From September 2016 to April 2017 I attended Langara Reconciliation Carving Cohort. This was my online journey- a collection of research, thoughts, feelings, work and anything that would aid me and others to help the next 7 generations.
Where to start...
Every week there's so much to tell and sometimes I just get overwhelmed.
Let's start with last week..
Last week Shane Pointe let us shake a special rattle. We did this as we stood in a circle and held the others hand as we passed the rattle.
He had told us a very personal story and impressed upon that we had a mighty task upon us of how to honor the missing and murdered women.
I started to cry, but he said "No more tears" as we finished the shaking of the rattle and him singing beautiful song/prayer. He told us he had called on the beautiful souls of the women and asked them to help us.
As he took the rattle back and was putting it away..he chuckled his sweet laugh and said "the last time I did this(referring to using the rattle) I was with the Dali Lama."
"Wow!!" I can hear him so clearly. When you have been around him for a bit as we have been blessed, you can hear his voice so clearly and the funny things he says to break you out of the sadness. Because in this course there's a lot of sadness and I am struggling to deal with it.
That said I have made friends and have been blessed to be able to talk through my concerns with trusted new friends. We are becoming a little community and I am grateful.
Moving on...
This week we watch a film from Bella Bella and it told the story of Frank Brown. Wow! (I hear Shane's echo...ha! ha!)
It was very moving...it's the butterfly effect, we have no idea how the actions of one can have profound effects on others.
This film below is from 2012, the one I saw was much older and showed and told the story of Frank Brown's early life and the amazing journey that he and his family and community have been on and how it has affected so many others. It's not on line, but I hope someone will put it on because it needs to be shared.
I posted this video in 2012 but it's even more relevant today. We need peace and harmony and to respect the water and all living things if humanity is to continue.
Standing Rock, we need to pray very hard for them, for us, FOR THE WATER,for the people that were hurt yesterday, for the police who hurt the water protectors and for the horse the police killed.
Sending out bundles of love and praying for peace.
I know we are facing some dark times but music has helped through out history. Here are some songs that have inspired me. This video about the power of song has some very interesting concepts and I hope you will consider it.
BREAKING: 100+ police in riot gear appear poised to raid #NoDAPL resistance camp directly in path of Dakota Access pipeline construction pic.twitter.com/63oKMeD5X4
The trauma and intergenerational trauma of the residential school system continues to this day. If you feel triggered by these materials, please seek support from one of these organizations:
Indian Residential Schools Survivor Society
Indian Residential Schools Resolution Health Support Program
IRSSS 24-hour crisis line: 1-866-925-4419
This Sunday at 9PM ET, join us here for a live stream of Gord Downie's The Secret Path and a post-show CBC Arts live panel on the road to reconciliation.
On October 22, 1966 near Kenora, Ontario, Chanie Wenjack died when he walking home to the family he was taken from over 400 miles away. Fifty years later, Tragically Hip frontman Gord Downie has taken Wenjack's story and turned it into the Secret Path project, including a solo album, a graphic novel and an animated film.
About: CBC Arts is your destination for extraordinary Canadian arts. Whether you're a culture vulture, a working artist, an avid crafter, a compulsive doodler or just a dabbler in the arts, there's something for you here.
The Secret Path is an animated film adaptation of Gord Downie's album and Jeff Lemire's graphic novel. It will be broadcast by CBC in an hour-long commercial-free television special on Sunday, October 23, 2016, at 9pm (9:30 NT). Watch the official trailer at http://secretpath.ca/#Film
Working with Downie's poetry and music, Lemire has created a powerful visual representation of the life of Chanie Wenjack. The film is divided into ten chapters, each a song from Downie's musical retelling of Chanie's story – from his escape from the Cecilia Jeffrey Indian Residential School, to his subsequent and heartbreaking death from hunger and exposure to the harsh weather. The final product is a uniquely immersive emotional experience - an insight into the life of a little boy who, as Gord has said, he never knew, "but will always love."
The Secret Path was created, written, and directed by Gord Downie, composed by Gord Downie with Kevin Drew and Dave Hamelin, and illustrated by author Jeff Lemire. The film is executive produced by Mike Downie, Patrick Downie, Gord Downie, and Sarah Polley. The Secret Path is produced by Entertainment One (eOne) and Antica Productions Ltd. in association with CBC, with the participation of the Canada Media Fund and the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit. Jocelyn Hamilton is executive producer for eOne Television and Stuart Coxe is executive producer for Antica Productions. Animation is directed by Justin Stephenson, produced at Solis Animation Inc. and composited by Even Steven Inc.
