BERT CROWFOOT
Bert Crowfoot is founder and CEO of the Aboriginal Multi-Media Society (AAMSA), which produces six Aboriginal publications, including Windspeaker. He has been instrumental in the establishment of several industry associations, including the National Aboriginal Communications Society, the Alberta Magazine Publishers Association, and the Western Association of Aboriginal Broadcasters. As well, he is General Manager of CFWE, an Alberta- wide Aboriginal radio network. Mr. CrowfooT has received numerous awards for sports and news photography and is a nationally recognized softball coach. He comes from the Siksika/Saulteaux Nations
Who was your inspiration when you were growing up?
My parents were my inspiration. Both of my parents showed me what a good work ethic was all about. My father was very successful farming. He was doing things thirty years ahead of his time. My mother was very work oriented and taught us if you were going to do something you had to do it to the best of your ability. This is one thing I learned from them. In order to succeed you have to have a solid work ethic with goals so you know where you are going.
Were there any issues that you dealt with as a young person that you see young people dealing with today?
My parents saw a lot of kids on my reserve sort of going ina cycle. The same things that were happening to them when they were young, were happening to my generation. So when I was 12 years old, they voluntarily sent my brothers, sisters, and me to live with non-Native families in the city for the school year. We didn’t come home until summertime. It was a Placement Program of the Mormon Church.
They made a huge sacrifice for us. I know I would have a hard time giving up my kids for nine months and not seeing them until the summertime. The sacrifice paid off with successin education. There are 22 college degrees in my family of nine brothers and sisters. There are two dentists, a couple
of doctorates, and a few master’s degrees. Actually I should say only eight of the kids have degrees, because I am the only one in my family that doesn’t have a degree. I went to high school and was three credits short of graduating. I went to Brigham Young University for three and a half years and I decided to take a year off to pay off some bills. I never went back. Technically, the only diploma I have is a Grade 9 diploma, but it was my strong work ethic that got me to where I am today.
What advice would you give to potential leaders in the community?
I think it’s important that they look at themselves and lead by example. Not do as I say, but do as I do. Our young people are looking at leaders as role models, so the leaders need to be very careful about what they do and the paths they walk. They need to make sure that they are living a good life, and that our young people can be proud of them and look up to them.
If you had one message to send to the native community in north america, what would it be?
When I used to coach softball I would have my captains find a quote to inspire us before our games. I remember one young lady, Heather, brought a message that I still follow to this day: “Don’t let winning go to your head, or let losing go to your heart.”
Why is education important for our young people?
Getting an education is receiving the tools that you needin order to exist in today’s society. An education comes in many forms: it comes from going to school—so that’s formal education. Education also comes from life experiences and learning things the hard way. I think it’s important that you’re always learning, and that learning provides you with the tools for success.
Did you have to overcome specific challenges to be where you are today?
The biggest challenge I had to overcome was myself. You have to look at yourself. You need to take inventory and look at your deficiencies and your strengths. You need to analyze what has to be done and start working on it. You need to set goals: define action steps and work out guidelines for when these action steps are going to take place. You need to have the courage to take those steps.
One of the things that I taught my young athletes was that the only one that you have to worry about is yourself. If you’re going to be a winner, you can’t worry about what other people think about you. First and foremost the biggest obstacle that you will have to deal with is yourself.
What is the role of a leader in the community?
A leader should lead their people by example. It is important for a leader to look out for their people first. Some leaders today look after themselves first—and their families. In the old days the leaders made sure every member of their clan or tribe was looked after and taken care of.
what is your dream for your community?
I would love to see our community be independent and self-sufficient. To have good self-esteem and feel good about themselves and their families. To be proud of who we are as Aboriginal people. To be proud of our values, our spirituality, and our teachings.
What role should our traditions and culture have in the lives of first nations youth?
We have very good teachings and we must live our lives by those teachings. I find that a lot of kids are really influenced by modern culture. I see them wanting to be someone else and acting as if they are from a different culture. They have a lot of peer pressure and often give in to this pressure.
There are a lot of wonderful and beautiful things about being Aboriginal, but recognizing that comes with time. When they are ready, I would advise them to seek out their elders and ask them to share their knowledge with them.
What is the story behind your story?
A lot of times you just do it, like the old Nike saying.
I started in the publishing business when I was 24 years old. I’d just gotten out of school and was working as a silversmith, making Indian jewelry. A friend of mine who worked for the Native People newspaper asked me to cover a sports story in the fall of 1977. He must have liked what I did, becausehe asked me to cover another one the weekend after. After those two assignments, he offered me a full-time job as a sports reporter and photographer. Over the years I worked my way up to become the publisher. I became a photographer because I took two weeks of photography in high school in Industrial Arts. I got tossed into the darkroom because I was the only guy that knew anything about it. That’s how I got my start as a photographer. I didn’t ever question myself or say, “Oh man, I can’t do that.” I just did it.
I think part of the reason that I’ve been successful is that I’m not afraid to take on challenges. If it’s there, I’m going to do it. A lot times I don’t think before I jump and I just go for it. There were times I wish I had learned how to swim before I jumped, because I was in the deep end!
The other key is surrounding yourself with really good people. I’ve got awesome people working for me; some of them have been with me since day one—30 years. Once you get a team of individuals together with the same values, goals, drive, and the same focus as you, you can do some wonderful things.
