Honouring our mothers: Wapimaskwa Iskwew - White Bear Woman
- Carol Daniels | May 20, 2014
She is not quite 5 feet tall. She is almost 80 years old. And, although most refer to her as Lilly Daniels, she introduces herself as White Bear Woman.
"I got that name because I am little," Lilly says. "The Elder who gave it to me said I need a big animal name to protect me. Wapimaskwa Iskwew."
Something big, indeed. A conversation with Lilly and anyone can figure out that something big - is her personality.
Within a second, a mischievous smile accompanies one of Lilly's many stories.
Gently clasping her elbow and muttering, "Damn arthritis," she continues with a giggle, "my eyes aren't as good as they used to be either. The other night while I was trying to sleep, my elbow hurt so much. I sat up in bed and grabbed the Absorbine Jr., dabbed some on and went back to sleep."
She covers her mouth with a small, delicate hand trying to hold back the sound as the giggle erupts into a belly laugh, "When I woke up, next morning, there were red dots all over my arm. I had grabbed the bingo dabber instead."
Little stinker.
Lilly is the type of person we should all aspire to become; gentle, kind, generous and loving. It is also the reason she is a respected Elder in southern Saskatchewan. She is originally from Kawacatoose First Nation but now lives in Regina. Lilly has an incredible story to tell and I am proud to say, she is my Mom. That happened the day I married her son, Lyle.
Her smile has emerged through tears. Her strength increased over the years.
"I never wanted my children to be brought up the way I was."
She is referring to dark times.
Lilly did not grow up with a mother. She was only 7 years old when her Mom died. It was that same year the Indian Agent came and forced Lilly to leave her family. She ended up at the Gordon's Residential School where she was not taught to read and write. Instead, it was hatred, intolerance and violence.
"Maybe that's where the saying The School Of Hard Knocks comes from."
It is her attempt to lighten the mood but it physically sickens me as Lilly tells of how she ended up in a coma at the age of 10. A Catholic nun had beaten Lilly so badly that it caused internal injuries. The day after the beating, Lilly was still throwing up blood. Realizing she wasn't faking, they finally took her to hospital where Lilly spent the next eleven months in a coma.
Perhaps it was then she started to dream.
"That White Bear has been guiding me for a long time. I was young when I met Alan Daniels. We got married and had six children. But, Alan died young too. I suffered so much."
Lilly stops speaking for a moment, to find the happy memories instead of revisiting the sad.
"It was during that time that dancers would come to me in my dreams."
Lilly spoke with an Elder about her dreams of pow wow dancers. It changed her life.
"I started a group to teach our young people how to dance. The Rainbow Youth Dancers. We started in 1978 and since then more than 600 young people have learned to dance pow wow."
It is a group that still exists today, with a regular pow wow dance practice happening each weekend at a north-central community centre in Regina.
"It is the dancing that has made me stronger and makes me realize that it is important to never give up. Now, I have great grandchildren who dance and that makes me happy."
And with that story, it is most likely Lilly will hand you something. Chances are, you will come away holding a small rock that she's gifted to you, "It is to keep you grounded and to always remember what is important. That is what keeps our culture alive and strong."
Wapimaskwa Iskwew. She is the cherished and living example of why we celebrate Mother's Day every year love, laughter and teachings.
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