Montreal’s Native Women’s Shelter has huge success with third Spirit Walk

 

They set out to raise $10,000, and ended up with $13,600. For an organization used to seeing its budgets cut, the Native Women’s Shelter of Montreal (NWSM) had a happy surprise with this year’s third annual Spirit Walk fundraising drive. The influx of cash will fund a weekend healing retreat for the shelter’s women later this summer.

“It wasn’t the government that did this – it’s the community that got together and said, ‘Let’s help,’” said NWSM director Nakuset. “Maybe people are waking up and recognizing that these women and children need help, and they can give it…. Our women are going to benefit. We’re going to make them stronger.”

Several years ago, the NWSM received funding from the Aboriginal Healing Foundation for a week-long healing-camp. But then the funding was cut, so scaled back to a weekend retreat.

“The camp was shared with a whole bunch of other people,” she said. “But this place is almost like a spa. The food is amazing; the location is amazing. It’s just a time for them to be on the land, to do ceremony. There’s no rushing. Just workshops, yoga, ceremony and laughter, and fun.”

Nakuset stresses that she didn’t want to take money out of the shelter budget for the healing retreat. “Our budgets are always being cut,” she noted. “So this is about an opportunity for them – it’s a bonus if people want to do this walk.”

The Spirit Walk ended a process that began in January with the assembling of a seven-member fundraising team and months of planning. Some supporters gave directly; others did the walk and looked for people to sponsor them. Those who participated in the event met at the base of Montreal’s Mount Royal on a brilliant, hot Saturday, heard a speech from Nakuset and joined in a round-dance led by Tim Armstrong, from Kahnawake’s K-103 FM. After that they set out up the road that leads to Beaver Lake at the mountain’s top.

Nearly tripling their first-year numbers, the Spirit Walk this year saw 90 walkers, including some members of the community who routinely use the NWSM’s services, and some who are there when the need arises.

“When things are rough, they can come in,” Nakuset explained. “When they’re more stable, they’re out. That’s the nature of the shelter. For a lot of the women, it’s circular. They’re good for a while, then something happens, and they have difficulty again. When they come in, we’re there to welcome them – we’re not judgmental. We just say, ‘Welcome back. Let’s help you.’”

The warm atmosphere of the shelter is a draw for women living difficult lives. One woman told Nakuset that it reminded her of a sorority. “It’s good that they see that – I want people to feel like they’re home,” Nakuset recounted. “It’s wonderful that the women are happy here, but it’s not a hotel. It’s a place where they’re in crisis and we’re here to help them. if they’re here and they’re feeling like themselves and they can laugh, that’s awesome.”

It can be difficult for many people to understand the day-to-day life of Indigenous women living in vulnerable situations, Nakuset said. For Indigenous people, and women in particular, she emphasized, “Trauma is in our DNA.”