 Happy Aloha Friday and welcome to a brand new episode of Perspectives on Global Justice – think the kavaí. Please join our guest Hazel P. Hudson and Blanche Bruce-Head for part two of Wolf Child, a story of truth, bravery and reconciliation. The first part of the show was aired on April 12th of 2019 and on today's episode of Perspectives on Global Justice, where we'll learn about Hazel's marvelous experience as she received an award from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada earlier this month for the story that she authored and that we'll also have a chance to give continuity to a lovely conversation and, you know, checking with Blanche a little bit about and benefit from her Perspectives in Wisdom as an elderly Indigenous woman and an advocate and how this special intergenerational and intercultural friendship that she and Hazel have been able to foster and nurture over these past months have impacted their lives. And of course we'll get to hear their Perspectives and plans on how they can continue to support each other as they continue to reflect, learn and engage others to find deeper and renewed appreciation about where you all come from, including our differences and to support individual and collective healing and conciliation, one wounded heart and community at the time. On that note, welcome back to Perspectives on Global Justice, darlings. Hello. Hello. It feels like it's been forever, but here we are again for part two. Thank you so much for agreeing to join us again. And so, well-famous people, I'll start with Hazel now, who is like, you know, big shot now in Canada, I'm teasing you, but, you know, it's quite remarkable and very special owner that you have received earlier this month, so do you mind talking to us a little bit about what happened and what was this award all about? Sure. All right. So, basically, I went to Winnipeg May 1st to 3rd, and I was learning about reconciliation and I was with about 15 other honorees from every province of Canada. And the first day, we went to Fort Gibraltar for a feast, and it was great food, I have to say. And then the second day, we went to Turtle Lodge and we got to listen to drumming and prayers and songs. And we listened to some speeches from residential school survivors and the held elder there. And a film group came that day called Woffy Coney. It kind of sounds like walking pony, but reversed. And we basically, they come to your community and they will film your story and you can just tell your story to them and they make it a video. And the third day, we did a gift exchange of basically just gifts that are in Aboriginal custom. And we, all the honorees did a speech and after that, that was it. And I really, it was really exciting for me and I really liked Turtle Lodge. That was my favorite place there. Oh, that's really sweet. Blind boy, you're there. Oh, no, no. This was set up by the Cree Nation, the people of the Cree Nation in Manitoba, Winnipeg Manitoba. And so it was their due that Hazel and the other honorees were invited to. Right, okay. So Hazel, as you got your award as an honoree, I wonder, like, if you can tell our viewers about this trajectory a little bit from, you know, looking at a sign at the library and entering, you know, in the writing contest. And now that you've written your story and it's published and now, you know, you've even, you know, got honoured for it, what's the next steps, what happens now with your story? And what happens with reconciliation and truth in Canada and in your community? Well, basically, I don't know how exactly I went from looking at the posters being selected, but I do know that I did put a lot of hard work and effort into Wolf Child. And I think it really helped to go the extra mile to ask Blanche, a survivor of residential schools, like what it was like to be in the schools and asking her for feedback. And I'm really excited that that happened. And I think my next step is to create more art and stories to help people like heal worldwide and just create more empathy in the world as well. That is a big thing from having this idea, to actually having a story created and such a beautiful legacy of creating empathy in the world. And then you've got, you know, new friends along the way. And Blanche, I have a question for you. I know that the first time that Hazel read Wolf Child's story to you, that you had quite a lot of feelings expressed right there. And I'm sure that over the months, you've had a lot of opportunities to process what you felt and what you heard. Do you mind sharing that with us? When Tim, I call him Tim the blacksmith, first called me at my home and asked if Hazel could come and read the story to me, I thought to myself, ah, you know, it's not going to be something that's going to keep bringing things back up in my memory. Why was I wrong? The way that Hazel wrote her story, it was, it was, to her, it was what she imagined what it would be like. But the thing was, there was so many, what we call small points that she touched on that were so similar to what I went through as a residential school, as a person in the residential school. And since this adventure started, this journey with Hazel and me kind of on the, on a parallel path with her, I've, it's, it has made me look at my the time I was in residential school, from not just from my own point of view, but through Hazel's eyes, too. So it's hard to explain, because these things are based on feelings and the thoughts that come from those feelings going through the, the experience of being a survivor. So for the both of you, and I don't know who wants to answer that fast, for, I guess I will rephrase that, so I will ask that question fast for Hazel and then to Blanche. Hazel, when you wrote your story, did you imagine at any time that you would be able to foster so many emotions and open Pandora books of feelings and memories in people's lives who have been so deeply impacted