Article appeared in the Jan. 9, 2013 issue of the Interlake Enterprise, by Teresa Carey…
5 members of the United Rainbow Singers met with Theresa Spence over Christmas
Five members of the United Rainbow Singers, from Peguis First Nation and Fisher River Cree Nation, made a trip to Ottawa over Christmas to pay their respects to Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence, who has been on a hunger strike there since mid-December.
The singers, Iona Sutherland, her daughter Luanne Sutherland, Lana Sutherland, April Stevenson, all of Peguis, and Wanda Murdock of Fisher River, wanted to show support for Spence, especially over Christmas. Other members of the group with children had wished to join them on the trip but were not able to because of family obligations.
On Dec. 23, the singers set out on the road and made the drive to Ottawa.
“We went on faith. We had no spare [tire] and we had no money. We spent all our money on Christmas gifts [before leaving for Ottawa],” Iona Sutherland said.
The women had a deep sense that it was important to lend their moral support to Spence, who would not be home for Christmas, and to offer her “a couple of songs and a couple of prayers”.
“That lady is sacrificing her life for our community and mother earth,” said Sutherland. “The least we can do for her is visit her for Christmas…She’s not just doing it for aboriginals, but for us all.”
The women found their way to Victoria Island, where Spence has been living in a teepee during her fast, and sang some traditional healing songs for her, one of which is known as the “Eagle Song”. The eagle is an important symbol as it comes and picks up the prayers being sung.
“When we got there we sang by the fire. We [also] shared the song we were working on for her…We were there putting our tobacco in the fire and giving her thanks. We went into the teepee and met with her and talked with her,” said Sutherland.
She explained that the people accompanying Spence are monitoring the length of time she spends speaking because she has been having problems with her throat getting dry. Visits to Spence, therefore, are kept fairly brief. Spence was in good spirits, though, and appreciated the visit, Sutherland said.
“She wants all the people to work together, and all the chiefs to work together.”
Spence began her fast on Dec. 10, in solidarity with the Idle No More movement on the National Day of Action. The National Day of Action was staged in protest of Omnibus Bill C-45. Since then, Spence has been living on juice and fish broth and has remained on the island near Parliament Hill.
Spence has vowed to continue her fast until such time as a face-to-face meeting between chiefs and Prime Minister Stephen Harper takes place. On Jan. 4, Harper announced that he would meet with chiefs, including Spence. That meeting is scheduled to take place on Jan. 11.
“We sacrificed our own Christmas too,” Sutherland further said, but it was also a journey which seemed graced by a higher purpose.
On the way home, on Boxing Day, the bushings gave out on their 2002 Santa Fe, stranding the women in Michigan. Despite that, Sutherland said she and her companions felt they were being watched over throughout the trip.
“We ended up in a little town called Christmas, Michigan. The people were really good to us,” Sutherland said.
When the women contacted people back home in Manitoba, they were buoyed by the support from the Peguis Band and by relatives who sent money.
“The amazing thing,” said Sutherland, “one of the Sundance chiefs in Peguis is named White Ram Warrior. The [motel] we ended up in had a cedar entrance and a white ram on the wall. We felt honoured that we were being taken care of.”
Sutherland said the trip was a positive experience from start to finish despite the breakdown of their vehicle.
“We felt good in our hearts,” she said.
The United Rainbow Singers are in the process of recording the song they especially created for Theresa Spence. It will soon to be uploaded to their Facebook page.
