Bear Shooting

As most of the community is already aware a bear was shot and killed in Rama last week.Numerous bear sitings have been reported this past spring.It is understood that a member of the Rama Police Services shot a year old black bear, estimated to weigh 150lbs.The bear was shot near the graveyard, wounded and ran away to die. Reports indicate that the bear ran up the tracks toward the bush on the east side of the tracks. It was also rumoured that the bear suffered and was heard moaning as it died. It was not given a proper burial.Contributors to this blog have emailed Chief and Council to get answers as to why a young bear was shot by a police officer and left to suffer for three days. The response received is that chief and council are 'looking into it' and have called for an investigation and would report to the community. That was on Saturday June 18th. Contributors to this blog contacted the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) who advised that that particular bear was wearing a tracking collar. We are waiting to hear from them with more information. A couple of things are cause for concern. How can a bear be left to suffer in a First Nations community? The bear is our brother, our teacher and our protector. We learn from the bear and honour and respect the bear as part of our ceremonies. Also, it's concerning that a police officer shot the bear. Why wasn't the MNR called to tranq and relocate the bear? Did the officer discharge his or her service revolver to shoot the bear? In a residential neighborhood no less? From what I understand a substantial amount of paperwork has to be completed when an officer discharges a weapon. So what's in the police report? Why is nobody telling the community what happened? The truth would set us at ease and allow us to collectively decide how to come to terms with the death of the bear. It is interesting and important to note that in other FN communities when a bear is killed or dies ceremony is held and the community feasts to celebrate the life of the bear. This bear was left to die wounded and it's spirit unacknowledged. The bear carries very powerful medicine with him. What does that suggest about our community? It concerns me greatly to think how far removed we are from our original instructions. I've requested that the police report be disclosed to the community. We have a right to know what really happened and how that bear spent it's final days.In closing I will transcribe what Master Herbalist Matthew Wood has to say about the bear:
Bear. Bear provides one of the most powerful and important medicines in human society. The bear, which occasionally walks upright, is the animal most analogous to the human being and from it the Indian people learned which plants to eat and many medicine plants. With his claws bear digs up roots, pulls off berries and bark, catches fish and small animals and insects. Thus the bear is totem or representative of the food and medicine gatherer and preparer.
Bear medicines strengthen what we would call the adrenals (adrenal cortex). They give reserve, power and stamina. One set of bear medicines are oily, brown furry roots (there are more of these than one would suppose). The  oil builds up the adrenals, which are composed of oil. Another set are berries, which bears love to eat. These sedate and cool, since fats and oils build up energy reserves which can cause hear.
People with bear medicine are constitutionally usually large and powerful, the they tend to be introspective. Like the hibernating bear, they like to sleep and dream. Often they are not active in the theatre of life until some powerful stimulus awakens them to their destiny. They need the first of the two categories below. People who need bear medicine of the second category are thin, weak with exhausted adrenals. They need dietary oil to rebuild their system.
In closing, we just want to acknowledge the bear, thank him for his life and ask that Creator help that bears spirit return to the spirit world. I ask that the bear forgive us for our indiscretions and bless us with his medicines. We also ask that leadership be honest and share the truth with the community.

Miigwech.