by, you know, what Blanche have experienced, you know, in the formative years of her life, and pretty much for the rest of her life, because it was such a deep and, you know, part of, you know, who she is and how she was, you know, raised? Well, I can say that I was definitely nervous to meet Blanche. I was very afraid that I would upset her or offend her, or in any way bring up emotions that she didn't want to think about again. And I thought about it a lot, like leading to that day. And I was very nervous, but it was so rewarding for me after that, I just felt so much better. And I think we really connected. And I'm so happy that I was able to meet with her and she gave me, like, great feedback. I'm so grateful that we met that day. That's wonderful. And so Blanche, for you, I mean, you already said that you really didn't think much of it, you know, before you had exposure for the first time, you know, with Hazel's story. You know, like, I don't know for you as a person who have survived and endured all that you had to in your formative years. And were you, you know, really, you know, at a place emotionally, and even in terms of willingness in this, you know, part of your life in 2019, to revisit those memories and perhaps through, you know, different lenses besides yours. Going through from the from the time that Hazel and her family came into my field of vision, which is very, very, you know, close goal is starting from that point on. I came to realize, and I have Hazel to thank for this. I came to realize that out of sight out of mind is doesn't really work that all that well. And whether Hazel realizes this or not, my parallel journey with her on, because of this process that she started, it's helping me deal with some of the things that I did endure in the sense that bringing them, even when I'm by myself, and I think back, you know, and I those experiences come like I come face to face with them again, being not forced, but coming face to face with them, I myself, I'm going through healing. So I have a lot to be thankful to Hazel for bringing front and center, not necessarily every minute of the day, but when it does enter my mind, I'm still going through the process of yeah, and the reconciliation for myself on a very personal level, and what working towards healing, you know, so this little girl in her innocence and in her inquisitiveness and in her curiosity and her ability to use language is bringing me, you know, along on my own journey to the point of beginning, you know, start, you know, continuing the healing that I'm doing on my own, but this one adds to that, and then the fact of, through her, like she said, bringing empathy into this world. I mean, that is just so amazing, and Hazel, as a writer, we always hope that we will touch someone's heart and minds, you know, just a little bit, and if we touch one soul, we've done our job, and you have apparently created such an amazing cascade of feelings and changes in a person's life already, and through your lenses and through empathy. So my question to you is, so what are you going to do, and what does the nations will do with your story? Is there any plans on how to share the work you've done with orders of your age and of different, you know, age groups too, so that we can go back to that place from deep wounds to also the recognition of the wounds, but also the empowerment and the courage, you know, to continue that healing journey that is just a long, lifelong experience, you know, like look at Blanche, you know, she's at least, you know, 30 years old, you know, she's still walking with, you know, things, and so tell us what's going on, what's next, you know? Sure. All right, so I'm not exactly sure what the center is going to do with my story, but I know they, the teaching, sorry, West Wind Alternate School in Cardston in Southern Alberta, I know some teachers are using Wolfchild as a reference to, like, a teaching tool for their students, and I know that there's a group of grade nine and grade eleven students that are reviewing my story and reading about it, and they're giving me feedback as well, which is really cool for me. I didn't know that it would, like, that that would happen, and I know I did meet three people in, like, my time at, like, Turtle Lodge and the Fort, and there's three honorees that I met that I'd like to share my story with, and we exchanged emails, so I'd like to share with them, and I think, like, as I meet more people, I just want to share Wolfchild with, like, anyone who needs healing or is trying to reconcile with themselves, because it's important, like, we reconcile with ourselves and reconcile with the earth before we start to reconcile with others, and I think, like, teaching others about residential school and what happened in them, even though I haven't been there and just created this story, I think that's a part of reconciling with myself as well. Yeah, that's how I am. Sounds like a good idea then, and good seeds planted, and that, you know, you're getting, you know, the people to be exposed to the story as a tool to walk towards, and conciliation and reconciliation with self and earth and with each other, hopefully. Blanche, do you have any plans behind the scenes as an Indigenous leader and, you know, in your community on how to continue to engage youth and orders of your generation with Hazel towards this beautiful journey towards reconciliation and healing? Yes, I do, but I probably would have to fight Hazel's parents. There are so many of my people to whom I'd love to bring Hazel to and have them sit and talk with her. A few years back, I met a group of First Nations women, and they introduced me to the concept of angels walking among us from the native point of view, and I'd like to dub that on Hazel. She's one of the angels that walk among us, because we have never, the Indian residential school process has never been broadcasted, like I was talking with