WLC Women’s Gatherings Create Space for Healing and Connection
W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council (WLC) partnered with Sharing Medicine Bundles and the University of Victoria to host two successful women’s gatherings in 2024, providing a safe space for women in the community to share traditional knowledge across generations, build lasting relationships, and heal on the land.
The first gathering took place on April 13th and 14th at W̱SÁNEĆ College. Recognizing that conversation flows more freely when hands are busy, the gathering centred around tactile workshops, including a beading workshop led by Joni Morris, an art workshop by Brianna Bear, a wool-weaving workshop by Lavina Olsen, and a women’s knowledge workshop by Kati George-Jim.
In the women’s knowledge workshop, participants discussed and connected over the life stages of women. In George Jim’s words:
I wanted to offer a workshop that was hopefully going to apply to people’s everyday lives and apply to the way that we’re relating to each other right now. I think there is a massive gap in the generational transfer of knowledge.
Knitting workshop leader Lavina Olsen expressed a similar sentiment, offering gratitude that she could share her craft with the next generation. She shared, “I was able to show the work that I do and pass it on.”
The second gathering – a wellness-centred event – took place on October 5th, 2024, at Bodega Ridge Cabins on Galiano Island. The day started with breakfast for all participants and prayers by W̱SÁNEĆ Elder May Sam before moving forward with a bounty of healing and wellness opportunities.
Offerings included yoga with Angelina Thompson, personal massage appointments, and a meandering, reflective walk to the beach to collect medicine stones. Participants who opted for the walk later painted collected stones with designs and affirmations.
The two gatherings were not only intended to support the intergenerational transfer of knowledge but also to help attendees heal in the community.
Beading workshop leader Joni Morris, for example, shared, “I think it’s important to be social. I would never want to be alone, and I would never want anyone else to be alone. Having these gatherings and the support from other women is really important for me.”
Countless others shared similar sentiments. George-Jim, for example, appreciated the opportunity to “meet people at a family-to-family level,” attendee Kendra Anne Paige expressed that attendees were “connecting and taking care of ourselves,” and Elder May Sam said, “It’s a real blessing for me to be here – I just feel that this is a real healing for a lot of us.” She continued, “It’s settling me down, it’s grounding me.”
Creating spaces like this not only heals the women in attendance but also the greater community. In the words of George-Jim, “It actually just comes back to building people up to a place where we, all together, can be confidently making decisions with one another for our future and for this land.”
WLC is grateful to the partners, workshop leaders, and participants who made the 2024 women’s gatherings a resounding success and looks forward to creating additional opportunities for women in the community to heal.
To stay up to date on future women’s gatherings, please contact Shauna Johnson at shauna.johnson@wsanec.com. And, to stay in the loop about all WLC events, be sure to subscribe to WLC’s newsletter.
