I have always wanted to be a mom.
I dreamt about what kind of parent I would be and even collected baby things before I became one earlier this year. I have an incredible collection of vintage baby clothes and infant jumpers from all my favourite bands that I squirrelled away until it was my time.
I had always been really scared about timing around starting a family. I grew up in the arts, first as a dancer and now, more recently, as a storyteller and filmmaker. I consider myself an activist and use my platform to speak up for Indigenous people. I carry the pressure to perform and be involved. As my career started blossoming, I didn?t think I could take time for myself. I thought I would lose opportunities to create change, speak truth and to be ‘at the table?. On the other hand, every day that I didn?t focus on creating life, I feared I would lose the chance to introduce my child to my elders and my way of life. As an Anishinaabekwe living in a colonial world, I used to say that, ?I walk in two worlds: an Indigenous reality and a colonial one.?
Now that I?m a mom, I see it a little differently and have learned to reject the notion that I am a split being. I walk as I am; here as the result of my ancestors who have adapted to an ever-changing world. They have never been a passive, conquered people. They’ve adapted and influenced the opposing forces they encountered and helped create the world I live in now.
I grew up in Barrie, Ont. and was one of the only Indig...