(Grand) Mothers.
I keep my grandmothers close. Their images surround my workspace. I am working towards being a good ancestor. I hope that I am doing work that would make them happy.
Am I Canadian? Yes, very much so! My mother’s family has lived and flourished in Western Canada from ancient times. Northern, Southern, and Eastern European adventurers, immigrants, and refugees over the past 300 years round out my ancestral heritage. The magnet for my family? Manitoba, the Red River, and Lake Winnipeg.
My maternal grandmothers
My maternal Grandmothers, Mother, Myself, and my Daughter. The photos of each as a young woman, and then as a wise woman. We are Métis. Sometimes labeled, sometimes avoiding labels. Always putting family first.
My paternal grandmothers
My great-grandmother Ann with her granddaughters held tight. Lena, Ann’s entrepreneurial daughter, and my grandmother. They were happy to leave war-torn Eastern Europe and live in a safe and free country.