How It All Started....
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In the fall of 2015, a special ceremony took place in Serpent River First Nation called the Painted Hand Ceremony. The ceremony was held to feast alliances between the Anishinaabeg and other Nations and to pay tribute to the agreements of the past to ensure a strong future for our children. Many special guests traveled from as far away as Alberta and Montana, Turtle Mountain ND, Arizona, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and all parts of Ontario. Of those guests, Grand Chief Derek Nepinak along with Cora Morgan, First Nations Family Advocate from Manitoba came to the ceremony to ask for help in regards to the desperate state of child apprehension rates in Canada, and in particular Manitoba.
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Two days later, after the ceremony had concluded, Nancy Rowe decided to begin to create awareness in her community in Ontario - Mississaugas of New Credit First Nation. Through her community lodge, Kinomaagaye Gaamik Lodge, the woman in her community collected and assembled 40 baby eagle feathers - the number of babies taken each month from just ONE hospital. Each feather would be given to each child that was returned home. Nancy travelled out to Manitoba to present the feathers to the First Nations Family Advocate Office.
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Six months later, a high school teacher from Brampton collaborated with Nancy Rowe and Isaac Murdoch (who hosted the Painted Hand Ceremony) to start a moccasin project in response to the devastating realities of child apprehension rates in Canada. During a spring Culture Camp, students began making moccasins while learning about racism towards Indigenous Peoples and how they can help create awareness and positive change. The experience was so moving for the group, that the students wanted to involve more classes back at school.
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One month later, back at the school, several more classes were invited to listen to the stories and information shared by Isaac Murdoch and Nancy Rowe. Cora Morgan who phoned in from Manitoba also shared the stark realities and unbelievable statistics for Indigenous children and their families. Once equipped with the information, the students in the Gr. 12 Indigenous Issues in a Global Context class launched a campaign entitled: #itStartsWithUs.
For more details including pictures and video of the campaign, please click HERE.
For more details including pictures and video of the campaign, please click HERE.
How the project has continued...
Since the campaign #itStartsWithUs, we have continued to spread awareness and to inspire others to get involved through a variety of presentations:
3-day Summer Institutes held across the province where teachers were educated on the impacts of colonialism. Moccasin project was shared as an example of how to create change.
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Nancy sharing about the moccasin project at the 2016 Miigwewin Conference hosted by Kengjewin Teg Education Institute
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Sharing the moccasin project at the 2nd Annual Elders Gathering hosted by the First Nations, Metis and Inuit Education Association of Ontario
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Through education and citizen action our goal is to eradicate racism and bring children home to their families and communities
Ready to get started? Click HERE
