Let’s Be Well Together Podcast - Episode 45
Date: December 6, 2022
Participants: John Webster, Sammy Damaren, Cameron Earnshaw and Sheila Webster
Guest: Hollee “Red Sky Woman” George
Start times and Segment Segments:
[0:00:38] What’s On Your Mind: Sammy saw an interesting social media post about how much time we spend with family, friends, coworkers and others at different times in our lives. It’s worth thinking about how to focus that time.
[0:13:46] Expanding Minds Interview: [Socia Wellness] Hollee “Red Sky Woman” George provides a perspective on Two-Spirit and Indigiqueer identity. They walk in two worlds at once: the physical world and the spiritual world. Their traditional roles and responsibilities are many: often healers, mediators, social workers, justice people and medicine people in the community. Two-spirit people are naturally fluid people who have been held in high regard and respect and have been in community for time immemorial. When indigenous people came out of systems like Indian residential and day schools, they were deeply indoctrinated with Christianity and the gender binary and all the various phobias. That came back to their treaty territories and to our families and communities. Anyone who was a two-spirit person was no longer welcome. Change is happening, though it’s slow and painful. Two-spirit people are starting to live openly. People are starting to unlearn and re-learn. It’s difficult still in 2022 to be a two-spirit person in indigenous families and community, in indigenous places and spaces of all kinds.
[0:34:44] Adventures of the Starving Artist: One of Cameron’s favourite hats to wear is to write for other musicians. He tells us about it.
[0:39:24] Move That Body: Sheila found an article about different types of benefits from different types of exercise.
[0:44:19] Running Popup: John’s running thoughts focused on his dad, who passed away peacefully last week. A long run beforehand gave John a chance to reflect, then later it was time to say goodbye to his dad.
[0:51:20] Flipside of the Coin: On their trip to London, Sheila and John were spontaneous. They went with the flow, which turned into seeing and loving the production Dear Evan Hanson. It was a great experience.
Guest Information: Musko Giizhigo Ikwe (Red Sky Woman) or Hollee George is a Two-Spirit Anishnaabe Ikwe, lesbian, wife, mother, daughter, granddaughter, sister, auntie, niece and cousin. She is a member of Kettle and Stony Point First Nation and the Sturgeon Clan. Hollee’s academic and employment background is centred on Justice, especially criminal and social justice related to Indigenous and Queer people. In her roles as a Justice advocate, professional and Traditional Knowledge Keeper, she centres voices of Indian residential and day school survivors like herself and family. Currently living, working, and playing on the Haldimand Tract, Musko is actively involved in a variety of community organizations in the Region of Waterloo.
SPECTRUM (Waterloo Region’s Rainbow Community Space): https://www.ourspectrum.com/
Instagram: @SpectrumWaterlooRegion
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Thanks for joining us,
(-(-_(-_-)_-)-) Your wellness check-in team
John, Sammy, Cameron, Sheila and Julie