Candles in the Rain
“Oh crap, we forgot the candles”, Barb said. We were running late so returning home wasn’t an option. Arrived, found parking and made our way to the court house. Our friends were already there and one of them showed up with a carton full. She passed out the candles while the drummers got ready. Someone brought coffee & hot chocolate, more than enough for the 50 or so who’d gathered for the vigil.
The vigil was the second last event of a busy Sunday. I’d packed so much into the day my wife Barb was shaking her head.
Freezing rain put the kibosh on the early morning road trip which was supposed to kick it off so Barb & I enjoyed a lazy morning and then watched our online church service. Pastor Bob talked about inclusion, finishing up by encouraging us in the community our church family are forming together.
It was quite timely that community would come up. The night before I’d just re-read chapter twelve of As We Have Always Done, a book by Leanne Betasamosake Simpson.
Constellations exist only in the context of relationships; otherwise they are just individual stars.
Simpson continued, drawing parallels to networks of the Sky World and the networks from which music, mutual aid, traditional teaching, and the many other forms of organized resistance which make up Indigenous movements.
After church ended the frenzy began. Off to my elders lodge I went. Denny started the sweat with a sharing circle. I explained that I’d be praying for the families who’d be in court all week seeking justice for their loved ones and I learned that Heidi was also there for that reason. We chatted afterwards and I was excited to learn that she works closely with Tobi Joly, for a non-profit supporting MMIWG2S+ impacted families. I’d never met Tobi but was hoping to some day. I play music with her brother Joel, who’s always happy to share about his sister’s good work.
After the sweat I delivered wood to Harriett’s sacred fire, where I ran into Zech. I haven’t had a good chat with them since the East Camp days. Zech acutally came to mind hours earlier during the sweat. Denny had asked me to use his rattle in the lodge which reminded me of my unfinished rattle and the teaching I’d received from Zech a year and a half ago about how to make it. I shared that with them and we enjoyed a laugh together. Zech asked if I’d seen their auntie lately and I had to ask who that was. Turned out to be Geraldine McManus which blew my mind cause I had no idea they were related. I’d acutally asked Geraldine for a sit down awhile back. She’s accepted and I’m looking forward to it. I shared that with Zech and he encouraged me to follow through because his auntie would already know what I need to talk about. If you know Geraldine you know Zech’s right about that.
Headed home for an hour’s downtime then out again, to that vigil for the families Heidi and I were praying for earlier. Denny was there with his sweetheart Jamie. Heidi was there too, along with Tobi. I was so pumped to be introduced to her.
All these people are connected and they are connected for a reason. Actually for multiple reasons, layered in just the right ways, in the ways that they need to be. Some apparent, some hidden, some to be revealed when the time is right.
So many friends Barb and I hold dear were there. We lit, and re-lit each others candles, then we re-lit them again. It was wet and it was windy. Every time a gust came through it took out half our candles, but the other half kept shining. By the time we got them all re-lit another gust would come through so we’d do it again. Together, we kept the light on.
Flickering candles working together, carried by the relationships connecting us to each other. Much like the twinkling stars working together carried by the constellation-ships Leanne B Simpson described in her book.
I knew I was witnessing something sacred on that rainy Sunday night. I didn’t know how special it was until this morning, when Barb and I were with our friends, getting ready to head into court to bear witness and hold space for each other.
Our Elders gathered us in a circle then Denny said, “It’s going to be a hard day & we’re going to hear hard things, but we’re going to get through it and we’re going to get through it together.”
In the same way that that wind couldn’t take out all our candles, we can’t all be knocked down either. As long as one of us is on our feet, we’ll help the rest to stand tall again.
We’ve got this. We’ve got this because this has got us. It needs to happen. It should have happened a year ago but we’re not stopping. Not stopping no matter how long it takes.
Search the Landfill.