We were really blessed in class yesterday, Sharifah Marsden came by for a visit. It was very inspirational. She has such a gentle spirit and is was very sharing.
I felt very grateful to sit with her and chat for a few minutes. Very interestingly she attended Langara back in 2001 (I believe she said) and I attended in 1993-95 so we had that in common.
Here is her bio from there
"Sharifah Marsden is an Anishinaabe artist from the Mississaugas of
Scugog Island First Nation. Since early childhood, Sharifah has been
directed toward a life of art and culture. She draws from her Ojibway
roots and knowledge of Woodlands art to create unique works that include
everything from acrylic paintings to beadwork to engraving.
In 2009,
Sharifah graduated from Vancouver's Northwest Coast Jewellery Arts
program under established Haida/Kwakwaka'wakw artist Dan Wallace. In
2010, Sharifah worked with artists Richard Shorty and Jerry Whitehead,
among others, to complete Western Canada’s largest mural along on the
outer wall of the Orwell Hotel located at 456 East Hasting in Vancouver.
In 2014, she graduated from two years of formal training in the
European goldsmithing tradition at the Vancouver Metal Arts School under
the instruction of Gerold Mueller. At the Vancouver Metal Arts School
she learned hollow form design, complex soldering techniques, and stone
setting. In April of 2015, Sharifah had her first solo exhibition at
Lattimer Gallery entitled Sharifah Marsden - Miigwetch. It featured jewellery pieces created during her time at the Vancouver Metal Arts School, as well as a number of paintings."
I found this video below online, it's from back in 2009.
What she says at 4:40 just brings tears to my eyes. I was so emotional during our class yesterday.
We were talking about babies and the pure love they give and pure joy you receive. I've been so blessed with my daughter, she's growing up so quick now.
I have been blessed with caring for another little girl lately and there is nothing more beautiful than when you pick them up, say from a nap or something and they just snuggle into your shoulder and your heart is near their heart, that sweet soft chubby little body just sort of melting into yours as you hold them and they just radiate love.
It's POWERFUL!!! It's so healing. It's hard for me to put into words just the feeling of that beautiful trust and personal self- knowledge that you can meet their needs and keep them safe, happy and secure. Sharifah's paintings are so gorgeous and really capture the joy of love, intimacy, pregnancy and birth. I was very moved. I really feel grateful she came to class yesterday and shared her work and words with us.
And she's going to be at the Eastside Culture Crawl, so don't miss that!!
I haven't actually ever been, but my girl is older now so I hope to go this year.
"A four-day visual arts, design and crafts festival receiving more than 25,000
visitors to 475+ artists in their studios across 78 buildings in the area bounded by
Columbia Street, 1st Avenue, Victoria Drive and the waterfront in Vancouver, Canada.
"
Reflection Paper – Artistic Expression Story & Design
Tina Winterlik- ABST 2100 Langara Reconciliation Carving Cohort
My Transformation Story- The Butterfly & the Moon
A long long time ago when things were much different, there lived a beautiful young woman. She was sad, she had had a difficult life and could not find her way. She felt lost and looked to the sky for guidance. (1)
One night as the moon shone bright she looked up and asked the moon to please bless her with happiness and help her fly to the moon. How she would love to fly like a butterfly up in the sky all the way up to the moon.
She laid done in the grass and fell asleep while dreaming about the butterfly and the moon. (2)
When she awoke she felt so small. Everything was huge...she felt awkward, thick and odd. She felt totally different. As she went to rise, she rolled. What was happening...where were her hands, legs...she must be dreaming. (3)
She needed to move, so she inched her way along the ground until she got to a tree. She had to get up high so she could see what was going on. Inch by inch she struggled, up the tree, it was so hard.
At times she wanted to give up but she knew she had to get up to that branch, then she could figure out where she was and what was going on. Alas she reached the top. (4)
For the moment she forgot her exhaustion, and looked in awe. There she could see the beautiful abundant ocean, she could see whales blowing in the distance and the salmon were jumping. Otters and seals played in the kelp beds. Herons stalked their prey as eagles soared over head. (5)
Suddenly a songbird flew down and nearly attacked her...terrified she faced reality. (6)
She was a caterpillar. That was the truth as much as she wanted to deny it. She started to cry. Why? Why had this happened. Why was she a caterpillar and what could she do? She couldn't wake up, she'd tried. (7)
Suddenly she was extremely tired. She needed to lie down and sleep. She was cold. She needed to snuggle up and take a nap. She found a nice cosy leaf and snuggled in. Oh, it felt so good. It felt like all the weight of the world was being lifted from her. She felt so light. (8)
After a very very long nap, she awoke, she felt so stiff, she needed a big stretch. Suddenly she felt claustrophic, she had to get out, something was holding her tight, keeping her a prisoner, she must burst free. She pushed hard and out she went. (9)
She had broke free, she stretched her wings. WINGS! She had wings. Big beautiful wings, where, how, what had happened. She realized her wish had been granted. The spirits of the universe had heard her. The moon had heard her. (10)
Now she was free. Free to fly and off she flew. Up, Up, UP to the moon. That big beautiful silvery moon. When she got there she kissed the moon's cheek and whispered ever so softly a secret in her ear. Then off she flew. Higher and higher, until she could be seen no more. (11)
This story was a vision and was based on events/signs that happened to me.
