Ildiko Etthizine drove nearly eight hours from High Level, northern Alberta, for an event in Yellowknife celebrating the resilience of Indigenous people on their sobriety journeys.
Etthizine shared her 16-year journey battling alcohol addiction to a room full of residents on Sunday.
The event, held as part of National Addictions Awareness Week, was organized by Rhodes Wellness College and Dene Wellness Warriors and was attend by more than 30 people.
“My journey started about 16 years ago when my late mom said something to me that really hit the core of my soul,” says Etthizine. “She said she didn’t want me to end up like her.”
“My mom was an alcoholic, I never had my mom around when I grew up,” she says. “She didn’t want me to waste my life and step away from being a mom, so I decided I was going to stop.”
One year into her sobriety, Etthizine’s mother tragically passed away after being hit by a semi-truck in 2009. It was a difficult moment for Etthizine that could send her back to addiction any second.
“It would be really easy to just give up and say I’m done, but I felt that I needed to honor my self, my spirits, and my ancestors,” says Etthizine. “I wanted to break the cycle, and I wanted my kids and my grandkids to have a better future.”
Etthizine says her greatest support was in finding herself and purpose in life. It kept her walking on the sober road even when she had to bury two nephews, two nieces and a younger brother, who all died from addiction-related incidents.
“I never knew very much about religion, but once I started my healing journey I started tapping into what was out there,” she says. “It’s been guiding me, it’s been opening doors and opportunities, and it really instills hope back into my heart.”
Etthizine joined the Northern Indigenous Counselling program last year, which is designed to train Indigenous counsellors to help tackle mental health issues affecting Indigenous communities. It is her second and final year in this program.
“It’s easier to help someone when you’ve actually walked that journey,” she says. “I’m learning all the skills that I need to become a professional counselor to help others who are in similar circumstances and have similar stories.”
Six students from the Northern Indigenous Counselling program shared their sobriety journeys at the event on Sunday. (Josie Jiaxuan Wu/CKLB)
At the event, five other participants from the program shared their experiences with sobriety, including Harvey Pierrot, Donna Schroeder, Cody Erasmus, Christa Harris, and Tanisha-Kelly Harris. Their speeches were followed by an open mic discussion, where attendees reflected on their own journeys, ranging from two days of sobriety to more than 20 years.
“This event brought people together into a space where they felt that they could share and be heard, respected, and acknowledged,” says Etthizine. “Above all, it’s to show that they’re not alone, and that’s how we health together as a community.”
