'Be disruptors' is the message at 5th annual She Is Wise Indigenous women's conference

The Ontario Native Women's Association hosted its 5th annual She Is Wise conference in Niagara Falls this week. 

The three-day conference brought 400 Indigenous matriarchs and women together to celebrate the strength and wisdom of Indigenous women. The conference is designed by and for Indigenous women with the aim of providing a space to share knowledge and strength. 

"We had an Indigenous leadership forum probably 6 to 7 years ago and we brought together leaders, executive directors, First Nation women chiefs," said Cora McGuire-Cyrette, CEO of the Ontario Native Women's Association.

"We asked them what they wanted and they asked for the conference to be a safe space where it's safe to be an Indigenous woman, a place where we can heal together, we can empower each other."

McGuire-Cyrette said that's exactly what they did when they launched the conference five years ago. It's also known as Nibwaakaa Inaadiziwin, which translates to "she is wise in ways of life."

'Women are excited to be disruptors'

This year's conference offered training workshops to frontline workers and women in leadership roles. McGuire-Cyrette said a big focus this year was on making change and being disruptors.

"A main theme that we're really, really excited about right now and it's resonating with people is, that the women are excited to be disruptors," she said. "We want to be disruptors of the colonial systems of racism, of discrimination, disrupting the violence, disrupting in a good way."

Indigenous women are and have been doing this in many ways for many years, McGuire-Cyrette said, pointing to the example of the jingle dress. 

"Our ancestors were ... disruptors back then when they created the jingle dress, it was during a time when it was illegal to be dancing and practice your culture," she said.

Today, Indigenous women continue to lead the way and push boundaries, as everything from entrepreneurs, to podcasters, to knowledge-keepers, she said.

There was also a big focus on youth at this year's event.

"We had a youth come up and actually do the opening in her language, said McGuire-Cyrette, adding that it was inspiring to see how youth are reclaiming culture and language. 

This is proof that change is happening, she added: "We can now witness change happening for our youth and it's our job, and it is within our teachings to support this growth."

Youth lead the way

Michelle Derosier agreed that it was the youth that really made this year's She Is Wise conference what it was. 

Derosier was one the speakers at this year's event. She is a mother, artist, activist and filmmaker from Migisi Sahgaigan First Nation in Treaty 3 Territory in northwestern Ontario. 

"I just think that it was really magical," she said about the conference.  "It was such a beautiful thing to be part of. To just to sit back and take in the medicine from the women, from the young people."

Derosier said she was grateful for the chance to be able to share personal stories and build connections with other women. For her, the conference was "a real coming together with kindness and also still with our strengths, with our vulnerability, with our hard moments."

McGuire-Cyrette said the conference was carefully planned to make sure the voices of many women were heard, highlighting the roles and responsibilities of Indigenous women across the life cycle, with the first day focusing on grandmothers, and the second day on mothers and aunties and the third day on daughters. 

She said she hopes women take what they learned and use it to continue to lead in their own communities and roles. 

"Indigenous women lead differently," she said."We as indigenous women lead from the heart and we have to remember who we are and our very critical role in the community."

McGuire-Cyrette said that Indigenous women were once leaders of their communities pre- colonialism, and it is important to bring that teaching back.

"And we've got so many phenomenal leaders all across all of our communities."