what we have taught our children,
that the earth is our mother.
Whatever befalls the earth
befalls the sons and daughters of the earth.
If men spit upon the ground,
they spit upon themselves.
This we know.
The earth does not belong to us;
we belong to the earth.
This we know.
All things are connected
like the blood which unites one family.
All things are connected.
Whatever befalls the earth
befalls the sons and the daughters of the earth.
We did not weave the web of life;
We are merely a strand in it.
Whatever we do to the web,
we do to ourselves."
- One of my earliest memories of my father, "Thunderbirds", was of him sitting me on his lap as a very young child, and sharing the Teachings of his Ancestors. I was told I was to always hold my head high and be proud of who I am - Anishnawbe Kwe, (First Nations woman); that I must NEVER forget the price our Ancestors paid, and that I must ALWAYS respect all that breathes.
After his death, I was emotionally, physically and sexually abused while in my mother's care. I was placed in foster care, Juvenile Detention Centre and Residential School. The abuse continued in many of those places.
My mother, Anita, was legally married to another man at the time of my birth, Bruce Gallinger. I met Bruce later in life, and despite what the family said about his active alcoholism, and that he lived a double life, having one family out west and another in Ontario, it was Bruce who first told me many truths that helped me become the person I am today.
In 1970 following the deaths of my 11 1/2 month old twin sons, I turned to drugs to cope. Thirteen years of active addiction followed. During this time, I married an abusive man, and was subjected to Satanic Ritual Abuse for the next four years.
I'd forgotten my father's words.
In 1983 I made the decision to live. I was able to get clean from drugs with the help of other recovering addicts. Today I am over 17 years clean.
I also began therapy and started my healing journey.
I work closely with our Elders and Medicine People to continue my healing.
I am the mother of two grown children, and have three wonderful Grandchildren, Amik, Odaeman Kwe, and Niigik. Their English names are AJ, Alicia and Kyle. All three are children of my daughter, Lisa. My son Sean, has no children.
On May 24, 1991, I sat across from a Doctor who told me I was HIV+ the result of a racist attack and rape the year before.
My Spirit was broken!
A year later, I was diagnosed with AIDS. It was when this Doctor told me that I would die, that I began to live!
Today I work as an AIDS Educator, primarily in the First Nations Communities in Canada.
With the help and support of The Creator, my Elders, Medicine People, my Circle of Friends, and of course, my wolf-companions, Nvwati and Mkwaa, my Spirit is healing.
Sadly my beloved Nvwati passed on to the spirit world on Friday, Sept. 28, 2007.
I invite you to enter my Circle of Healing, to share the path I'm on. You can do so, by following the links below.
PLEASE WEAR A RED RIBBON TO SHOW YOU CARE ABOUT AIDS
- To choose which page to go to next, click on one of the following:
CHILDREN
PHOTO PROGRESSION OF AIDS
PHOTOS(MY FAMILY)
MY CRAFTS FOR SALE
Visitors since October 26,2001
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