“NOOJIM OWIN”…THE GIFT OF THE HEALING
DANCE….WHEN WE DANCE, WE DANCE FOR THE PEOPLE.
The Jingle Dance Healing Dance is a Community Cultural Revitalization Project. When we dance, we dance for the people who have come before us, the people yet to come and for the people who need healing. Shiibaashka ‘Igan: The Jingle Dress is a gift and a sacred responsibility. When we wear the dress and dance, we are reminded to open our hearts and our minds to all of creation.
IKWE NOOJIM OWIN NIIMI IDIWIN – Women’s Circle Dancers
Kim McWilliam: Yellow Dress Ukranian, Scottish English, grew up in the traditional territories of the Katzie and Kwantlen – Surrey
JoAnn Restoule: Burgundy Red Dress Father’s side Anishnabe Dokis Bay Ontario Mothers side Anishnabe, French (grandfather 5th great) – Dokis Bay Ontario
Jaqueline Morgan: Blue Dress, Father’s side Black Irish, Mother’s side, Cree/Anishnabe – Cote Kamsack Saskatchewan and Tootinaowaziibeeng in Manitoba
Gwen Monnet: Burgundy Red Dress, Father’s side Metis-Chipewyan Scottish, Mother’s side Welsh
Holly Douglas: Green Dress, Father’s side Coast Salish-Xwchiyo:m and Pil’alt on her Mother’s side Scottish
Maybel McDonald: Purple Dress, Mother’s side Cree, Metis and French Irish on Father’s side from Edith and Walter Currie from Fredericton, New Brunswick
Brooke -Lin Jestico: Red Dress, Father’s side Kwakwaka’wakw, Nuuchanulth, North Vancouver Island Salish, Mother’s side English and Portuguese
Danielle Chartand: Blue Dress Father’s side English and Irish, Mother’s side Metis and Anishnabe – Skownan, Manitoba
Serena Rotter: Yellow Dress Father’s side German Mothers side French Canadian and English
Jeannie McDonald: Green Dress, Mother’s side Cree, Metis and French Damase and Lorraine LaCerte of Willow Bunch Saskatchewan, Father’s side Norwegian and Dutch from Clarence and Emily Ness of Lake Alma, Sakatchewan
Jeannine Walker: Blue Dress Scottish and Mi’kmaq heritage on Father’s side. Mother’s side Cree from the Cote First Nation in Kamsak, SK. Anishinaabe from the Tootinaowaziibeeng First Nation in Manitoba and Black Irish
Cultural Presenter – JoAnn Restoule
The vision of the Healing dance was gifted to the Anishnabe at a time in our history when a great sickness came upon the people of Turtle Island. As we had been instructed in our origin stories our people called upon the strength of the gift of dreaming or visioning. It is said that at this time a great gift was brought to the people in the form of a vision. In the vision 4 women wore dresses in the colours of red, yellow, blue, and green. These dresses were covered in shiny metal cones, and we were instructed to bring this vision and dance to the people…to bring healing energy. Our people followed these instructions and with the support of the Ancestors…there was a great healing that came to the nation.
We are now witnessing a time in our history as a people where there is great need for the healing energy of the ceremonies and rituals of all nations. For the Anishnabe we have been given instructions to bring the teachings to the people, to walk the good life teachings on the good Path…Mino Biimadiziwin…when we dance we are told that we are “Dancing for the People”
The Gift of the Healing Dance Project began in 2019, when a group of committed relatives took on the responsibility of deepening their awareness and understanding of the teachings of the Healing Dance and the gift of the healing energy that has come through from the ancestors.
Through the good work of these relatives, we can bring the teachings into our community to share the energy of traditional indigenous knowledge, ceremony, and practice. We have been told by our Ancestors that we are to awaken, stand up and be counted, for we are being recognized in the Spirit World. For this, we are eternally grateful.
Chi Migwetch…
Indigenous Education SD71’s YouTube channel has two videos on the history of the Jingle Dance and The Gift of the Healing Dance Project.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The Comox Valley Art Gallery is honoured and privileged to be present on the Unceded Territory of the K’ómoks First Nation. CVAG recognizes the enduring presence of First Nations people on this land. CVAG is grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with artists, guest curators, writers, cultural advisors, community partners, our volunteers, donors + members. CVAG’s convergent programming is made possible through the support of our funders: Canada Council for the Arts, BC Arts Council, Government of Canada, Province of BC, City of Courtenay, Town of Comox, Village of Cumberland, Comox Valley Regional District, BC Gaming / local support: ABC Printing, SD71 Print Shop, Sherwin-Williams Paint Store, Muir Engineering Ltd., Izco Technology Solutions, Cumberland Village Works / The community collaborators + co-presenters the Healing Dance Sacred Circle + School District 71 Indigenous Education.
Opening Ceremony – Saturday, January 22, 4PM
Watch the video of the Opening Ceremony here.
Closing Ceremony – Monday, February 14, 11:30AM
Watch the video of the Women’s Memorial / Closing Event here.