After feeling deep gratitude as I was leaving class one day. I had been doubting my ability to actually carve because of my weak wrists and then Shane Pointe showed me something and I was so happy. As I was walking I found a caterpillar, so unusual and I brought it home and my kid was thrilled. We put it in a container and it quickly changed into a chrysalis/cacoon. This was very exciting because we had be told several times to think about transformation and I took it as a strong sign to me. https://mylangaratrccarvingjourney.blogspot.ca/2016/09/carving-class-transformation-and-fun.html
Caterpillar I found after class
cacoon/chrysalis it transformed into
Then shortly after the moon woke me up one night, as a photographer I love to take photos but something amazing happened, I took the most amazing closeup photos of the moon I had ever done. I could actually see the craters. This was so incredible I felt that was a very strong sign to. https://mylangaratrccarvingjourney.blogspot.ca/2016/09/moontime-teachings.html
Moon that woke me up
Finally I believe the violence that the mothers (and fathers) and children faced and face from residential schools, child welfare systems, social injustices and environmental, are played out in the everyday violence against the mother earth.
(1. Many people especially children of Residential schools and their children feel lost and disconnected and that they do not fit in and can not relate to family)
(2. We all have dreams of a better future)
(3. Feelings of helplessness no matter what you try)
(4. Survivors are incredibly resilient, determined, they have overcome so much)
(5. Survivors know and remember the old days before the Residential schools and they want to revive that way of life to protect they're children and children's children and the next 7 generations.)
(6. Life is dangerous in many ways, often men attack women and children, society is prejudiced especially against single mothers)
(7. Life gets you down, and you ask why me, why, what did I do to deserve this)
(8. If one is fortunate and perseveres, sometimes amazing events happen to transform ones life in a positive way)
(9. Fight back against social and environmental injustices. )
(10. Miracles can happen and one can grow and be blessed with opportunities)
They spoke the Lusitanian language,
of which only a few short written fragments survive. Most Portuguese
consider the Lusitanians as their ancestors. Although the northern
regions (Minho, Douro, Tras-os-Montes) identify more with the Gallaecians.
It has been hypothesized that the Lusitanians may have originated in the Alps
and settled in the region in the 6th century BC. Some modern scholars
consider them to be indigenous and initially dominated by the Celts, before gaining full independence from them. The archaeologist Scarlat Lambrino proposed that they were originally a tribal Celtic group, related to the Lusones.
The first area settled by the Lusitanians was probably the Douro valley and the region of Beira Alta; then they moved south, and expanded on both sides of the Tagus river, before being conquered by the Romans.
Portuguese Embroidery Designs
UPDATED INFORMATION REGARDING MY HERITAGE Previously I had posted these links but now have much more acurate information
I found out so much.
This is how it all breaks down. Parents-Shirley Enos- Leonard Winterlik (Bohemian)
Grandparents- Joseph Enos - Anna Anderson (Swedish) Great Grandparents- John Joseph Enos- Mary Anne Poirier (Metis)
Great Great Grandparents- Joao Ignacio d'Almada (John Enos)(*) & Theresa Eliza Enos(Songhees)
Great Great Great Grandparents- Jose Ignacio d'Almada(*) and his wife Bernardina Jacintha(*)
Great Great Great Great Grandparents- Manuel Francisco d'Almada(*) and his wife Ana Bernardina Dos. Prazeres(*)
I don't understand this part, so need to research it more,
Maternal Grandson of Bernardo Jose de Fontes(*)
(*Portuguese)
Now
my friend who has been researching the Portuguese pioneers- he has some
great videos online, he helped me find the actual baptism record of my
Gr. Gr. Grandpa from the Azores and this is what he said.
I bolded the important part, see he was on of that 5 along with Joe Silva (Shore to Shore Sculpture-)
This is so interesting for me.
