As National Nurses Week comes to a close, Grandmother’s Voice honours the nursing spirit that lives beyond job titles.
This week, we have honoured Indigenous Nurses who entered hospitals, classrooms, clinics, nursing stations, policy rooms, and health care systems that were not always ready to honour them back. We have remembered the strength it took to become a Nurse while carrying Indigenous knowledge, family responsibility, colonial history, community expectation, and the deep desire to make care safer for others.
Today, we also honour the care that existed before the profession, and the care that still exists all around us.
We honour the Aunties, Uncles, Grandmothers, Grandfathers, Sisters, Brothers, Mothers, Fathers, Cousins, Two-Spirit relatives, Elders, Helpers, Healers, Midwives, Knowledge Keepers, and community caregivers who provide care every day, the way they were taught.
Some have never worn scrubs. Some have never worked a hospital shift. Some have no letters behind their names. But they know how to notice when someone is not well. They know when a child needs food, when a young person needs quiet, when a parent needs rest, when an Elder needs company, when grief needs room, when laughter is medicine, and when silence is the most respectful form of care.
They know how to read a room.
They know who has gone too quiet.
They know which tea to make.
They know who needs a ride, who needs a meal, who needs a phone call, who needs a visit, who needs to be left alone but not forgotten.
They are the ones who bring soup without being asked. The ones who sit beside the bed. The ones who remember the medicines. The ones who check in after everyone else has gone home. The ones who keep track of appointments, children, court dates, prescriptions, ceremonies, birthdays, losses, and what everyone can and cannot eat.
They are the ones who know that care is not always dramatic.
Sometimes care is laundry folded.
A braid done gently.
A plate made and wrapped for later.
A hand on the shoulder.
A candle lit.
A room cleaned before someone comes home.
A child taken outside so someone can sleep.
An Elder driven across town.
A young person reminded that they are loved, even when they are struggling.
This is not to take away from the professional skill, education, and sacrifice of Nurses. Nursing is skilled work. It is demanding work. It is intellectual, emotional, physical, and spiritual work. Nurses assess, respond, advocate, document, educate, comfort, intervene, and carry enormous responsibility.
But it is also important to remember that the spirit of nursing did not begin with institutions.
Before care was professionalized, it was relational.
Before someone charted symptoms, someone noticed.
Before there were waiting rooms, there were kitchens, fires, lodges, gardens, medicines, songs, and stories.
Before there were visiting hours, there were people who stayed.
For Indigenous communities, care has always belonged to the collective. Wellness was never meant to be carried alone. A sick person was not only an individual patient. They were part of a family, a Nation, a story, a responsibility. A child’s wellbeing belonged to more than one household. An Elder’s care belonged to more than one person. Grief belonged to the circle. Healing belonged to the land, the medicines, the songs, the food, the laughter, the prayers, and the people who kept showing up.
That is the teaching we return to today.
When we honour Nurses, we also honour the roots of care. We honour the Grandmothers who taught us that wellness includes spirit. We honour the Grandfathers who taught by presence, protection, patience, and quiet strength. We honour the Aunties and Uncles who showed up with food, humour, discipline, stories, rides, and love. We honour the Sisters and Brothers who carried one another through hard days. We honour the Mothers and Fathers who made medicine out of whatever they had. We honour the Two-Spirit relatives, Elders, Helpers, and Knowledge Keepers whose care has held families and communities together in ways that were not always named, paid, or recognized.
This week, we honoured Indigenous Nurses who changed health care.
Today, we honour the everyday care that keeps communities alive.
To every Auntie who has been the emergency contact.
To every Uncle who showed up without needing to be asked.
To every Grandmother whose kitchen was a clinic of love.
To every Grandfather whose quiet presence made people feel safe.
To every Sister and Brother who stayed close when things got hard.
To every Helper who learned care by watching those who came before.
Grandmother’s Voice honours you.
