Elsie Jimmy John
Elsie's Old Story
Elsie's Message
What does a woman do to be a good traditional woman?
To be a good traditional woman, you always offer people food when they come to your house.
You help people in the community by offering food to them when they are having a tough time.
A strong traditional woman is involved in her community. She should help other women and learn how to take care of her home.
A good traditional woman is always fair and kind to everyone.
A good traditional woman teaches people how to make the things they need for their homes.
A good traditional woman is resourceful.
A strong traditional woman earns money to support her children.
She uses her skills to earn income and be independent.
A strong traditional woman helps the elders in her family and the community.
She should teach people how to do hides.
She helps people learn how to do things.
She says that as long as you can do bead work and do hides, you can earn a living. You can learn to make mitts and moccasins to sell to the white people to earn money.
About Dating
A good traditional woman does not ask a man for a date.
A man asking about a traditional woman will go to her home.
A traditional woman will ask the man questions about how he is going to take care of her, how he will treat her and her children.
A traditional woman will make sure that her husband is a kind man.
Elsie says, "In the old days we could ask the Elders where good women could go and where she shouldn't. The women today have lost all these concerns and they go places no good women should go."
How to Choose the Right Man
A good man will work hard for the family.
A woman should be brought up to recognize these traits in a man.
Family Relationships
Respect your children. You must show your children respect so they respect you. If you don't respect them, they won't respect you.
A man should support the woman and in turn she should try to make some extra money to help.
My sisters and brothers also taught my children and I taught them. We helped one another in that way to teach our children the right way to live.
Family Responsibilities
A good woman always makes sure that her children and her husband are well taken care of. She keeps the children clean and always has clean clothes for her husband.
Children should never go outside and wander. When Elsie sees children out on the streets she wonders who is bringing them up.
If you raise your voice to the children they won't listen. The more you raise your voice, the less they will listen and the more they will fight back. You must talk to your children calmly so they will listen.
