Mon Petit Sauvage was what family members called Albert Lacombe when he was a child, a term of endearment for this youngster raised by French parents whose descendants included an Ojibway chief.
Was this what made Father Lacombe’s 60 years of ministry with the Cree, Blackfoot and Metis of Western Canada so wonderful? Was it because Lacombe’s grandmother, who had been carried into captivity by Natives and who was later rescued along with her two sons, spoke so well of her captors?
When I ask for the story of the person the Blackfoot people call “The Man With The Good Heart,” the people smile and recall their elders’ stories about his selfless devotion and gentle kindness in their midst.
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The warlike Blackfoot, whose territory extended from Montana north toward Fort Edmonton, turned to their friend when epidemic and starvation threatened their ranks.
What a difference it would make in our time if we could summon this same largesse of spirit when we, as non-natives, have opportunity to interact with our Aboriginal neighbours.
Aboriginal historian Olive Dickason, in The Myth of the Savage, shows us where our negative labels come from and how destructive these labels can be.
Lacombe in his time (1839-1916), and Dickason in these times can help us look upon the First Peoples of this land with respect and appreciation.
During this Lenten season, one of our prayers of repentance can be for opportunities missed. One of our prayers of thanksgiving can be for those lives and traditions that enrich others.
Joyce Sasse is a retired United Church minister and author who lives in Pincher Creek, Alta. Her writings can also be found at www.agri-ville.com/spiritualvignettes.
