Sharing Spirit by Carmin Bear-Blomberg
My Transformation ceremony was a beautiful experience that I will carry with me forever. The teachings I learned while in ceremony have helped shape who I am and how I walk with people in my life because ceremony reminded me of my way of being (my values, ethics and protocols as a young Nêhiyaw woman with mixed European ancestry).
In my responsibility as an Indigenous settler, fostering a sense of home away from my home territory, I reached out to my Elders in community for support. When creating the ceremony, it was important for me to follow the guidance of my Elders and the Knowledge holder who welcomed us on their home territory. In this, I weaved together my understanding of following Indigenous protocol of the land and people of the land. To honor the Elders’ and Knowledge holder’s time and energy shared within ceremony, I shared hand-made gifts in respect to the Kwakwaka’wakw teachings of potlatch gifting I grew up learning from family.
Each person who was invited and attended the ceremony share a relationship with me that has been significant to my healing and growth as a young Indigenous woman. When I entered care with the Ministry I felt lost, as if I had forgotten my sense of belonging and sense of home. Nine years without my mom, made me create a sense of home within my community of family and friends. Throughout the nine years, I joined paths with people who by being in their presence, reminded me of how I was raised, my values and ethics. The people in my circle reminded me of my teachings in knowing who I am and how to walk within relationships. For years, it felt as though I had so much to catch up on learning and in other ways it felt as though I grew up too fast too soon. It still feels like that in some ways. However, with the support of my circle and this ceremony to call back to, I have been gifted a sense of belonging, a sense of home. With the love and support of my circle, ancestors, family, Elders, Knowledge holders, friends and community, I feel confident as I step forward on my journey as a young adult.
I am honored for the gifts and responsibilities this Transformation Ceremony has gifted me. In this next step, I am nourishing the relationships I carry with gratefulness and humility. The moments of reflection after ceremony continue throughout my life, as does my healing and growth, which is why upholding the relationships I’ve shared in ceremony with reciprocity is significantly important. The reciprocity of relationships is shared in many different ways centred in Indigenous values, ethics and protocols. As I continue to work on my masters in social work Indigenous Specialization, I will reflect on the ways ceremony helps foster a sense of belonging, identity and home, and how continued reflection and ways of honoring ceremony and relationships are critical for Indigenous ways of being.
My circle of friends and family reminded me and continue to remind me how I share my spirit. As I continue to reflect and honor relationships, I will do so by sharing my spirit.
Ninaskomon, I am grateful, for my chosen family.
Kahkithaw niwahkômâkanak (All my relations in Cree ‘TH’ dialect)
Carmin Bear-Blomberg
Ceremony is personal and I’ve chosen to keep a lot of it private in honor and respect to the people, the land and the experiences shared within. As I continue to reflect, I will share in the ways that respects myself and everyone. The best way for me to do that now is through some designs and dream work I have done:
