I was very lucky to interview two Elders, the late Teressa and the late Simon Sapp, about their Grandma, Maggie Soonias. It warmed my heart to meet these Cultural Workers and to know that their Grandma babysat my Grandma.
Daily Life and Midwife Work of an Indigenous Female Elder of the early 1900s.
In this video, they talk about their Grandma’s daily life and the sacred work she did as a midwife. Maggie Soonias was a traditional Medicine Woman. Click button below photo to view video.
Simon also talks about the type of work he did as a young Indigenous man.
Simon Sapp worked as a labourer, for road constructiion, fixing fences and picking rocks. Click above link to access video.
I am Indigenous Cree/Metis. Main accomplishments:
1) Mary and her Metis Grandma: a coming-of-age story. Based on true stories, this is a gripping work of auto-fiction / biography and memoir that results in historical accountability.
Filled with wisdom, grit and honesty, this is the journey of a Métis teenager overcoming personal grief, family traumas, witnessing the pain of others, and experiencing the healing power of a Grandma’s love.
Instead of succumbing to self-pity, Mary rises above her presumed narrative with courage and love as her Grandma takes Mary under her wing to guide her into the mature woman she will become.
and
2) Moon Water: a documentary about the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. Moon Water was distributed primarily to educational institutions throughout N. America.
My childhood was spent in Jasper, Alberta, surrounded by nature. My amazing mother encouraged me to write stories and paint or draw pictures for her; she was my first teacher.
https://ritajasperart.com/
Bluesky @ritajasper.bsky.social
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