Stop Child Sexual Exploitation Awareness Week 2022
Tracia’s Trust is Manitoba’s strategy to prevent sexual exploitation and human trafficking. The mission of Tracia’s Trust is to prevent and intervene in the sexual exploitation and sex trafficking of children, youth and adults in Manitoba.
Manitoba’s “Stop Sexual Exploitation Awareness Week” was declared in 2008 and is recognized annually since 2009 to promote awareness about the sexual exploitation of children. Manitoba recognizes that human trafficking and sexual exploitation is a complex problem that requires a well-considered, collaborative approaches to combat human trafficking.
In recognition of Stop chid sexual exploitation awareness week The Clan mothers Healing Village in collaboration with Tracia’s Trust, is proud to share two first of it’s kind Indigenous led online safety tools. This toolkit is designed to provide online safety awareness for parents and caregivers of children who, due to the prevalence of Covid-19 are experiencing an increase in internet use.
The four part Land Based Healing video series curriculum has been developed for land-based teachings and ceremonies and work with Winnipeg’s at risk youth and their suppors. It is anticipated that once pubic health restriction lift that in person Elder to youth visits to traditional ways and healing will begin again. The project began in spring 2020 and offers the land-based teachings curriculum with a bio-psycho-social-spiritual approach to healing. Through strong Indigenous leadership we focus on cultural and community connections to improve the lives of youth for generations to come. This online tool kit will be available to view via our website on Monday March 14, 2022.
The Clan Mother’s Healing Village in collaboration with Tracia’s Trust is proud to showcase our online safety radio campaign. This awareness initiative is featured in several Manitoban Indigenous languages and will be distributed to communities throughout our province to assist families in addressing this issue. You can listen to the campaign and view our video for the first time here on Tuesday March 15, 2022 in honor of Stop child sexual exploitation awareness week. Throughout the week, the Department of Families in partnership with the Clan Mother’s Healing village will distribute The Journey of Piyesis’ videos and the radio segments to Tracia’s Trust stakeholders, Authority partners, and northern communities for their continued use.
Introduction from Elder Mae Louise Campbell of Clan Mothers Healing Village
Monday, March 14th
Elder Mae Louise Campbell is premiering the four part Land Based Healing digital media tool “The Journey of Piyesis.” The videos can be viewed below and on the Clan Mother’s website.
Episode 1: Piyesis: Moontime Ceremony
Piyesis, a 12yr old Indigenous girl begins her transition into a woman. Ignored in the busy group home she experiences her first Moontime and unsure of the changes her body is going through. Unsure of who to turn to, an older roommate, Crystal,(indigenous) helps Piyesis through their first period as well sparks interested in Piyesis to discover who they are and their culture that they had been estranged from. Piyesis starts to dream visions of grandmother elders who bring teachings and help her when she feels lost. The first vision is the teaching of Moontime. From here, Piyesis wants to learn more of the ways of her people.
Episode 2 Piyesis: Letting Go Ceremony
Piyesis, thinks back on the impact of negative events in her young life and the struggles she needs to overcome. From watching her mom in a toxic relationship to living with her
Piyesis experiences the loss of her Grandmother at age 7yrs old. Forced to live in a group home in the city. With anger and sadness built up in her heart, she turns to nature and her ancestors to guide her to a safe place. Piyesis finds herself comforted by the land and a teaching is brought to her about the letting go ceremony. (Which we see done in the beginning of episode 3)
Episode 3 Piyesis: Sweat Lodge Ceremony
Piyesis attends their first letting go ceremony (which ties into the previous episode). This being her first ceremony she is unsure of what to do and questions if they even belong here. Being taken away from her culture at a young age, Piyesis struggles to find her way back, but with the help of grandmothers/earth mother’s teachings, it makes it easier to grow and learn more.
Afterwards she sees a hut and questions what this is. A sweat lodge, in which she learns about the sweat lodge ceremony, and is the next step in her journey. Piyesis feels this connection and brings her great memories of her mother and the bond they shared. Piyesis then feels connected to her culture more when crawling into the sweat lodge (which we will show at the next episode)
Episode 4 Piyesis: Pipe Ceremony
Piyesis has attended more ceremonies, feels more comfortable, and discovered who they are. Through a sweat lodge to help her heal, which is also accompanied by a Pipe ceremony.
Through this ceremony Piyesis, is given her spirit name Piyesis, (meaning bird). We also see Piyesis on the land and discover much more she has to learn. - This takes place on sacred land, Bannock Point MB.
