We Hold Each Other in Healing by Babette Fabella Santos
We Hold Each Other in Healing
With this year’s Truth and Reconcilitation, in the heart of this day it centers on a loving and gentle message.
It is a message conveyed by the Residential School Survivors where myself and the members of Kathara’s have had the honor to have vulnerable, creative, ceremonial and celebrational moments with Residential School Survivors and their following family generations deeply impacted.
Today we recognize and honor all Residential School Survivors and their families. Those who have passed, those living with us today grieving and healing.
Earliest mentoring to Kathara was given by Kat Zu’comulwat Norris(Lyackson,Hawaiian- Filipino) and her son Sky Jack joined Kathara as a Board of Director. Kat is a legend here locally, leaving a legacy of building Indigenous communities with non-Indigenous communities that were centered on Indigenous finding their voice, equity and finding justice. She was deeply dedicated to elevating community relations through arts and traditional knowledge towards healing and justice that includes her work with AIM, The Aboriginal Friendship Center and DTES-In the Heart of the City Festival. She began the first Women’s Memorial March held annually on Valentine’s Day each year on February 14th and the first celebration in
Kat’s actions could be both small and large and she continued with so much compassion with fearless and gentle determination. In working with Kathara, both Kat and Sky brought wisdom, joy of their mixed ancestry Indigenous heritage and Filipino heritage
Upon their passing-Residential Survivor- Perry Jack of Cowichan, Katsie Nation generously continued to support Kathara’s decolonial journey.
Lillian Howard of Butterflies in Spirit, brought Kathara to collaborative creation and in learning holding spaces for justice and healing in Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Children 2 Spirit. This happened in Vancouver and in Winnipeg Manitoba for the 1st National Memorial Day of MMIWG2S held in Parliament.
Today, we gratefully acknowledge ongoing work over many years with Squamish Nahanee family-Latash, Delhia and Marissa,,Rennee and Tita Emma,Wendy and ongoing ceremonial work with Mandy and Ian Cambell.
Reuben and Cedar George of TseilWatuuth Nation in warriorship for land, waters and healing in your sweat lodge.
We continue with the family Kat Norris brother and artist-Indipino Sam Bob and also Norm Leech to collaborate to share spaces as we mirror the imprints of colonization and intergenerational trauma on families.
Kathara’s continuation of work in solidarity with local indigenous to deepen connections to traditional knowledge tied to lands and waters and explore artistry in a shared decolonizing journey as we hold each other in healing.
