Alex looked out the window a little sadly and said, "Yes, it is beautiful, but don't let it fool you. There is a lot of trouble and sadness here. We have a lot of work to do here to make it better for our young people."

Back in the front room of the trailer, Joanne was looking over Roger's shoulder as he spread some drawings out on the table in front of him. Roger went to Grade 9 on the reserve and is working on his Grade 10 while he helps other students his age learn to read and write. The pencil drawings were of eagles and drums and Native people. They were exceptionally well done.

Some of the students were leaving and wanted Roger to come along. They were dressed in mukluks and snowmobile suits. Roger told us he was going to practice with his band. He plays guitar with a band that has helped to raise money through local dances for organizations such as the Basic Education Student Union. Even with all his talents in art and music Roger told me earlier that his goal is to become a teacher.

School was over for the day. Joanne drove Alex across the highway to his house so that he could pick up what he needed to play bingo in High Level that night. Back on the highway Joanne stopped the car to offer a ride to a lady she and Alex knew who was hitch-hiking to High Level. Sadie was going to bingo too. She and Alex would hitch a ride back to Meander sometime after midnight as they have done many times before.

About half-way back to High Level I saw a large animal cross the road ahead of us. I looked over at Joanne to see if she had spotted it. "I think that was a bear!" I said excitedly. Joanne thought it was most likely a moose. Alex and Sadie had stopped talking in the backseat. "No," I said, "it wasn't like a moose; it was lower to the ground. I'm sure it was a bear."

Joanne slowed down as we neared the place where the animal had crossed. We looked over the bank of snow and saw a cow moose chewing on some small twigs sticking out of the snow. I sat back in my seat a little disappointed. Alex leaned forward from the back seat and tapped me on the shoulder. "Deborah," he said gently, "the bears are sleeping now."

We were surrounded by snow. It was -40 degrees. Of course bears would be hibernating! I turned around and felt even more embarrassed when I saw Sadie and Alex grinning at me. Even when I told them I knew that bears hibernate I had the feeling they didn't believe me.

Wednesday was my last day in High Level. Abe had offered to take me to the Boyer River Reserve, a half-hour drive east of High Level, to see the Basic Education Centre there and to talk to DYLAN THOMAS, the program instructor. I attended an impressive workshop Oylan had given on Native Spirituality when I was in Fairview a month earlier. When I spoke to Oylan at the reception afterward he agreed to an interview during my stay in High Level.

On the drive to Boyer River Abe chatted about the weather then turned to me and said, "I heard there was a lot of activity at the bingo hall last night."

When I asked why, Abe, trying to keep a straight face, said, "Well, I guess there was this story about a young educated white women up at Meander yesterday who didn't know that bears hibernate!"

I winced. "Does good news always travel so fast around here?"

"Always," Abe laughed "always."