Last night the whole family headed down to city hall to listen to some truth and awesome music. We had an amazing evening with a sunset blessing to remember the ancestors while watching the sun go down behind the parliament buildings. It was a pretty strong moment. I could have stayed there forever surrounded by brothers and sisters, but the realities of children sent us home our hearts full. We listened to some wonderful music, watched people come together to dance, listened to people's stories and remembered all those who never came home.
I decided to pull Sophie out of school this morning and leave work to go to the morning session of truth and reconciliation. It was good just to walk with Sophie and to have that extra time to talk. We saw a groundhog and a little chipmunk on the grounds of parliament and enjoyed a sunny morning. I wore my new tammy Beauvais dress and my bandoleer bag.
The morning was intended to be drumming, coloring and blessings. It opened with a prayer. The moderator called up an elder and then looked around for a child. He called up Sophie and she went. I was amazed. There has been so much fear in her life but she just did it. It made me cry to see her able to be up there. It was amazing to see her be part of this process.
The rest of the morning was music, coloring and stories. I am so glad she was there to hear some of those stories first hand. I hope they stay with her all her life and that she remembers. The session finished with a blessing as we joined hands together at our tables. Seeing her hand in hand with an elder made my heart happy. I was so glad to share those moment with her. I was glad to have that chance for her to hear our languages spoken and see that those ceremonies and ideas we talk about at home have a whole other life. It was good to hear truth. Even as it hurt.
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