{"id":410,"date":"2016-08-19T14:25:24","date_gmt":"2016-08-19T21:25:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/twospiritjournal.com\/?p=410"},"modified":"2016-08-31T14:02:12","modified_gmt":"2016-08-31T21:02:12","slug":"two-spirit-history-made","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/twospiritjournal.com\/?p=410","title":{"rendered":"Two-Spirit History Made!"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Tyler<\/a>
Tyler Jacobs and Bretten Hannam outside the Tsleil-Waututh Nation Community Centre<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

(<\/span>Tsleil-Waututh, BC<\/span><\/i>) On September, 18, 2016, the First Nation communities, <\/span>Tsleil-Waututh<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>Squamish<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>Musqueam<\/span><\/a> Nations, jointly hosted a #Two-Spirit<\/a> Gathering on the traditional and unceded territory of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation located in what is now called North Vancouver, BC.<\/span><\/p>\n

The\u00a0day long conference was first of its kind that was convened by three Nations and on\u00a0a their jointly shared\u00a0territory in British Columbia. The TwoSpiritJournal.com<\/a> is working to find out if this is also a first in Canada and\/or not Turtle Island.<\/p>\n

This gathering was facilitated and could not have happened without the generous support of\u00a0Transcare BC<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cToday, we are to here untie and make things right,\u201d said Gabriel George (<\/span>Tsleil-Waututh<\/span><\/i>)<\/span>, a direct descendant of Chief Dan George, \u201cI\u2019m here as a learner. To learn of our Two-Spirit people\u2019s challenges they face; I\u2019m here in grateful and humble way.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

Mr. George then set the intention for the historic gathering, \u201cto create a safe place for our Two-Spirit relatives, where we are all family again, and this work is grounded in our traditional ways that promote healing.\u201d George then offered a quote from the respected, Phil Lane, \u201cIf you love and accept yourself; you will know love and acceptance.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Stuart Gonsalves (<\/span>Squamish<\/span><\/i>)<\/span> then offered their personal story of their to journey to self love and acceptance. This was followed by Sandy Leo LaFramboise (<\/span>Metis<\/span><\/i>) who also shared their personal journey as well as their work with the Aboriginal Trans* community. <\/span><\/p>\n

After an amazing song about water, the lifeblood of our great mother, by talented Carrielynn Victor (<\/span>Sto:lo)<\/span> the attendees heard a Two-Spirit talk titled, \u201c<\/span>Two-Spirit People: \u00a0Then and Now – Sex, Gender & Sexuality in Historical & Contemporary Native America<\/span><\/i>, offered by Harlan Pruden (First Nation Cree), and author of this post. <\/span><\/p>\n

This was followed by an engaging community panel of young people from each nation talking about their community experience of coming in and being Trans* or Two-Spirit. \u00a0Here is a list of community members: <\/span>Michael Paul (<\/span>Musqueam<\/span><\/i>), Abigail Speck (<\/span>Musqueam<\/span><\/i>), Bronson Charles (<\/span>Musqueam<\/span><\/i>), Tyler Jacobs (<\/span>Squamish<\/span><\/i>), and Danielle Thomas (<\/span>Tsleil-Waututh<\/span><\/i>).<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>Yesterday was so important to me because it’s important to reclaim the meaning Two-Spirit and decolonize ourselves with the history and stories that we share and learn from each other, said <\/span>Tyler Jacobs, <\/span>\u201cTake what we need from the stories to help one another with what we go through.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Finally, Dr. Evan Adams (<\/span>Tla’amin<\/span><\/i>), Chief Medical Officer from the <\/span>First Nations Health Authority,<\/span><\/a> provided presentation titled: <\/span>Coming In: Community Safety \u2013 What communities can do to support LGBTQ2S.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Below is list of all the partnering organizations that tabled at this event:<\/span><\/p>\n