breakdown of Native culture (The Anchorage Daily News 2/2)