ONWA hosts Poetry Night for the UN International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women & Girls

November 28, 2016

On Friday November 25th, the Ontario Native Women’s Association (ONWA) held a Poetry Night to commemorate the UN International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Girls. Over 50 people attended the event to hear readings from emerging, seasoned, and published poets. Their words spoke of personal experiences of violence, the damaging effects of violence, and developing strength through adversity.

The night was attended by the Honourable Patti Hadju, Minister of Status of Women, as well as published poet Jana-Rae Yerxa, the Aboriginal Community Advocacy Program Coordinator at Confederation College. Words were also shared by Cora-Lee McGuire-Cyrette, ONWA’s Executive Director, on the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

The ONWA satellite office on Ray Blvd, previously a school, was transformed into a calm, serene environment with candles, live music from Robin Ranger and other local musicians, and flowers donated by Posh Posy. The poets spoke of violence, colonialism, white privilege, and expressing what it means to be Indigenous and have to face violence in today’s society.

Jana-Rae Yerxa challenged her students to write a poem and encouraged them to attend on the night to read it aloud. One student wrote the poem “What is White”, which contained the following lines:

“Why couldn’t I be that white kid?

I wanted to be seen as equal

I hated my brown skin

Because that is what white sees first”

Yerxa says she was blown away by this poem when she first heard this student’s work. “Her poem is powerful, truthful and from the heart. Her voice is needed. All of our

voices are needed….Poetry is the language of the soul

Left to Right: Jana-Rae Yerx, Trivena Andy

and often the first place where we find words for our experiences which is why it is so powerful.”

As the poets shared their words, you could bear witness to the resilient strength within each woman, man and child in attendance. The night ended with everyone coming together to participate in a collective art project entitled “Strong Hands Stop Violence”. Participants dipped their hands in orange paint and pressed them against a large canvas, reflecting the UN theme “Orange the World” to end violence against women and girls. The artwork will be hung in the ONWA office for all visitors to see.

Throughout the province, several of ONWA’s satellite offices held poetry nights. In Napanee, they held an intimate night of both music and poetry. Tea and Bannoc was the theme for Kenora and the women held a sharing circle. The circle was small but it allowed for all women to share their experience.

For more information, please contact:

Jolene Banning
Public Relations Coordinator
Phone: 807-577-1490
Email: jbanning@onwa.ca

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