Awakening the drums of healing

On the longest day of the year, the summer solstice, Imelda Perley experienced the realization of a long held dream. The Wolastoqi elder witnessed the opening of the 13 Moon Healing Drums exhibit at the Beaverbrook Art Gallery as part of the celebrations for National Indigenous Peoples Day.

Perley wanted 13 drums to depict the talks she gives on the healing qualities of the full moon and she needed an artist to bring her vision to life. She collaborated with Wolastoqi artist Natalie Sappier.

This is my gift to the next generations.- Imelda Perley

"I told her I'm going to need an artist who can do ceremonies. So, she fasted with me years ago," Perley said.

"That's how she got her spirit name, Samaqani Cochaq [The Water Spirit]."

Perley told Sappier stories of the moon's healing qualities, which led to their collaboration.

Perley wants people to understand the moon cycle under which they were born. It's important to know which medicines are available, she said, and to understand the elements of those 29 days of their moon. All of this is reflected in the painted hand drums.

"I really wanted it to send a message to whoever sees the moon, especially their birth moon, then they're going to see something about themselves in that," Perley said.

The exhibit is called 13 Moon Healing Drums because they represent traditional Wolastoqey ways of healing. Perley said the exhibit is informed, in part, by her work in addictions.

"I see what it does to our young people. And so for me this is my gift to the next generations," she said.

"To be born, to look up at the drums as a way of healing, instead of opening up a prescription bottle."

Sappier painted each drum by hand, experiencing a kind of excitement as the first one was completed.

"You could feel it through your body," Sappier said. "You think about the songs that are going to be played, and how that heartbeat is going to be played, and the stories. It was just excitement, always excitement."

Perley was diagnosed with breast cancer earlier this year. In Wolastoqey language there is no actual word for cancer, so the word amushopihkwine is used. Loosely translated, it means "a spider is weaving a web."

With that in mind, Perley asked Sappier to paint a spider on each drum.

 "I said I don't want to pretend that I don't need healing," Perley said. "I don't want people to think that I am healed and I'm going to heal everybody. I need healing too.

The Beaverbrook Art Gallery hosted some of the National Indigenous Peoples Day festivities today

6 years ago

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"We have to continue to show our young people, our youth, that we were the first people here, we are here today, we are here tomorrow, and we are going to be here for the next seven generations to come"

"I want my vulnerability, the strength of my vulnerability, to show through the image of a spider on each drum."

The 13 Moon Healing Drum exhibit will be on display at the Beaverbrook Art Gallery until July 28.