Oh, Canada

Oh, Canada, our home on Native Land.

Oh, Canada, your home on stolen land.

Oh, Canada, you took away so much.  

I struggle to learn my original language.  I feel the trauma of how you forced religion and took away true medicine.  From my grandparents.

Oh, Canada, I try to reclaim and remember.  Through thick layers of trauma.

Of abuse and taking love away from the child.  Because they had too much Indian in them.

Oh, Canada, when will my people have clean water to bathe in, to drink? When will our womxn and 2SLGBTQ+ folks who are missing, murdered or harmed be seen by you?  When?

I shake.  I am sad.  I shake when there is so much taken away by folks who don’t understand what it means to steal and take, when I am trying so hard to feel brave enough to remember.

I don’t want to be sick anymore, so I speak.  I want to heal, so I share.  With my feet firmly planted on Turtle Island, I stand here with my own song from my heart.  Shared through these words of truth.

My children will remember who they are, Canada.  

When we drum and learn one Ojibwe word per day. When we walk with the earth and speak about walking with mino-bimaadiziwin. You can’t take this away from us anymore.

Oh, Canada, on this day, I share this video with you.  So that the pain can stop and the healing can continue.  

It’s called:  The Shaking.  

Today I stand on Turtle Island and reclaim all that I am through these words.  For me, that is what I celebrate on this day.  

Miigwetch ~ Thank you.

p.s. Click here for ways to Appreciate not Appropriate

p.p.s. If you would like to join my membership community, filled with my teachings, mentorship and guidance, doors are now open!  Sacred Membership

If you would like to help Indigenous Youth on this day, I would love to direct you to a very important project.  Every dollar helps us reach our goal!  Ballantyne Project