Mato Sapa: Black Bear
Jim’s story is about growing up without a connection to who he was. He was different in appearance and behaviour from those in his neighbourhood and suffered from harassment at school from students and teachers. Yet he had quiet role models who helped to instill, in subtle ways, behaviour that he was to find helpful in later years. Anger, fear and a lack of sense of self tore away at Jim’s life until he finally asked for and received help. Women in many different roles have been instrumental in helping him find his self worth. He faced his fears and anger and saw them for the self destructive forces that they truly are.