(Ottawa, ON) July 6, 2021 – On this week’s Roots & Hoots episode, our host, Gordon Spence is pleased to be joined by Elder Irene Compton. Elder Irene is a co-founder of the Minwaashin Lodge and is a first-generation survivor of Residential School. At the Lodge, Irene is the Keeper of Stories, which connects Indigenous women to their culture, identity and the pride. Elder Irene and Gordon sit down this week, to talk about the importance of being spiritually strong, of family, and of addressing needs of Indigenous Peoples in an urban setting.

Irene is Saulteaux, originally from the Keeseekoose First Nation in Saskatchewan. She now lives in the Algonquin Territory of Ottawa. Being a first-generation Survivor means that Irene’s mother went to Residential School from the ages of 6 until 16, exiting Residential School with an education equivalency of a grade 8 level, there were not many work opportunities for Survivors. For Irene’s mother, this meant being promised by the nuns of the Residential School to a 46-year-old Metis man in an arranged marriage. After years of living on the land with her small children near St. Lazare, Irene’s mother then travelled to Winnipeg where she met Irene’s father who had just been discharged from the Korean War. Her mother endured many hardships in her life, but she found strength as a Survivor and has strengthened herself spiritually as a Sun Dancer.

Calling on Creator, to help steer Irene on her professional path, she met Colleen Whiteduck, the co-founder of Minwaashin Lodge at a gym one morning. Together they shared in the belief and importance of an Indigenous women’s centre in Ottawa. To make the vision a reality, they decided to conduct a needs assessment of the community through a local program called the Community Wheel Project. This project helped them right the proposal for what would become Minwaashin Lodge. In the early days of the organization, there were many times when money was difficult to find, but Creator always found a way to provide.

Today, Minwaashin Lodge employs over 40 women and are the only Indigenous Women’s shelter in the city of Ottawa. Minwaashin Lodge has services and supports for every stage of life. Whether it is support for mothers, in with dealing with Children’s Aids, advocating for women, counselling for mothers and children, or food bank programs, every request they get, they honour.

As coordinator of the Culture Program and for her many years of service, this is what led Elder Irene to becoming the Keeper of Stories. The Keeper of Stories makes sure the Lodge is healthy spiritually, as well as culturally. For over 25 years, thousands of healing journeys have taken place at the Lodge. Irene carries with her the many stories she has witnessed over the years and is an integral archival instrument for the Lodge’s history. For more information about Minwaashin Lodge and the wonderful work they do please visit their website: www.minlodge.com/

Irene sees that in the wake of increased awareness and compassion of allies in Canada, it is important at the Lodge to share their culture, but also for those who are non-Indigenous to connect to their own culture, to walk in the world with that connection, and let it contextualize their lives in addition to sharing in Indigenous culture. Elder Irene says it is important for people to “soft moccasin” their way into community. Meaning that by proceeding humbly and listening well, little by little, this will help to improve relations and to actualize the shared vision of a better future for Indigenous Peoples and for all of Canada. To listen to this week’s episode visit https://bit.ly/rootsnhoots

The LHF has been in operation for more than 20-years as a national, Indigenous-led, charitable organization that has been working to promote healing and Reconciliation in Canada. The LHF’s goal is to educate and raise awareness about the history and existing intergenerational impacts of the Residential School System, Sixties Scoop, Day Schools and other colonial acts of oppression on Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit, and Metis) Peoples.

The LHF has 22 exhibitions that are available for loan for free. Our latest exhibition, Escaping Residential Schools: Running for their Lives, is now available through an animated virtual video, along with the Survivors’ Oral Testimonies. The exhibition examines the experience of Survivors of the Residential School System and raises awareness on the impacts it has on our communities. For more information on the project, please visit: https://legacyofhope.ca/project/escapingrs/ The LHF is working on making its other exhibitions also available online.

The LHF also has curriculum from K-12 and for adults, along with Activity Guides, aimed at educating Canadians about Indigenous history and the shared history of Residential Schools, the Sixties Scoop, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and Day Schools. The LHF works to develop empathy and understanding so as to eliminate racism and foster Reconciliation in Canada.