Laws of Matriarch

I'm really tired.  Today has been tough, filled with ignorance and racism.  It’s frustrating when people with privilege try to compare their lives to ours, making it even harder to keep going.  I’m drained from trying to teach those who are comfortable in their privilege and don’t really want to change.  It’s tiring to hear that we’re all equal when I’ve had the ministry involved in my life for 40 years, and our kids are being taken away at rates higher than when we were sent to residential schools.  I’m fed up fighting for our people to be able to pray outside of Indian Reserves in Vancouver.  I’m exhausted from seeing others with less education and experience get opportunities that we don’t have.  I worry about my kids going to school, dealing with the same systemic racism, and hearing that “savage Aboriginal people” were defeated long ago.  I’m scared for my girl’s safety, knowing that if something happens to her, people might not care because ...

Hi everyone, I just wanted to give you a quick update regarding my grandson's status card application with VACFSS. Since he was placed under Section 54.01, he hasn’t had any provincial medical or dental coverage. When children are removed, the ministry doesn’t prioritize making sure they have everything in place when they’re returned to their family and community, or when they age out. Families can't register a child for Indian Status without a court order, and the ministry neglects this important responsibility. Many families don’t realize there’s been no coverage until it’s time for a check-up. In Canada, Aboriginal people must present an Indian Status Card along with their Care Card to receive coverage, unlike everyone else in the country. Here’s my latest email to VACFSS to follow up on my grandson’s registration so I can order his Status Card: --- Hello, Has anyone heard from INAC regarding Angel’s registration?  I’m also wondering if Dax'gyet’s application has been ma...

Every so often, my arms ache with the weight of loss.  Twelve years ago, my son passed away from heart problems. I will never truly get over it, and I don’t want to let go of my boy. I’ve learned to navigate life without him, but it hasn’t been easy. I’ve gone through the grieving process and bouts of depression, and I continue to experience moments filled with beautiful memories mixed with deep sadness. In our Gitxsan tradition, we’ve had burnings since time immemorial. We light a fire and offer food for the spirits and our ancestors. When our loved ones gather—God, the living, those who have passed, and our ancestors—we hold a burning and pray together. I’ve tried to hold a burning here on the Indian Reserve in Vancouver, on Coast Salish Territory, but each time my fire has been put out by the Vancouver Police Department, and I’ve been threatened with charges. Each time this happens, it feels devastating. The food I offered for my boy was already in the fire, and it felt like I w...