I recently went to a Indigenous led conference called Vine Deloria Conference at the Northwest Indian College. Signing up last minute, I got the OK to get the 100 dollars paid by some diversity fund from my school. I met familiar faces, S, who is a Lummi RN, who tries to incorporate native science to her practice, T, her partner, who has been for his life a commercial fisherman, as well as C, who has been famous locally by tying herself to a tugboat in protest of fossil fuels. The day finished off with a dinner of Gaaw, Herring Roe on kelp, a chewy specialty me and dad can appreciate, fresh from BC from the Heiltsuk Nation. During the meal, I met a woman who I told I wanted to get more involved. She told me to come at 10am tommorow to participate in a sweat. “We used to sweat every day”. “I’m white, is that ok?.” Yes, my dad is white. Does this kind of thing happen often? No, few people come to these things. I came the next day and the fire was raging. It was started at 8am, and one man has been doing it, a student that is older and returning at NWIC for the past few months. Adjacent to the fire was the temporary shelter: a dome of intertwined sticks covered with blankets, with a dirt floor, and a pit in the middle for hot rocks. Water was prepared to be poured on the rocks as we entered in and steamed up the inside. Cedar was sprinkled on and we could smell it’s aroma. I’m going to speak from the heart, the elder said. “Grandson, pour the water”, he said to another student, though he is not his grandson. “Ho e oh e oh ey ey…” It became nearly impossible to breath, and we soon all got out. We repeated this three times. The fourth time a native at Western, a tribal coordinator, saw and joined us and stripped down from his business suit. He led the singing in different chants, and talked of the significance of each of our entrances. He thanked the ancestors. I felt refreshed after. Smoky, moist, dirty, and barefoot, I returned to the conference and it was fine. I talked in the circle about needing to have this connection, but at the same time, it is a 20 mile bike ride into the county with no bike lanes in the morning, and it is tough in the sweat. Then, to satisfy my appetite, there was a seafood dinner of crab, salmon, halibut, and prawns. I am glad to be active in some native goings on here. Other things I’ve done included:
Bring back Tokitae Home
Lummi Youth Canoe Family Maori Send off
Fundraiser for Uni’sto’ten
Dance Fundraiser for Uni’sto’ten
Pipeline Discussion @ NWIC
It is close to a community, but I am still seeking one. A classmate asked me point blank, What is your story? It made me reflect.
Future Topics:
Health
Housing
Income
Food
Healthcare
Work
School
..
Naked Bike Ride
Kayak trip
A night
Visit Canada
Sushi
Bellingham
Relationships
Moving
Activism
Reconnections
