By Tyrone Sitting Eagle
Siksika Nation Member Dustin Dick hosted the Red Road Reclamation event for the community. This took place at the Siksika Piiksapi Memorial Arbour on May 25th. This was a one-day non-profit event that was put up for the community and to spread awareness so it may help others ontheir healing journey with addictions. This event focuses on the importance of aftercare, addictions in our community, and building strong support systems. There were talks from guest speakers Ashley Wolfleg, Scott Edwards, Reuben “Buck” Breaker, CJ Cutter, Darcy Turning Robe, Dallas “Oscar” Black, Dale Yellowfly, and Regan Running Rabbit, who spoke about their journeys and endeavours and gave motivational talks and words of encouragement. The event is all done by volunteers and funded by sponsors who want to help. In turn, this will also focus on the importance of support systems when it comes to supporting people with addictions.
Dustin has also had his own battle with addictions, and now that he has gotten into a place where he can heal and understand, he wants to not only help others in the community but as many people as he can. In an interview that was held in the Siksika Media studio, Dustin exclaimed about the importance of aftercare and his experiences with it. He explained that he didn’t realize that one could have outlets and used skateboarding as a means to keep himself busy. This was apparent for him, but another person may have different outlets and different interests, having different aftercare for themselves.
“When it comes to recovery, aftercare is so important because one could get stuck,” said Dustin.
He wanted to showcase this at the Red Road Reclamation to show others that there is more out there, that you don’t have to be stuck in one place, and that there are others out there that will help and who are willing to help.
Dustin also exclaimed that our very own Blackfoot culture is also important, as he knows someone who used culture as an outlet for themselves and continues to this day.
“I know somebody who is going on ten years of being sober; I didn’t know our culture saved his life,” said Dustin.
Dustin also went on to describe his personal healing journey, saying that he helped Dale Yellowfly, who started a support group, this is where Dustin found out he had a lot of support. His friend CJ Cutter was someone who supported him and gave him the opportunity to be apart of Cousin’s Skateboarding Community”, not knowing that he had already started using skateboarding as an outlet. With that, he thought he had to go and look for everything that had to do with recovery, not knowing that skateboarding was part of that recovery. This is good for the community because it is helping and bringing people together. Not only that, but it is being led by our very own Siksika Nation member Dustin Dick, who has been through addictions and recovery, in turn creating a better understanding and a very successful event, the Red Road Reclamation, “Finding Your Path To Recovery”.