Hazel earlier on, but like the Holocaust was audio and visual, that was not done for the Indian residential school. So it is now starting to be looked at, and coming from a very straightforward, like I said, innocent point of view, Hazel's points of view, is just one of the many tools I hope that my people find, not only from First Nations, but as well as non-natives, that these tools that are now coming to be collected, to be used for the reconciliation of the people that survived Indian residential schools, such as myself. Right. Well, I really hope that the ripple effect of what got started will continue to keep strong and growing and expanding and reaching as many communities and as many hearts as possible, and I'm going to go back to this beautiful relationship that was created, this friendship that you both have, and the story was the catalyst, but it sounds like there is much more to that, that ties you two together. And so, Hazel, when you wrote the story, I know that you did some research about what was it like to be in a school in the way that Blanche was, and maybe part of what Indigenous people have experienced in Canada, but since you wrote your story, what else have you learned that you didn't realize then? And how much of that really helps you as you continue to think forward about reconciliation and healing and empathy? Well, before writing Wolfchild and before my research, I didn't really know about residential schools. In school, we learned about orange shirt day and we did like a little Blanche exercise and that was the only time that I learned about like residential schools and what the government did to Indigenous people back then. And this year, grade six, is pretty much my first year really learning about what happened because it is such such a buried conversation. We don't talk about it a lot and I think that it's really important that like positive and negative and neutral sides of like the argument of this, the conversation of this, I think we as people should all talk together with respect and no shame at all. Whether people have had a good experience in the schools, there should be no shame that they feel that they enjoyed it or if they didn't, we should respect that they need to heal. And I think like it was surprising for me to learn about what happened. I just felt so regretful when I learned like people were so mistreated, but I really feel hope for the future and I really want to contribute to that hope that I have with art and writing for people and just to help heal and accept what happened and move forward from that. So Blanche, going on that energy of how do you as a survivor of this horrific experience, it sounds like you did not really enjoy it much and how do you reconcile and heal and move forward? I believe it all comes from within an individual. I'm very fortunate that I had a really strong grand uncle who raised me from the complete Blackfoot way of life, ways of life because of that is where I get my strength to walk this earth as I have for the last going on 70 years. I'm grateful for that. And when our neighbors for the last two, 300 years, when one or a few of them actually look and see and learn and like Hazel says, to sit and talk in respect of what went down, what happened, that's where my hope for a better future for my great grandchildren in this area. And I'm sorry, but it's sometimes it really looks hopeless and emotions come in like mine are happening right now. But again, going back to my dad, my grand uncle dad, he told me there will never be the way things were before they came. So learn to live amongst them to the best of your ability. Learn what they have to teach you and do your best to teach them what you know. And that's what I do as a Blackfoot cultural interpreter at the Galt Museum and Archives here in Lansbridge. That's the job I took. So this exchange is ongoing and obviously, and the moving forward is going to be you know, an invitation for you. And I think for anyone who undergoes the trauma, I think that even when we accept what has happened to us, it doesn't mean that something is uplifted, you know, from our hearts and our minds to the extent that it's erased, you know. But I wanted to complete our program today with a quote for the both of you from one, I think of the most inspirational American people of, you know, perhaps Stephen Blanche's time, Mr. Rogers, Fred Rogers, he spent most of his life devoted to working with children and feelings. And so the quote goes that goes like this, so anything that's human is mentionable and anything that is mentionable can be manageable. When we can talk about our feelings, they become less and less overwhelming, less upsetting, and less scary. The people we trust with the important talk can help us know that we are not alone. And I want to leave the both of you, you know, with that thought and with a deep deed of gratitude, you know, for both of your willingness to share your truth and talk about it, even when it's painful, even through tears and red faces and emotions, you know, that this brings us all back to our core center of humanity and to our hearts and to that place of warmth and empathy that distinguishes us from many older, you know, beings. And I hope that we can get together in the future, you know, and continue this conversation. But I want to thank you. Is there anything you would like to tell us, Hazel, Anne Blench, before we say our goodbyes? I think we're good. What about you? I just want to say thanks to you, Beatrice, for making this possible, you know, and take care of yourself and be ever in Lethbridge. Look us up. Absolutely. It is all about perspectives and I'm just so grateful that the two of you have shared your perspectives with our viewers and enriched their lives in my life in our hearts as a result. Well, this concludes our episode of Perspectives on Global Justice Think Tech away for today. We hope to see you in two weeks. We hope.