Mary

Susan's mother Mary was a well respected Elder in several communities. She was fiercely protective of her daughter, and scanned everyone she meet with her intuitive gaze. Mary passed away in 2016, just before the Me, You & Us project was launched.

When the time came for the first spirit portrait to be painted, I was nervous. It would set the stage for those to follow, it was crucial! How to start? Who would go first? How was I to decide? The night before I was to begin painting, I struggled with these questions as I drifted off to sleep.

As I slept, Mary came to me in the dream and said, "I will go first".

Naively, I argued "But I can't interview you or take your picture"

Mary "I will help you". No one argues with Mary.

I could hear Mary's voice telling my heart what to do.

"Make my wrinkles deep and my hair white as snow,

I have earned them"

"Paint the white animals on my face,

as in prophecy now is their time"

"Hide my children in the woods,

that is how I kept them safe"

Tears were streaming down my face as I painted

"Paint the scroll of Law that tried to destroy us."

"Put a hat on my head, I love hats!

Make it black, yellow, white, red - the four colours of Man - we are all related"

"Make my ancestral roots thick and colourful that travel deep into the ground."

"Let people know, I listened to the beat of my own drum. Following my heart through practicing both traditional and Christian ways"

I painted a drum near each ear.

"Put the babies in the tree.

I am a mother wolf, I care and fight for children, everyone is someone's child."

"I want to reach to heaven with the Eagle feather to ask Creator for Truth and Healing."

"My painting is done. Use it to tell my story"...

"Dry your tears, My Girl. I am at peace now."

Put the Babies in the tree...what I learned later.

Mary was very involved in helping families reconnect after many had been taken away years before from their homes - Residential school, 60's scoop, foster care. Mary wanted her work of putting families back together to continue.

Put the babies back in their family trees.

Chi Miigwetch Mary!

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse