03/31/2026
boozhoo friends. let me introduce you to my dad, george shawana. an anishinaabe man of the eagle clan, he made an impact on so many peoples lives. like many residential school survivors, his life included drugs and alcohol. but he got sober and started living as traditionally as he could. we were not on speaking terms when this incredible life shift happened. i regret that.
we reconnected almost 10 years ago. he taught me about tribes, clans, medicine and the grandfather drum when we had our first conversation in over 5 years back in 2015. i remember wanting to write down every word, but also remembered some teachings from elders here in SW ontario who told me, we are people from oral traditions. so i just listened to his words and the sound of his voice. there isnt anything i wouldnt sacrifice to hear his voice again.
i’ll save the monologue for my facebook post, but i wanted to share the following with my beadwork friends:
george shawana was my father. if you are from the island, you may have heard about the fatal roof collapse at the south bay center. my father was the casualty. his loss was extremely sudden and unimaginably devastating.
he was an incredible man. i am so honoured to be able to call him my father. i look back and mourn the relationship that distance took from us. i look forward and mourn the relationship that this horrific accident took from us. he wasn’t yet walking the traditional path when me and my siblings were young, but i saw the way his lifestyle impacted my neices, his grandchildren. i was so excited to give him another grandchild to funnel his endless love towards; a grandchild he could guide through their indigenous pathway of this crazy ass world.
baamaapii. gizaagin. chi-miigwetch for everything you were able to do for me earth-side. i’ll miss your physical presence forever but i will carry the energy of your spirit in every step i take.
https://www.manitoulin.com/roof-collapse-clams-life-of-well-known-wiikwemkoong-knowledge-keeper/