Mostly the diary spoke of his daily routines..hauling turnips, looking for the cows, all the hard work he did and the weather each day but it does mention his mom, Theresa Eliza Enos - who I know from a document in the archives - says she is Songheesbut doesn't mention her Indigenous name which makes me so sad.
And
it mentions that Gr. Grandpa John Enos (who my kid says we should call
Jo Jo) that he married Mary Anne Poirier - and we know that Metis
Songhees- The Songhees use a specific type of designs.
Bohemian
Bohemian Glass
Butterfly- Freedom - Bohemian lifeystyle
Bohemian Crystal- use designs and possibly incorporate into wings of butterfly
The butterfly represents freedom to me and thus the Bohemian lifestyle as well as Bohemian crystal which designs can be represented in the butterfly's wings https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bohemian_glass
Let it be noted here, as I have told my daughter and my friend, this painting is NEVER to be sold. I will keep it as long as I live and it can be donated to a museum or such but I feel it is sacred and I want you all to be aware. October 20 2016
WARNING NOTE: Some information detailed on
our website may stir up or trigger unpleasant feelings or thoughts. The
Indian Residential School Survivors Society encourages you to take time
to care for your Mental and Emotional wellbeing. Please contact “The
Indian Residential School Survivors Society” toll-free 1.800.721.0066 or 24hr Crises Line 1.866.925.4419 if you require further emotional support or assistance.
http://irsss.ca/
The Indian Residential School Survivor Society (IRSSS) is a provincial
organization with a twenty year history of providing services to Indian
Residential School Survivors.
Indian Residential School Survivors and Family 1-866-925-4419
*Indian Residential Schools Crisis Line is available 24 hours a day
for anyone experiencing pain or distress as a result of his or her
residential school experience.
For more information on the program, please refer to the FNHA website at: http://www.fnha.ca/about/news-and-events/news/indian-residential-school-support-program
"So
we were writing around Stanley Parke and this is where I recieved the
wonderful news. It was the day I received the email I was accepted to
the TRC Carving Cohort at Langara. Powerful place and such great news. I
cried. I was so happy. I need this so bad. I want it so much."
Nisga'a Matriarch Mercy Thomas Challenged the Nisga'a Treaty in Court with Chief Mountain. Here in This Video She Explains More and Stands Firmly Against The NLG and Their LNG Deal to Disturb the Graves of their Ancestors.
"George-Kanentiio explains: In our society, women are the center of all things. Nature, we believe, has given women the ability to create; therefore it is only natural that women be in positions of power to protect this function....We traced our clans through women; a child born into the world assumed the clan membership of its mother. Our young women were expected to be physically strong....
The young women received formal instruction in traditional planting....Since the Iroquois were absolutely dependent upon the crops they grew, whoever controlled this vital activity wielded great power within our communities. It was our belief that since women were the givers of life they naturally regulated the feeding of our people....In all countries, real wealth stems from the control of land and its resources.
Our Iroquois philosophers knew this as well as we knew natural law. To us it made sense for women to control the land since they were far more sensitive to the rhythms of the Mother Earth. We did not own the land but were custodians of it. Our women decided any and all issues involving territory, including where a community was to be built and how land was to be used....In our political system, we mandated full equality.
Our leaders were selected by a caucus of women before the appointments were subject to popular review....Our traditional governments are composed of an equal number of men and women. The men are chiefs and the women clan-mothers....As leaders, the women closely monitor the actions of the men and retain the right to veto any law they deem inappropriate....Our women not only hold the reigns of political and economic power, they also have the right to determine all issues involving the taking of human life. Declarations of war had to be approved by the women, while treaties of peace were subject to their deliberations..[90]"
Published on YouTube Nov 25, 2015
"The
Song: Canoe Song was born from the Cheslatta River in northern British
Columbia. After hearing stories from the elders of the Cheslatta
Carrier Nation, Rachelle wanted to write a song about the displacement
of First Nations People through the exploitation of the lands and waters
of their home. She is grateful for the help of Roy Henry Vickers on
this meditative musical journey, to Lillian Campbell and her musical
brother and all-star producer Joby Baker, who took this song to a new
level.
The Video: This video follows the 600km journey of a canoe
named Manyhands (Nunsulsailus) from a Gitxsan village on the Skeena
river to the historic gathering of nations in Bella Bella, BC for the
Heiltsuk Nations' Qatuwas Festival in 2014. Manyhands brought the
spirit of this song to life during its trip down the Skeena river,
through the Skeena estuary and into the Pacific ocean where it joined a
family of canoes and thousands of paddlers from up and down the Pacific
Coast. Manyhands was honoured to paddle alongside Nisga'a, Tsimshian,
Haida, Gitga'at and Kitasoo/Xaixais canoes who pulled together to
represent the north coast at Qatuwas 2014.
