Overcoming lateral violence through love
My daughter is going through a phase of being afraid to fall asleep on her own. Every night for the last few weeks she has…
Scone Dogs & Seed Beads
‘Huron Honeys?!’: Hallowe’en flavoured racism in Canada against indigenous women
What was probably the most disturbing though was the costume offerings for women. Scantily clad white women in faux leather miniskirts and bouffant hairstyles beckoning you in to touch their exposed skin with titles like ‘Reservation Royalty’ and ‘Huron Honey’. Even worse was the costume entitled ‘Wild Frontier’, worn by an alluring white girl donning a come hither stare – cementing the ever-racist “dark and forbidden” sexual fantasy – that women of indigenous heritage are here for the consumption and satisfaction of everyone’s sexual appetites. Barf.
The House We’re Building
This weekend I was a part of some extensive renovations at my father-in-law’s home. Sadly, there were no sledgehammers involved. But I did get to…
I write because I’m free
One of my favorite singers of all time is Mahalia Jackson. For those of you who have never heard her do yourself a favor, hop…
For the love of Zombies
Last weekend I witnessed something amazing – a community fundraiser for a little girl battling leukemia. It started as a random Facebook status from a…
Don’t be strong – just endure
When facing a mastectomy, doctors typically give patients two options: undergo breast reconstruction, or live without breasts at all. The choice is very personal. Every…
“Brothers we will not pick a side” – my thoughts on war and history
I’m not one to just totally believe everything that I read especially when it comes to Haudenosaunee history. Especially on the internets. (And yes I…
This Is What I Was Taught – Breaking Free from Lateral Violence
One of the most empowering things I was taught about when I was on my healing journey was something that professionals call Lateral Violence. This…
The Creator doesn’t make garbage
Previously I’ve shared stories of the extreme bullying I endured in childhood while growing up down the bush. Sadly, my story is familiar to many…
‘Hook’ing in public – History of ‘the Hook’
Perhaps it is because of the power of social media connecting Haudenosaune people beyond territorial gaps, but it seems to me that ‘the hook’ has…
Late summer down the bush
I had a memory earlier this week of my Gramma Rovina. It was just a short little snippet of her sitting at the table chopping…
Taking time to truly grieve; letting her go
This week my computer died. It was a total accident, courtesy of a cup of misplaced Gatorade. Nonetheless all of my stories, files, and photos…
A few cards short of a full deck
In an attempt to rule the world this weekend I somehow managed to get everything on my to-do list done. I even tackled the laundry and got it hung up on the line outside. In celebration of my mighty victory over life, I took the kids to the splash pad at the park.
“Indians” in Russia – It’s not a fairy tale!
One day as I was creeping people on Facebook I saw a breathtaking, top-notch, museum quality war shirt. It was carefully beaded in sky blue…