New program at Brandon Women's Resource Centre empowers, builds community with cultural teaching

As Terri Malcolm weaves sinew into the web of her dreamcatcher, she feels a deep connection to her ancestors and the women around her, she says.

She carefully adds some beads to her art, as she talks about the ups and downs she's experienced since moving to Brandon in 2018, including couch-surfing between relatives and coping with alcoholism.

As Malcolm nears two years of sobriety, she says the Brandon Women's Resource Centre has been an important part of her journey, giving her a safe space, friendships and cultural connections.

She's part of the centre's new Empowered Traditions workshop, a program that aims to let woman have fun and learn about their culture, while building a community that looks out for each other. 

Women in the program work on traditional crafts while learning cultural teachings from an elder. While the centre has offered small one-off culture-based events in the past, it's never had a program that runs this long and consistently, giving participants time to make and build relationships, organizers say.

Empowered Traditions, which runs from December to June, has introduced Malcolm to a supportive group of women who help each other heal from past traumas, she said. Malcolm, who hails from Ebb and Flow and Waywayseecappo First Nations, never misses a class.

Sharing these stories and building connections are vital, says Kim Iwasiuk, Women's Resource Centre director of counselling and advocacy.

Manitoba has one of the highest rates of intimate partner violence in Canada and Indigenous women are disproportionately effected.

Empowered Traditions connects women in a fun and safe environment, so they feel comfortable reaching out in times of crisis, Iwasiuk said. 

The cultural support is also giving them the strength to live healthier lives.

"It is absolutely a place of healing," Iwasiuk said.

"We all need to deal with our trauma differently and we need to look outside just counselling. We absolutely need to be looking at that more informal community coming together."

For Leanne Bone, Women's Resource Centre Indigenous program co-ordinator, cultural reconnection is a crucial part of empowering women. Traditionally, women were leaders in the community, but that role was lost over time.

"We're trying to … empower women to get that strength again," Bone said. "My heart feels so good to see this and to hear the stories that they bring with them."

Jennifer Bernhardt, a cultural support worker, says having cultural connection is critical. Born in 1996 — the year the last residential schools closed — she sees firsthand how colonial trauma has left Indigenous women vulnerable.

"We've also been disconnected from our culture.… It's a really good journey for us all, and I think doing it together is really what empowers us," Bernhardt said. "We're really healing our souls."

Malcolm is looking forward to the drum-making session coming up at Empowered Traditions. She already knows the Strong Woman ceremonial song and wants to share it with others.

"That's how women should empower each other to build each other up and ... encourage each other because, you know, we've come a long way and, you know, we're all survivors," Malcolm said.