Eskasoni group combats youth drug abuse with moose hunt

The First Nations community of Eskasoni is using old traditions to solve modern problems.

It's combining the efforts of the anti-drug group, Parents Against Drugs, with the tradition of teaching young people to hunt moose.

On Sunday, the four animals caught during last month's Youth Moose Hunt were used for the annual community feast.

The event started with a march by the members of Parents Against Drugs.

Jacob Gould, 15, led the march and took part in the hunt.

"I could get a moose on my own now. Before I couldn't, but now I helped the people that cut the moose and I learned," said Gould.

Fran Young, a retired teacher, started Eskasoni Parents Against Drugs several years ago. She says, teaching young people to hunt is one way to keep them away from drugs.

"That's our tradition, part of our tradition and get them back to the old ways. But we have a lot of drug problems in Eskasoni and everywhere else. We have lost a lot of kids to drugs," said Young.

'The struggle is real'

RCMP Constable Dumas Bernard helps with Parents Against Drugs and the annual Youth Moose Hunt. 

"We went up with the youth to the Highlands. They learned a lot. It was a really good weekend," he said.

Bernard says any meat not cooked for the feast is given away.

"You know the struggle is real, no matter who you are, working or not working. There's a lot of people here who would appreciate meat cause they get it here then they don't have to buy it. They don't have the money to buy it, some people," said Bernard.

This is the first year people outside of Eskasoni were invited to the feast.

In early November, Parks Canada asked aboriginal hunters to help cull the moose population on North Mountain. The cull became controversial when local hunters protested, arguing there were not enough moose.

Lawrence "Gibby" Paul leads the hunt every year.

"There are moose everywhere," said Paul, "It's important to educate people on the modern way of the Mi'kmaq, to see what the Mi'kmaq are all about. It's giving and caring and providing."