23/07/2025
**Update - heres a link to the story:**
https://www.bing.com/search?q=https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/video/9.6841079&count=1
For the past 6 years a collective group of people (Dr Lana Whisk, James Lamouche, Amanda Almond, Emery Whiskeyjack, Anthony Johnson and others) have worked on creating inclusive two-spirit and trans rites of passage (kihkosimowin), along with their families and allies out of necessity.
Many of our tastawiyiniwak (Indigiqueer) relatives experience homophobia, transphobia and misogyny in our communities and in our ceremonial lodges - and they leave after experiencing harm and exclusion. This is the worst feeling when even in our safe space of ceremony that harm can happen.
Collectively we took the risk of sharing what tapahtêyimôkamik (Humble Lodge - a name gifted to our group by Kitehayak) has been building for the last 6 years, as a component of rebuilding and uplifting a component of our own Nehiyô Health and Medicine system - a system that takes place across our life span/stages. (I do not like the term “ritual” as it does not describe the complexity of our health system, but acknowledge the CBC for being able to respectfully cover such an in depth story - Kininaskomitinawaw).
What we have witnessed in our Indigequeer tastawiyiniwak youth is increased confidence in themselves, increased self esteem, increased self love and a knowing that they are part of a kind, caring, loving community that I wish every person had and deserves. Sometimes, for the first time - they feel that they belong, and whey belong - they are capable of incredible things, and they are the best helpers! ☺️
When we create brave, courageous and inclusive spaces, we are all lifted up - and collectively our Nations move towards who we are as ayisiyiniwak - original human beings sent here to experience and give sahkitowin (love) ❤️
Thank you to those who allowed us to share your stories - you did such an incredible job - and thank you to all of the support we had from the wider community and Canadians who demonstrated their allyship and Treaty responsibilities to live in peace and friendship ❤️ We hope to continue this work, with the support needed to maintain our health system - just like Western Medicine is allocated 50% of the federa budget, so too do Indigenous health systems need to be supported, uplifted and rebuilt.
Nitatamihin 🌈 🏳️⚧️ 💕
I am incredibly grateful to my parents and family who have continued to love and support Anthony and I to do this work.
If you would like to support this work, please donate at Fireweed Kinship Society ([email protected]; Password: fireweed).
*Clarification - it Is not open to every Indigenous person. We have had to create and cultivate an environment of safety for our tastawiyiniwak relations and families and take great care to ensure anyone who comes into the space is safe and an ally to the two spirit 🌈 q-mmunity.**
Ps Catch the story on CBC national tonight and radio/web July 23/25.
