LEAD BY
Grandmother Renee
Historically, the Indigenous Ancestors on Turtle Island led very harmonious lives. All people were taught from infancy their purpose, roles and responsibility within the community. They were taught never to take more than they needed. Hoarding of food, medicine, and material things was not condoned within the community. Once the Settlers came to Turtle Island, their lives were traumatically assimilated, which lead to Indigenous People losing their traditions and teachings, and becoming mentally, spiritually, physically and emotionally unwell.
Grandmother Renee will visually take us through a journey of 7 Generations of the Indigenous people. How traumatic events affected each generation, their teachings, ceremonies outlawed. How through the generations their women have been impacted, from the First Woman before contact with the Settlers, when she was given her bundle to carry, which would have everything she needed in it to survive, and raise future generations. During contact from the strangers, how the bundle had changed, how they were expected to be integrated into a new way, given different coping skills to understand how the Settlers lived, which were foreign to their way of life.
Afterwards, the audience and participants will be debriefed, in understanding how these traumatic events can be healed. How Indigenous People are starting to restore their bundle back to what it was before, not only for themselves but also for the women before them, and for their future generations.
Renee Thomas-Hill
Renee is of the Mohawk Nation Turtle Clan from the Six Nations of the Grand River Territory. As a Haudenosaunee Woman, she is responsible to carry on the teachings of “Way of Life. She is to carry on the message of Peace Power and Righteousness (Sacredness). She shares this in the following ways: as an Indigenous Women, Mother, Grandmother, Great Grandmother; Educator, Historian, Artisan F.N. Doll Maker; Carrying on the Stories of Our Ancestors; Holder of Names (Genealogy Researcher), Storyteller; Traditional/Golden Age Smoke Dancer; Traditional Counsellor/Healer (Addiction Treatment Centre); Traditional knowledge of our plants/foods/medicine; An agriculturist – the continuation of our seeds; Grieving Support and most of all a “Spiritual Being”. Renee is also a grandmother and auntie to many. “My walk in life, is to share awareness and the uplifting of the spirit through the teachings of Our Mother, the Earth and the Understanding of the Good Mind”
