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George Sampson at his office in Prince Rupert Friendship House |
PHOTO CREDIT Mack McColl
George Sampson is the Community Worker for Friendship House in Prince Rupert, B.C., and works year-round on education programs for urban First Nation youth, often around the 'zen' of basketball.
"Wellness," is what it's all about. Whereas hockey or soccer may constitute dominant sporting activities in some major Canadian cities, in Prince Rupert, said, George, the game is basketball.
It is the single most popular sports activity in the Pacific Northwest, and this is true of Friendship House.
Sometimes the dribbling stops, he noted, and "We introduce Elders to teach respect, life skills, awareness of the environment, survival skills and outdoorsmanship," always using the "sublime" approach, said Sampson, to impart wisdom.
George Sampson is a 20 year Community Worker at the centre. "We teach youth from grades 7 to university. I work with Elders to teach youth the important social messages about honour, respect, dignity," and, facts about nutrition and wellness, "and, I teach patience," he smiled.
The key one, said Sampson, is wellness. Elders deliver messages to youth in oral history form, "How do you harvest seaweed? How do you harvest oolicans? How do you harvest deer? How do you gather berries? How do you weave a basket, or make a hat?" (It rains a lot in Prince Rupert.)
Sampson has seen teachings travel through the community after enriching the lives of Elders and youth alike. Youth are sometimes struggling, and teachers and struggling too, said Sampson, "Let's be realistic."
As a Community Worker he delivers programs that bridge gaps and reduce conflict. He workshops teachers to withhold judgement of the kids. "I tell them to remember experience is the biggest teacher and that we use Elders as a teaching resource to reach kids."
The boxey looking building in the downtown, "has an open door policy. We have a lot of Elders who are managing their own lives and have something to share. One of them told me, 'It's no good taking it to the grave.'"
The First Nations include the entire spectrum of Haida, Tsimshian, Nisga'a, Tahltan, Tlingit, and others. "We have no discrimination," said Sampson, a Lax W'Alaams member of Tsimshian Nation.
"Love, support, understanding is available to everyone; coming in here is a free choice. Those who stay learn in a short time that basketball is our tool to make education the top priority."
Friendship House programs focus on participation and getting an education, "either traditional or European style education."
It is an urban setting. "Some of the kids are pretty rough. Basically we appeal to those who have a yearning to be around people."
Not everybody is an athlete, said Sampson, so Friendship House hosts programs with theatre and acting, arts and crafts, and Rediscovery Camps. Mentorship is built within each program resulting in positive influence by senior members, "They are encouraged to share skills, knowledge, and ideas with newcomers."
The centre's usages are open to suggestion and youth can organize themselves parties and dances; operations being self-organized, self-secured, and organizers fully responsible for clean-up and repairs.
Community work at the centre is, "an opportunity to teach youth the finer details about managing their lives," said Sampson. "We can show them how to take responsibility for being an adult. Life is not a beer commercial."
Sampson wants the kids to feel the grasp on reality, "Do something with your life. We are not all going to be doctors, lawyers, and hugely successful business people. Some of us will be welders, labourers, and chambermaids."
Spirituality is an essential part of finding the balance on the basketball court and around the Friendship House, said Sampson.
"We start every outing with a prayer to thank the Creator for all we've received. This Tsimshian territory is very blessed with the abundance of salmon, berries, clams, and cockles."
