Turtle Island Healing Walk

Aanii, Boozhoo, hello relatives, allies and friends,

First, we want to extend a Chii Miigwech, a thank you, for your on going support and attendance at the Turtle Island Healing Walk. We know you have been waiting as this walk means so much to our communities, our people, and our team. As Jingle Dancers provide us with medicine, healing, hope, love and connectedness and while the sounds of our drums fill our hearts and minds, we walk for them. For those who are not with us today, survivors, the children, our youth, our Elders, relatives and all those across our nations. It would not be what it is, without all of you standing with us.

With that, this has been an extremely difficult decision to make and we will be postponing the Turtle Island Healing Walk.

We have had challenges with scheduling and securing what is needed to create a safe and beautiful space for all. In addition, there has been loss within our circle, requiring our leads to be with family during this time.

With the collective decision to postpone this year's walk, we want to ensure we can deliver what is intended, knowing this is not just any kind of walk and is deeply meaningful to many - we did not want to force, rush or drop the ball in anyway, for such an important gathering. We dove deep as a team, looking at this in all directions and felt it was the best decision to ensure we could deliver what is intended and envisioned.

While we have agreed to postpone, it is not without much work to continue. Please stay connected to find out what we have in store for the future date - it will be beautiful and necessary.

We value and appreciate your patience, understanding and ongoing love. We hope you will be with us at the next walk.

We want to extend our gratitude to the Association of Iroquois & Allied Indians for their tremendous support in helping to make the walk possible again this year!

If you or someone you know is interested in volunteering or dancing at the next walk - please email [email protected] and we will be in touch.

Updates will follow on the new date and gathering in the coming weeks. Please follow us on Instagram - NEW account - and Facebook, for more!

On behalf of the Turtle Island Healing Walk team, a Chii Miigwech, a thank you and baamaapii - see you later!

Stay kind.

🧡

"The strawberry teaches forgiveness and peace. The strawberry is shaped like a heart, and strawberries are known to our people as heart berries." – Elder Lillian Pitawanakwat

The strawberry is heart medicine. It reminds us peace and love and that the longest journey is from our head to our heart.

It reminds us the love we have for the 10,028 children and those still being found, and of our love for survivors who survived for us. It reminds us of the love we have for those who speak up about their experiences in order to protect future generations. They survived so we can dance, sing, speak language, go to ceremony, and exist.

Tomorrow and everyday we honour those who attended Residential Schools and we honour their journeys as we come together as one to heal communities all across Turtle Island.🧡✊