Inquiry into MMIWG - Healing the Soul of a Nation

Digital Art by Janelle Richardson

Last week in Canada, the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) presented its report to Canadian government officials. This Inquiry was set up to understand why indigenous women are so disproportionately affected by violence, why so many go missing or are murdered, and why the justice system has failed them at every turn. They called the events a genocide.

I watched the presentation, and felt witness to a watershed moment in Canadian history. When faced with painful Truth, I’ve observed that the mind either denies and attacks, or bows to the calling of the heart to heal. Those who immediately focused on the word “genocide”, arguing whether its use was legal or correct, showed they were incapable of bowing to that call to heal, yet. Their hearts aren’t ready.

But I believe the vast majority of Canadians are ready. They simply don’t know how.

We are a good, kind and decent people, who try to do the right thing, so it’s difficult for us to conceive of this happening in our own country; that our own elected officials and the laws they enacted enabled this. But until we are willing to acknowledge what happened, and the well of emotions this Truth has now evoked, then we will perpetuate this trauma and inhibit our ability to move forward as this great united nation we claim ourselves to be. It is a deep, painful, collective memory we all share. It is in our collective psyche as Canadians.

But it can be healed. It can be transformed, and become powerful wisdom to guide us forward as a nation. It takes courage, which I know we have. Our courage to do this work will liberate us and all involved from this trauma. It is only then that creative, inspired solutions for reparations can be considered. Only then can we become the “True North, strong and free.”

We have before us an opportunity (and obligation, I feel) to heal the soul of a country harmed by actions inspired by ignorance and fear, and power exercised without wisdom or compassion.

This is all inner work, which means we each have the power to do this. Now, we only have to be willing. :-)

What can I do? That’s usually the question. I didn’t do anything. I wasn’t here when all this happened. The government has the report. They’ll work on the laws and policies that need changing. They’ll pay whatever needs to be paid.

But reconciliation has nothing to do with money. This is not a financial matter, but an emotional, mental and spiritual one. We each have a role to play to liberate these energies within us.

How do we do this? What I share with you now is the inner work that I'm doing, what I'm saying to myself:

I take 100% responsibility for having this shared memory in my psyche. I may not have personally committed these acts, but I take responsibility for the fact that they happened in my country, in my history, by officials elected by me or my ancestors to create laws and policies that represented my values as a Canadian.

I take responsibility for the suffering they inflicted, despite the fact that this “was the accepted thinking of the time.”

I take responsibility for every mother, sister, aunt, daughter and child murdered or missing as a result of these laws. I take responsibility for all that they could have been… and never were.

I take responsibility for every disparaging thought and judgment I’ve had about indigenous people. I take responsibility for every moment I walked past anyone in need or looked the other way.

I take responsibility for the depth of emotions this has evoked in me, and wanting to bury them or ignore them.

That is my part in all of this.

Until we can see each and every one of these women as OUR FAMILY, our beloveds, then we will not grasp the heart calling to make this right.

I cannot change what was, but I have it within me to change what is… WITHIN ME.

These words I speak right now:

* To every emotion * running through me right now, from guilt, shame, horror, rage, disbelief, denial, helplessness…I see you. I see each and every one of you. This Inquiry is allowing me to see you, and for that, I say thank you for showing yourself to me. You are in me, so you are my emotions, no one else’s. I take responsibility for you, and say I am sorry. I love you. Thank you for the chance to liberate you. Thank you for the opportunity to be at peace, to have the chambers of my heart filled with peace. Thank you for the opportunity to now bring this peace into the world as inspired action, inspired words, inspired thoughts.

* To this memory * buried in my psyche that I share with all Canadians – a memory that is within me because I am Canadian – I say I’m sorry. I’m sorry that you are in me, in my country, in its people, in my land. Please forgive me, and all those who acted in my name, who had a hand in creating you. I know you don’t want to remain this heavy, dark shadow within me, lurking and unseen. You want to be in the light too. You want to be free. You want to shine. Thank you for the opportunity to free you, to bring you healing, to bring you peace. I see you. I love you.

I know I am connected to every other Canadian and human being on this planet and, in doing this work, I am not only freeing you within me, but doing my part to free you inside each and every person who has this memory in them too. In Canada, and around the world.

* To each and every indigenous * woman, girl and all her relations… to every victim… I am sorry for the pain that we inflicted upon you. I am sorry for all the wrong that we did to you. I’m sorry that we didn’t know any better. Without even realizing it, in harming you, we were also harming ourselves. We were losing our humanity. Please forgive us.

* My Creator *, I know I don’t need to ask your forgiveness because I am always loved, but I am sorry for my part in having this memory within me. I didn’t know any better. We didn’t know any better. I alone can’t do this work of transforming and liberating this trauma. I know you seek our highest good, and our continued growth into ever-greater versions of Love. I love you.

Thank you for liberating this memory within me, and all who may harbour it, in this country or another, this lifetime or another.

Thank you for this opportunity to grow in wisdom, love and compassion. Thank you the opportunity to apply this wisdom and love in service to all Canadians, to care for all, love all, and serve all, so that we may move forward as “the True North, strong and free” that we truly are.

Love is the most powerful force in the Universe and, with Love lighting the way, this is done.

And so it is. 💖🙏💖
~Mony

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Image by digital artist Janelle Richardson. She’s a member of the Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation and was born in Whitehorse, Y.T.to the parents Dorothy Washpan and Alvin Washpan. She was separated from her other 4 sisters who were all part of the 60's scoop era. She currently resides in the State of Georgia where she earned a Bachelors. Her youngest sister Tina Washpan a.k.a. Cindy Burke was one of the MMIWG of the Yukon. She dedicates this logo to her sister Tina, whom she never had the opportunity to meet, but will forever be in Janelle's heart.

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