Among the Aboriginal people, as in all societies, the culture is passed down from generation to generation. The elders teach the younger ones the traditions and explain their beliefs. This is how, for example, moccasin-making techniques, hymns and dances, or hunting rituals are learned by members of the nations despite the passage of time.
Historical events, however, can disrupt these links between generations. Thus, when the Europeans came to colonize the land, they wanted to impose their own beliefs (Christianity). A distance eventually came between the Aboriginal people who kept their traditions and those who adopted new ones.
Later, in the 20th century, the residential schools also prevented the culture from being passed down from one generation to the next: for many years, children no longer had contact with their parents or the elders. When they returned, the children had a way of life that was very different from other generations and they did not understand each other anymore.
Today, Aboriginal people want to repair the broken connections between generations so that young people can participate in the preservation of culture and traditions.