The Wisdom of Healing Our Wounds
A Poem & Podcast Honoring Indigenous Peoples Advocating for Medical Freedom at Canada's Freedom Convoy
“The Trampled Woman”
by Sienna Mae Heath
The trampled woman
was shouting "peace"
in the midst of war,
her heart near-bleeding
for a world not yet born.
She is a seer
A voice for the forced,
for the voiceless,
for the unified.
The woman was shouting "peace"
at the police at war with the people,
with themselves, with their callous orders.
Police upon their horses
trampled this woman
hooves made merciless,
eyes distant,
minds amended by authority.
Leaving this woman
fallen from her walker
differently abled,
able to ache with us all.
"Look what you did to her!"
"Look what you did!"
the young man behind the phone camera shouts.
"Shame on you!"
Shame on you, too,
if you are shunning this trampled woman.
Shame on you
for averting your eyes
from the obliteration,
for without truth,
there can be no justice
and without eyes wide open,
justice cannot be made divine.
Let your limbs quake like this trampled woman.
This woman is me.
This woman is you.
This woman is all of us.
***
This woman is Candice “Candy” Sero
I dedicate this poem to Candice Sero who was trampled by police on horses in Ottawa on the evening of Friday, Feb. 18. Recovering from a broken clavicle, she is still alive.
Candice "Candy" Sero reportedly lives in Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory in Hastings County, Ontario. It has been brought to my attention that, on her walking assist device, she was holding a white flag or a white shawl—a symbol of peace. A short video of the scene is here:
Podcast with Indigenous peoples supporting Ottawa’s Freedom Convoy
All the Candy’s of the world are worthy of compassion, mercy, and justice. She repeated, "we are a peaceful protest," before she was trampled by police on horses at the Freedom Convoy in Ottawa. This example of violence, among others, has sadly been a long time coming after over a year of overreach and rhetoric that promotes bullying people who are unvaccinated for the coronavirus.
As some have tried to warn, intimidation (a form of emotional abuse) can lead to physical abuse—to violence, which is what happened to Candy and to many others who have experienced police brutality over the years. Such abuse is beyond disheartening. It is a betrayal of humanity’s potential. It needs to end.
Breaking out of systems that oppress the body, mind, and spirit beckons a need for humanity to come together in a way we have never done before. For whatever it’s worth, the health freedom movement unifies men, women, and children from different races, religions, creeds, political affiliations, and physical conditions: those who are vaccinated and may encourage it but advocate for bodily autonomy, or who are injured by a vaccine and telling their stories, or who are unvaccinated and seeking transparency.
Individuals from Black Lives Matter, from New York Police Department, from the fire department, and thousands of others have been protesting the vaccine mandates in NYC (including civil rights attorney Tricia Lindsay, Esq. who asserts that mandates are “the new segregation” and warns of proposed regulations for “congregate quarantine,” “mandatory quarantine,” and “confinement” on my podcast here).
Many more gathered for the Defeat The Mandates rally in Washington, DC on Jan. 23rd. About 40K to 50K people marched peacefully. Doctors and scientists spoke their conscience on early treatment options and vaccine injuries. Advocating for an independent investigation of truth, these professionals asserted the principle of medical ethics: “Where there is risk, there must be choice.”
Then, in Ottawa, a diverse group of people took action to maintain a spirit of love and to set a boundary against any symbols of hate that may have appeared at the Freedom Convoy. Theirs is inspiring convoys in other parts of the world such as Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. Despite PM Justin Trudeau slandering the movement, disrespecting a Jewish MP who supported the convoy, ignoring the concerns of a group of Jewish-Israeli scientists, freezing bank accounts of supporters (financial abuse), and making arrests, Canadians continue to rally in other parts of the country. This isn’t over.
What brings all these people together, and why do they persist? On my latest podcast episode, I talk with Tracy Bone and Chief JD Anderson Okima about the connection they feel exists between the Freedom Convoy and the Every Child Matters movement. As the convoy raises awareness for the children who have been injured by vaccines, Every Child Matters raises awareness of the 7505+ Indigenous children found buried at Indian Residential Schools.
During our conversation, singer-songwriter Tracy Bone (Saskiso “Ignites The Fire”) shares her journey of healing from sexual abuse and intergenerational trauma. From a young age, Tracy associated safety and freedom with the natural world rather than the built home. She relates her story to the exchanging of stories at the Freedom Convoy about respecting bodily autonomy, honoring informed consent, and healing from the abuse of power. We also discuss a study that suggests vaccine hesitancy is connected to childhood trauma, emphasizing the wisdom of healing one’s wounds and the ability to discern when power itself is being abused.
Tracy then invites Chief JD to share his insights on why the key to liberating Canadians is making sure that human rights are extended to all people, including the true natives of the land. While the motto of the United States is “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” the motto of Canada is “peace, order, and good governance.” What is peace without justice and freedom for all? What is order without reverence for the sacred order of nature? How can each individual govern themselves to rise up, one by one, and co-create a human nation where all stories are acknowledged?
These are some of the questions I was left pondering after my conversation with Tracy and JD. Tracy Bone (Anishinaabe, Saskiso “Ignites The Fire”) comes from the Keeseekoowenin Ojibway Nation (Father’s side) and the Brokenhead Ojibway Nation (Mother’s side). Chief JD Anderson Okima (“Blue Rattle Buffalo Man”) comes from the Keeseekoowenin Ojibway Nation (Mother’s side) and Rolling River First Nation (Father’s side). With other natives, they participated in the Freedom Convoy day after day—making music and blessing the space each afternoon. Our episode was recorded from the streets of Ottawa where they continue to drum and pray.
“We are not leaving until every man, woman, and child is guaranteed free, lead by spirit on the journey to Unity” -Tracy Bone, Saskiso ‘Ignites The Fire’
Inspired by this embodiment of unity in diversity: Imagine a better world of uniting through our common humanity. Imagine a better world where we each have access to the healthcare we need. Imagine harnessing our sovereign powers, as individuals, together, for good.
The health freedom movement is transcendent. The community it creates encourages openness to the breadth of science, and by extension to our common humanity. This uprising and Every Child Matters connect for the sake of the children—to bring to light buried truth. Through such unity, we are given the opportunity to release the limiting belief that every person’s physical/material reality must be the same in order for them to be treated equal.
Healed warriors Tracy Bone and JD Anderson also offer advice to the People’s Convoy truckers nearing the capitol of the United States this week. Listen to our conversation “Canada’s Crisis of Comfort and Consent” on Free the People’s Leaving the Left for Liberty wherever you get your podcasts or watch here: