Background
Every First Nation, Inuit, and Métis community across the provinces and territories of Canada is unique, largely shaped by the land and waterways they live alongside and their relationship to colonial impacts within their traditional territories.
Among the common threads of the Indigenous worldview is how women held a sacred status of bringing new life into the world.
“Historically, Indigenous women’s role in their families, communities and nations commanded the highest respect as the givers of life. They were the keepers of the traditions, practices and customs of their nation. All understood that women held a sacred status as they brought new life into the world. This was a way to teach and to transfer knowledge to the youth that were involved in serving and learning the ways at the sacred birthing ceremony. The women were revered for their capacity to not only create new life, but by extension, the birth of a new relationship with the Creator.
These newest members of the community were also recognized for the Indigenous laws that were given to them by the Creator. These laws were given with the responsibility to enter into new relationships in a good, honest and truthful way.”