Tuesday, March 15
Elder Mae Louise Campbell has pre-recorded a short introductory video explaining the significance of the northern campaign as a prelude to the release of the Northern online safety campaign.
For more information, visit: https://clanmothers.ca/onlinesafety/
Grandmothers Protecting Our Children
In January 2007, Elder Margaret Lavallee was following media coverage of the 12-year-old child who was impregnated by her grandfather. She was outraged, first, by how could the grandfather impregnate his granddaughter, and then horrified that the community rallied behind the grandfather and not the child. The mother and child were exiled from their community.
Elder Margaret Lavallee wanted to take some sort of action and contacted then Children’s Advocate Billie Schibler. In discussions with Billie, it was decided that they would call upon strong Aboriginal women/leaders and Grandmothers to gather to see what could be done to put a stop to the abuse of our children and further to send a message to the children/ youth that they are victims of abuse, that their voices and cries are heard and that they are not alone.
Kookum Kaa Na Da Maa Waad Abinoojiiak Council “Grandmothers Protecting our Children” was formed in February 2007. September 21 was chosen as the date (because of the Fall Equinox – changing of seasons) for the Annual Sacred Walk. The Sacred Walk was chosen to deliver the message to the communities all over that “Children are sacred” and that the Grandmothers are saying “no more” abuse against our children.
September 21, 2007, marked the first year of the Annual Sacred Walk with 500 walking with the Grandmothers.
The Grandmothers Protecting our Children are strong in their walk and message that they are reclaiming their rightful roles as the protectors and speakers for our children.
Since September 21, 2007, the lighting of the sacred fires for our children were lit in the four directions of Manitoba and this has grown in numbers. The Sacred (Medicine) Walk is an annual event that has spread all over the world.
The Kookums now are connected to the Grandmothers Councils in Australia, New Zealand and Hawaii. There has been a sacred walk and lighting of fire by the women in Chile as well.
Former AMC Grand Chief Ron Evans has been a huge part of the Kookums Sacred Walk. He has walked with the Kookums since 2007 and has invited (November 5, 2007) the Kookums to sit with the Chiefs when discussions were held about the children.
The Grandmothers Protecting our Children have in the past two years gone to the street where our children and youth are being exploited to give them the message that they are loved and the Kookums are here and will remain here as their voice. The Kookums have decided that they will visit the granddaughters and grandsons at least four times per year.
The Kookums went on various trips as well to encourage other Kookums to walk with them in their communities.
The KooKums message: “Our Voice is a gift from Creator” “the hurt of one is the hurt of all” “the honor of one is the honor of all.”
We the Kookums council hear the cries of our children. It is our responsibility as “WISDOM KEEPERS” to bring our communities together, raising awareness wherever there is violation to the human spirits of our children.
“We will not remain silent.”
The Evolution of the Grandmothers Walk - Kookum Kaa Na Da Maa Waad Abinoojiiak Council “Grandmothers Protecting our Children Medicine Walk”.
The annual walk takes place on September 21st of each year and brings together communities, social service organizations, helpers and allies under the Wisdom and Guidance of local Grandmother Councils. According to local Elders, an Indigenous prophecy tells that in ancient times, Grandmothers/Clan Mother Councils were the roots to balance in Indigenous society. Indigenous men inherently understood this, and looked to the Kookumak, for Guidance. Indigenous men understood that the Kookumak were the birthers of all, “the white haired ones”, that knew deeply what was best for Indigenous people.
On September 21st Grandmother Councils province wide come together in neighboring communities and territories due to becoming tired of losing our children ,youth and Indigenous people. These Councils believe Creator has sent a message and as a result of this community must not remain silent.
Prior to the walks the Grandmothers Council request that local organizations and agencies who work with Indigenous people attend a Pipe Ceremony and Tobacco Prayer Tie Burning Ceremony followed by a march to Honour the Spirits of our children, youth and peoples who have lost their lives through violent death and suicides, as a result of ongoing systemic abuse in communities. The Grandmothers walk is all-inclusive and promotes unity and healing through Ceremony with the message being “The love of our People.”
The Public Awareness Art Campaign
The Tracia’s Trust Regional Teams hosted an art contest for children, youth and community members in recognition of Stop child sexual exploitation awareness week.
This initiative is part of Tracia’s Trust, the Manitoba government’s strategy to prevent sexual exploitation of children and youth. The below submissions are from the Portage Regional Team and the Pine Falls Regional Teams.
