Poems for reconciliation

Karonhienhawe Nicholas had never tried her hand at creative writing before last year, but now that her first piece is published she’s got confidence under her wings – particularly since she gets to see her words in print alongside the words of her children.

“I’m really glad that my kids that are in there, because it’s something that’s going to be solidified in history, in literature,” Nicholas said.

Nicholas and her children Sage Harrington, 15, and Nation Harrington, 16, are the writers of three of 37 creative works compiled in a book titled Poetic Echoes From The Land: Poems for Truth and Reconciliation, which was published as part of a two-year art project with McMaster University as part of the Future of Canada Project.

The project seeks to create visual art for each of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action, and the poetry collection was created as a companion book to the project.

Patsea Griffin of the Thunderbird Sisters Collective created, edited, and contributed to the book along with Deanna Nishi.

“People might hear about truth and reconciliation, but sometimes they don’t truly know it, they don’t get deeper into it,” said Griffin, who found contributors mostly through community referrals and word of mouth.

“I think this gives people an opportunity to actually see it with their own eyes and read the poems and stories that are in there.”

The Thunderbird Sisters Collective was started in 2017 and brings together First Nation, Metis, and Inuit women for activities like beading circles, skill-sharing workshops, and knowledge sharing sessions with Indigenous youth and allies.

Griffin said that bringing together non-Indigenous and Indigenous authors from across Turtle Island for the book was important, and something the Collective has sought to do in much of its programming in recent years.

“That’s what really brings together community, and brings us together as one in a sense,” Griffin said. “Sometimes that doesn’t happen, and it’s hard to get people to agree on anything, but I find art and poetry can do that, everyone’s welcome.”

Nation wrote a diary-style piece, Spirit Children’s Walk of 2021, about his journey walking to Shingwauk Residential School, which his great-grandfather and great-uncle had attended. The piece described the blisters and leg cramps he got as he embarked on the walk, and charts his thoughts throughout the trip.

Sage wrote a poem called Onkwehonwe, which describes her own process working through her feelings of learning to love her Indigenous features and coming to terms with the realities of racism faced by her community.

Nicholas said she was proud to read what her children had written.

“It was remarkable, actually, when I read it,” Nicholas said. “It was quite insightful, it almost hurt a little bit when I read it, thinking ‘Aw, my baby.’”

Though writing requires vulnerability, Nicholas’ kids were eager to participate in the project.

“There was no pushing, no coercing, they submitted their work and now they have a part in literature on these pages with their thoughts, their experiences, and their lives,” she said.

Nicholas herself wrote a poetic piece about her childhood, where she expressed the trauma of growing up in a home touched by alcoholism and violence. The piece is called The Promise and describes her experiences being raised by someone dealing with addiction, and her promise to herself and her children never to drink.

“For me it was really personal. I was raw, because I relived those experiences,” she said. “This is about a promise I made to myself at six years old, and I stuck to my guns.”

For Griffin, bringing together folks from all different walks of life to share their own personal experiences, like Nicholas and her family did, was the most rewarding part of the project.

“The age range was from 14-76, and it was just amazing to read it all, pull it all together, and get people to participate,” she said.

The book is not currently for public sale, having been run as a limited print, but those interested in hearing more about the project can reach out to [email protected] to inquire about available copies.

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