A small group of indigenous youth walking across Canada in memory of Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls has reached Dauphin.
The Anishinaabek youth are walking from the Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation on the Bruce Peninsula.
“It’s never been done before. A Prayer Staff has never been carried across Canada in such a fashion. It’s done traditionally, so we’re in ceremony while we’re carrying the staff. We’re not allowed to stop, we’re not allowed to turn around or look behind us. We’re not allowed to carry it in the rain either, because traditional teachings we are given is that eagles don’t fly in the rain, they fly above it. We obviously can’t carry the staff above the clouds, right, so we have to stop when it’s raining. That’s kind of the reason we are still where we are. We’d probably be another 100 kilometers past where we are right now.”
E Naad Maa Get (Branden Emmerson) and E Naad Maa Get and Niibin (Tianna Fillo), the principle Walkers, are members of the Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation. They left Nawash in December.
They were coming from Brandon where they met with the Brandon Bear Patrol keeping an eye on the vulnerable people in the community.
Their goal is to walk across the entire country from sea to sea to sea.
They could use more supporters and volunteers. Creedence says a relief car would be helpful because in cases like when they were going through Riding Mountain National Park they had trouble finding places to stop saying that would make their trip easier.
If anyone wants to come out and walk with them, show support, or donate they are more than welcome.
You can find the link to their Facebook page by clicking here.
