Diaspora

When Don Amaro sang "O Canada" ahead of Jets vs. Canadiens in June of 2021, I had to do more than cry.
 
I strove to find a way to honour the 215 bodies of Indigenous children found buried in Tk'emlúps (Kamloops, BC).
 
I thought of the work of the settlers over the years, across this land we now call "Canada". Of gathering the native-born children to force them down; of renaming the communities; of constructing new roads to new buildings (like hockey arenas); of fuelling it all through pipelines across this land we now call "Canada".
 
I thought of the water; I added my tears to those already cried for the stolen children. I realized that, like water, you can't simply gather tears up and force them down: apply enough pressure and they'll explode. Disperse. Water the whole land.
 
It's happening: the Indigenous people are rising up to water this land.
 
$215 from the sale of this piece will benefit the National Centre for Truth & Reconciliation.