Presented by Samantha Doxtater
Presented by GRANDMA RENEE
In a world seeking direction, Indigenous teachings offer clear and enduring policies for how to live in harmony with one another and the Earth. This workshop invites participants to explore the profound lessons of the Two Row Wampum Belt and other wampum belts as frameworks for mutual respect, environmental care, and collective well-being. These belts, created long before colonization, embody ancestral agreements that guide humanity on how to coexist with honor, dignity, and reciprocity.
Led by Grandmother Renee, this session emphasizes the importance of relearning and honoring the policies established by our ancestors, rather than creating new paths disconnected from this wisdom. Through the teachings of the belts, participants will uncover the principles of self-care, stewardship of the land, and respect for all beings. This is not about inventing something new—it is about rediscovering the instructions that were always there and committing to uphold them.
Key Takeaways:
Through this workshop, participants will be reminded that the wisdom of the belts is not only a guide for Indigenous communities but a path for all of humanity to walk together in respect and care for one another and the Earth.
Presented by Grandma Gail and Angela DeMontigny
Ceremony is more than tradition—it is a deliberate practice rooted in wisdom, responsibility, and foresight. This workshop explores the “science of ceremony” as a guide to living with intention and accountability for the next seven generations. Our ancestors used ceremony to prepare for the future, ensuring that their actions would benefit not only their own time but also those yet to come. Now, it is our responsibility to carry that practice forward.
Led by Grandmother Gail, this session will examine what has been lost and the actions we must take to restore, respect, and reclaim the ceremonial practices that ensure the well-being of future generations. Participants will be encouraged to reconnect with ceremony as a means of healing, reflection, and renewal, building a foundation of responsibility to guide us in restoring balance and harmony.
Key Takeaways:
Through this workshop, participants will rediscover the transformative power of ceremony as a pathway to healing, accountability, and preparation for a sustainable and harmonious future. Together, we will reaffirm our responsibility to the generations to come.
Presented by Asha Frost
Join Asha Frost, an Indigenous healer, teacher, and bestselling author, for a transformative workshop rooted in traditional teachings and the power of self-discovery. Asha’s work often centers on reconnecting with ancestral wisdom, embracing one’s authentic self, and creating pathways for healing and empowerment. Drawing from her Anishinaabe roots, she weaves stories, teachings, and practical tools to inspire participants to reclaim their power and align with their purpose.
Through her signature blend of traditional healing practices and modern insights, Asha guides participants in understanding how to honor their own journey, navigate challenges with resilience, and embrace the interconnectedness of all beings. This workshop is an invitation to explore the sacred within and around us, fostering personal growth and collective transformation.
Key Takeaways:
Whether you are seeking personal healing, professional inspiration, or a deeper connection to traditional wisdom, this session with Asha Frost promises to be a profound and enriching experience.
Presented by Allen Sutherland
The Seven Fires prophecy, as shared by seven prophets across different time periods, offers profound guidance for humanity’s path forward. According to Anishinaabe oral tradition, these teachings speak to the choices we face when the world has been polluted, and the waters turned bitter by disrespect. The prophecy teaches that humanity must choose between materialism and spirituality—one path leading to survival and the other to destruction.
In this workshop, Mishoomis Allen will guide participants through the teachings of the Seven Fires prophecy, exploring its relevance in today’s world and its call for spiritual renewal. Additionally, he will share his Canadian Indigenous Historical Timeline, providing a broader context for understanding the cultural, social, and spiritual significance of these teachings.
Key Takeaways:
This workshop offers an opportunity to reflect deeply on humanity’s collective responsibility and the transformative power of choosing a spiritual path for the survival of future generations.
Presented by Thohahoken Michael Doxtater
In this session, Thohahoken Michael Doxtater explores the ongoing impact of Canada’s colonial policies on Indigenous communities and the historical journey toward Truth and Reconciliation. He examines the systemic attempts to erase Indigenous identity, from residential schools to the suppression of cultural practices, and highlights Indigenous resilience and legal resistance. The presentation also delves into the concept of the “Canada Rafter,” a historical agreement acknowledging Canada’s adoption into the Indigenous Longhouse, raising the question: Has Canada truly upheld its responsibilities in this relationship?
