Mad Bash Group

We have absolutely no fun at work ❣️ Photography: Tara McMullen Photography

For my entire life I was under the naive impression that the true North really was strong and free but, like many too-good-to-be-true beliefs shed through lived adulthood, I now know it is only strong and free for some. Embarrassed by my naivety, I am humbled by the discovery of the bodies of thousands of Indigenous children and saddened that the country I love so dearly is so obviously guilty of Genocide. I won’t be celebrating today. Instead I’ll be honouring these lives by holding space for them and listening to Indigenous stories. At our cottage we’ll be banging a drum on our dock 215 times in honour of all the children found, now well over 1000. And this is not a culturally appropriated choice in the use of the drum- as a family of musicians we thought a floor Tom would be loud and solemn enough to honour their spirits in nature and provide a moment to pause and reflect. Aside from this going forward, I’ll be looking for ways to honour Indigenous land owners in my work and personal life. As it stands, every @popupchapel.ca ceremony begins with a land acknowledgment but that’s not enough. I’ll be encouraging my direct clients to include land acknowledgments, to work with BIPOC vendors and to support charities like @truenorthaid. I’ll be encouraging our schools to teach our kids about Indigenous history in Canada and I’ll be speaking to my kids and my family about it. As a daughter of settlers on Turtle Island, I’m grateful for this land and the abundance and safety it has provided for me. However, all living here, especially the original owners of this land, deserve safety and abundance. I hope you can find time today to reflect on that.

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