Cloud Sonnet
Tag Archives: Trauma
War Wounds
Parent and Grandparent Stories
Old Wives Lake Massacre
OLD WIVES LAKE MASSACRE – THE LEGEND
About a hundred and fifty or two hundred years ago, in what is now south west Saskatchewan, a band of Cree camping on the shore of a prairie lake were surrounded by a much larger band of Blackfoot warriors.
In order to save the lives of the young and strong, they slipped out under cover of darkness while the old and infirm stayed behind to keep the fires burning and keep up the appearance of an occupied camp.
When the Blackfoot attacked the next morning they were furious at having been tricked in this way and massacred all of the remaining inhabitants of the camp including all the old wives.
This unusual and powerful occurrence is remembered to this day in the name of the lake.
I grew up and ranched along its shores.
Pelican Project Salute
In July 2000 New Dance Horizons in Regina Saskatchewan put together a presentation for “Dance and the Child International”. It consisted of dance, song and poetry performed by about thirty young people many from Canada’s First Nations. I had the privilege of coaching and guiding them as they wrote their own poems.
This is the story of the teachers and young people involved.
Qu’Appelle and ESL
This poem references the experience of First Nations children who were systematically stripped of their culture and language in Canada’s residential schools. Today is set aside in the spirit of Truth and Reconciliation and marked by the wearing of orange shirts in memory of one young girl’s experience.
https://www.orangeshirtday.org/phyllis-story.html
https://www.techlifetoday.ca/articles/2020/why-we-wear-orange-on-orange-shirt-day-nait
On the Passing of Mary Oliver