The Canoe:
Nunsulsailis is a Tsartlip word meaning many hands. This name was
chosen to embody the spirit of many hands working together, supporting
one another and pulling together in unison to enable a canoe (and a
person) to travel safely for many miles in all conditions over the
course of a lifetime. Roy Henry Vickers inspired Clipper to create a
Northern Dancer canoe series, of which Manyhands was the very first
canoe produced. Manyhands has traveled thousands of kilometres along
the BC coast with hundreds of paddlers, including the historic 1997
journey from Hazelton to Victoria's inner Harbour.
This music
video is dedicated to the people of British Columbia's north coast, who
are pulling together to protect the lands and waters of their home."
What I have heard is many many "Canadians" still have no idea what really happened in the Residential schools, the true scope of it, how it affected and is still affecting so many people. They do not know that the children had to go or their parents would be jailed, they do not know that as soon as they got there, their hair was cut, and they were beaten if they spoke their language, that they were molested and never learned to parent. Then when they went home they couldn't speak the language, felt lost, didn't know how to care for their children and that has led to more problems of their children being stolen again by the welfare systems or put in jails.
This isn't true for all of course and many were/ARE amazingly resilient precious souls that survived and overcame these horrific crimes again children. It was a WAR ON CHILDREN...FOR 150 YEARS. It didn't happen hundreds or thousands of years ago, it is Canada's life time.
Re-Think Canada...the last school closed in 1996, that is very recent... More children died in the Residential schools than the actual war...think about that? How do we reconcile with that?
The schools are really slow to teach what happened and older people in there 50's 60's they just don't want to go there. It is really sad, causes big arguments and that's just in non-indigenous or indigenous families that are in denial that they are part indigenous. And that's a big part of it, people were scared to even acknowledge it because of the consequences.
Everyone is reconciling with something as my instructor Dr. Justin Wilson says, in my Reconciliation Carving course. In the course we have dealt with really difficult issues but in the afternoons we carve so it's like art therapy. We need a lot more art therapy, a LOT more education about the TRUTH, and people need to realize a lot of BC is Unceded Territories...so recognizing treaties doesn't work for some and then because they ignore (Christy Clark and greedy corporations) treaties it's a bunch of bs.
And here's the gist of it, children keep taking their lives...if we don't reconcile it will continue. I pray people will take it upon themselves to actually educate themselves. It's not easy, I thought I knew the truth but it was just a tiny bit, then I got a glimpse, it was horrific, it's like the holocaust.
And this is the Truth, it's about land, Canada stole the land, the took the land put the people on reserves, sold it to settlers , and they don't want to give it back and if you fight it your kids end up in the welfare system or you go to jail...so Canada's wonderful legacy (Vomit) will continue until people learn, accept and take action.... can we do it, I don't know.
Do I want us to, of course, for my child, our children and children's children...but if we don't ....think about the consequences...it's not positive...it will be dark...I know I know,....you don't want to go there...I hear it all the tiime and you know what else...I think history is just repeating itself.. over and over... to post or not to post, if I post this truth, what will be my consequences....but if I don't then I am guilty of letting this evilness continue
Okay so remember I talked about Art Therapy. This week we are supposed to have a 3 page story an some designs for our panel ready. These are just some sketches I was fooling around with...I had a vision...
Suddenly, she puts her paw up and with a big claw to her mouth excuses herself.
She wanders away and takes a big poop. She poops out that nasty evil Indian Agent.
She's safe, the kids are safe and everyone is happy.
Here's are some other designs I have been playing with. They are based on another vision I had about the caterpillar and the moon. I have a story, I will share it later.
And just one last comment...some think it's not their problem or that
it's just the children that were affected and stuff like that but I
heard something really sad the other day and I just don't know what to
do but share it with you. Apparently an elder died. I don't know if they
passed away or actually died by suicide. What I heard was she had moved
out of her home into her brother's home and was living on the couch.
Her own son was heavily addicted and was stealing from her. Imagine
being her. Imagine that's your mom, your sister, aunt, grandma,
child,...imagine
And I am sure this isn't an isolated
incident, it's happening in indigenous homes and non-indigenous. There's
a lot of pain, abuse, sadness and we have to face the truth and
reconcile and make our so called government accountable...the suicides
must stop. We need healing, compassion, love, we need WATER and to STOP
KILLING OUR MOTHER with mining, pipelines, fish farms, LNG. We need to
cut the head off the black snake like Alice in Wonderland did to the
Jabberwocky.
