Maggie Hodgson - Speaking My Truth

speak, we have a responsibility to pay attention to our voice tone, the words
we use, the names we call people, and whether we build people up or tear
them down. Wind spirit is heard in sweat lodges, in Christian hymns, and in
traditional singing. Western therapists in bioenergetics encourage the use
of wind spirit to release feelings through song or giving voice to one’s pain,
except when we use it in ceremony, and we don’t have to pay one hundred
dollars an hour for therapy. It is our therapy.
Do we use our wind spirit to sing our joy Or do we use our wind spirit to
yell at government lawyers This occurred at a residential school meeting a
couple of years ago. A very dedicated IRSRC 3 lawyer who works hard to ensure
he listens to ways the system can work more effectively for former students
was yelled at by three Elders. Later, an angry participant walked toward him
punching into the air with clenched fists while the crowd of former students
clapped and cheered him on. Afterwards, many of the participants laughed
about how frightened the lawyer was. My heart went out to him. Is this what
was learned in residential school How to bully Is this what gangs in our
streets do Is this where our kids are learning this use of the wind spirit, from
our very own role models, the parents and Elders in our community How
many of these people were even aware of the teachings of the ceremony that
speaks to the gift of wind spirit and how we have to respect this gift The
flip side of that picture was when I was at a Saskatchewan Chiefs’ meeting
and a Senator of the FSIN 4 spoke before the meeting. He said we have to
treat these people with respect because they do not make the rules, they are
just messengers sent to tell us something. Is it only Canada that needs to
apologize
Let she who is without mistake cast the first stone!
Or should we also apologize for our treatment of government messengers
I say this as a person who has done these things at times in my past. I
am ashamed of my behaviour and my words. I was told years later about
something I said to a public person at a public meeting, and I immediately
took the opportunity to ask forgiveness for my disrespect. I gave him a gift
as is taught in my ceremony as a way to correct mistakes that affect the
spirit of others. When reflecting upon the disrespect sometimes directed
at government officials, some community members have responded with a
defensive “Now they know how we felt!” It is our choice how we use our gift of
wind spirit within the context of our daily lives and in our personal journey
toward reconciliation. As Abe Burnstick said, “It’s up to you!”
Another gift that can be used to heal ourselves is water spirit. Water is one
of our medicines. Water spirit keeps us alive. Our eyes have water. Our body
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