Our Time to Dance

​*This piece is dedicated to all the beautiful, strong Anishinabegkwewag who were separated from their children and in many cases permanently forced to give up their rights to parent their children and to the vision that they will someday get hold, kiss and dance with their grandbabies and great-grandbabies.

Our Time To Dance is published in the First Peoples Child and Family Review, 11 (2). Miigwetch to the editorial team and to the other contributors!

Nin kokum

You stand there so beautiful
embracing life as a commitment to future
Your vision seen through my eyes

Nin kokum

You stand there so innocent
yet familiar with the agony to follow
The theft of life felt radiates through my bones

Nin kokum

You stand there so strong
grounded in our gifts
Your spirit is my belief

Nin kokum

You stand there so resilient
ancestral wounds are your relational intelligence
Your blood carries code
And your tears interpret

Nin kokum

You stand there prepared
You can see behind and beyond
the veil of violence
the rope the wraps
rapes
robs
my/your future/past

Nin kokum

I know you can see me I exist only as a promise your extension your prayer
sustained through ceremony fed by faith
We have always lost lives and lived loss

Nin kokum

I stand here now carrying our future/past
loving
reclaiming our stolen

tearing at the tight threads of lying order

​un binding un learning un becoming

Nin kokum

because of your life because you stood so beautiful
so strong

Nin kokum
​
Now is our time to dance