August 31 2018

Page 1

Nickel Belt News Volume Volume 58 58 Number • Issue 3511

Friday, March31, 16,2018 2018 Friday, August

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Healing for families missing Book agathering way toheld preserve and of pass on and murdered women and girls memories ofIndigenous growing up in Churchill

that very reason, there’s almost an instant relationship that’s formed.” In a continuing effort to This latest event marks help northern families cope MKO’s second official with a nationwide crisis, healing gathering for famManitoba Keewatinowi ilies of MMIWG, the first Okimakanak (MKO) put of which took place back together their latest healin February. ing gathering in ThompAnderson-Pyrz said this son on Aug. 21−23 spereoccurring event reprecifically for the families sents one of several initiaof murdered and missing tives she chose to spearIndigenous woman and head once she was hired to girls (MMIWG). fulfil the role of MMIWG Hilda Anderson-Pyrz, liaison for the MKO almost MMIWG liaison for the a year ago. MKO, says this three-day Between organizing event attracted over 60 these two healing gathpeople from Thompson erings and other simiand nearby communities lar events, like a July 19 including Lac Brochet, Taawareness walk for missing doule Lake, Leaf Rapids loved ones, Anderson-Pyrz and Cross Lake. said she’s more convinced Outside of providing a than ever that federal and safe environment where provincial governments these families could unload need to dedicate more their pent-up frustration mental health resources and sadness, Andersonto these northern, isolated Pyrz said the aim of this communities. conference was to help “Healing from such a these individuals develop tragic loss is a long protools and coping mechancess and I would like to see isms to make the grievsupports be readily availing process just a little bit able to families whenever easier. they need them, regard“Throughout the threeless of where they live,” day gathering we had difshe said. “I would say [I ferent types of healing want] more mental health tools that were provided workers, more mental to families who participathealth support, more culed by a therapist and by tural, ceremonial activities grandmothers and elders, that are readily available in as well as facilitators,” communities.” she said. “There was a Nickel Belt News photo by Ian Graham Anderson-Pyrz hopes huge ceremonial aspect Addictions Foundation of Manitoba northern director Gisele deMeulles has written a book about her experiences growing up, mostly in Churchill. that the MKO can secure to the three-day gathersame level of weather funding ing, as well as traditional to write things that you have ‘Oh, I’m just as bad, right?’ was not a very safe thing swallow when people say theFor BY IAN GRAHAM all the harsh in 2019 so that she can teachings.” EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET to figure out. It’s pretty clear I have all these stories and to do but I jumped at it. I that Churchill residents and the dangers of polar organize a third gathering While event Thoughthis she’s nowfeatured written when I get through.” I need to capture them for thought that was exciting should just find somewhere bears, deMeulles said if it next March andshe continue a book lot ofabout heavy heremotional experienDeMeulles said she wrote my grandchildren really until the plane landed and easier to live. had been viable would the healing process. moments, MKO made her book, titled Whispers in because they will be lost if they started throwing the ces growing up inalso Churchill, “To say, ‘Those people have moved back to Churcha beautiful gathsure to insert some levity Addictions Foundation of the Wind: Stories from the I don’t.” fuel off and I realized, ‘Holy choose to live there. They ill “It in awas heartbeat. and itthe truly brought aI throughout the three days North - Life in Churchill for Manitoba northern director She also has a reputation cats, I was probably sitting should just leave,’ is quite ering “I miss shoreline, lot ofthe comfort families through includingsaid activities Gisele deMeulles writ- a couple of reasons. as a storyteller herself. on a bomb.’” simplistic. It’s quite disre- miss rock, to I miss the who were attendance,” like wasn’t laughing yoga, skirt ing something she “I just sort of thought, “I had such a varied hisAnother thing that spectful. If we were in the polar bearsin even though said. to know making thought and a group paint you know what, this his- tory and I would tell people spurred her on was the same boat in another area she always she would they’re very“Just dangerous and there’s network of night hosted by Thompson tory, this stuff that’s in my stories and they would go, hard times facing Churchill I think we would scream Ithat do. really missa the Hudson support available artist Lucas.I never head, it’s going to be gone ‘That’s not true, is it?’ I’d go, since the Hudson Bay Rail- about that so why don’t they Bay,” “In Jasyn my youth shethat says.is“When I go to them a on huge feltThis goodgathering at writing,”also she if I don’t write it down,” she ‘Yeah it’s true.’ They’d go, way suspended operations have the option to do that? back home,makes standing the served as awhen greatI opporsaid. “But moved said. “My kids are not go- ‘You didn’t do all that, did north of Gillam last spring. I think right now they’re difference.” Hudson Bay looking out on the precise numtunity for theseto families to ing to get it if I don’t do it you? You’ve got to be really to Thompson get into “It used to be a really feeling like they’re pawns theThough bay, it just gives you an ber of country-wide MMIget to knowofeach other and and it’s something I’ve al- old.’ I was like, ‘No, actually thriving large community in a political game and that’s incredible the school social work, sense. You feel so is still deterbuild at thatsupport point I networks. had to write ways wanted my mom to I did all that before I was and it’s just dwindled down really sad for them because I WG smallinand youhard feel to great.” comprehensive you’re an en- do. My mom’s an elder and 27,’ and they went ‘What?’” to such a small population think the people of Church- mine, for“When university andin realized, Nowas no that she’s got national database vironment where every‘Holy, I’m not bad at this, she’s an artist, she’s got so book under currently her belt, Looking back, some of now,” deMeulles says. ill really want to thrive. one a recent report by body experienced the same many wonderful stories be- those experiences are things right?’ I certainly developed Though she’s not there They’ve built their worlds exists, deMeulles says she may try theproduce RCMPanother. revealed that type this cause she always tells her she might not do again. a lot of of loss, skill itincreates university any longer, her parents and there. How would we feel to womenbook represilentcame understanding and out of therewhere with stories at Parks Canada in “I did some pretty bizarre her sister and other family if someone came to you and Indigenous “I have another in sented roughly 16 per cent you don’t have skill to sayinanya very strong my Churchill and I’ve always stuff like fuel hauls into the members still are. said, ‘I’m sorry, you have to me,” she says. “It’s a darker Canadian homicide thing you’ve writingbecause and confi dence all in hounded her, ‘Please, just high Arctic at -35,” said “My cousin owns the leave your home community of story, more about personvictims between 1980 and beenwriting. through the same my I write very put it on tape, I will write it deMeulles. “It didn’t dawn hardware store there,” she and we’re going to displace al growth and struggles. of Hilda Anderson-Pyrz 2012, despite their thingand andthat’s youit.allIt’sunderclear there. for you because your story on me until after. That was a says. Nickel Belt News photo courtesy you somewhere else and all Maybe in the next fiverepreyears Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak has organized several recent events in Thompson for the families murdered and senting around I’ll 4.3focus per cent stand people one another,” said Some say it’s kind of is going to be lost,’ and she’s very dangerous thing to do. Because of that, your lovedofones and your it’s something on of the population in 2011. Anderson-Pyrz. “Andtend for never missing Indigenous women and girls,on including a healing Aug.fi21-23. blunt or direct. I don’t done it and I thought, Being a plane full of fuelgathering deMeulles nds it hard to history is gone?’” doing.” BY KYLE DARBYSON

KYLE@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET


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