Re-membering Conversations
An introduction to re-membering conversations from Tileah
Re-membering reciprocal relationships
Chris Dolman
A reflection from Aunty Barbara Wingard
Now, please read a reflection from Aunty Barbara about Chris’ video:
Bringing lost loved ones into our conversations: Talking about loss in honouring ways.
Story of practice: Re-membering conversations
Tileah Drahm-Butler
Who’s your mob? Aboriginal mapping: Beginning with the strong story
This article by Justin Butler describes ways in which his conversations are guided by Aboriginal worldviews and narrative therapy:
‘Who’s your mob? Aboriginal mapping: Beginning with the strong story‘ by Justin Butler
Saying hullo again when we have lost someone we love
This chapter, by David Denborough, explores ways of ‘Saying hullo again when we have lost someone we love‘
It’s from a book called ‘Retelling the stories of our lives: Everyday narrative therapy to draw inspiration and transform experience’
Having a yarn with those who’ve passed on
This short piece of writing by Carolynanha Johnson is about having a yarn with those who have passed on.
Creative letters to Elders of my past and present
Annette Dudley
In this video, Annette describes a project about writing letters to significant Elders who have influenced her life journey.
Re-membering practices
Now, please read this article from Paul Martin about Re-membering Practices.
carlopez2996@gmail.com
June 20, 2021I found this section of the training inspiring- inspiring in the fact that we can work to support our clients/community in their effort of continuing the bonds with those whom they may have lost and/or continuing the bonds with a history of their people. I will work to incorporate the lessons from this section in my future practicum.
scott@thefighterwithin.com
June 19, 2021I love the idea of creating a “club” of significant members of both the past and the present that are responsible for helping to shape a person’s identity. This approach to grief and loss is new to me and I really like the ideas presented in this module. The approach of “two way contribution” will make a lasting imprint on those that are grieving.
Danielle Wedlake
May 19, 2021With a deep recognition and respect for the Aboriginal perspective offered through video and writings, a thought was triggered for me as I read Paul Martin’s writing on group remembering conversations and how narrative practice might be helpful in building a collective and sense of community amongst a group, such as a school. The opportunity for staff to connect in learning from one another about the history of this school community will help the group to have a common understanding of where we have been, what we need, and where we are going.
sankalpagentle@gmail.com
April 27, 2021When Justin Butler explained how mapping connects Aboriginal people by privileging stories of identity and culture, and including ancestors, I felt honoured to see my own Jewish lineage in a new light.One that shines through every repressive door that has tried to close the validation of human identity and belonging.
Nicola
April 18, 2021I read Michael White’s article on saying hullo again last year and it was so incredibly powerful in really reimaging loss. I have had numerous close losses over the last 6 years and this work has helped me create a new narrative and carry the stories of those people within me in more meaningful ways. Especially in looking at myself through their eyes. Tying this in with Justin Butlers piece on creating first stories, not only seeing one narrative has expanded this concept further. Saying hullo to ancestors through curiosity and openness, perhaps writing them a letter, all helps to rescript that internal negative narrative on so many levels, personal loss, cultural loss, identity, being stereotyped etc.
marlene
April 6, 2021This is a beautiful idea, its simplicity is accessible to anyone, no matter where they come from. I found this section inspiring and will offer it to my daughter-in-law, who recently lost her mom. I work with youth offenders in a child prison – they often tell me they miss their mothers. I will facilitate them in writing letters to those loved ones they want to remember.
petronela
March 21, 2021I find re-membering practices always helpful especially when helping clients who are dealing with loss and grief. Making the clients understand the importance of saying “Hello again” can really help clients.
kylie.richards535@gmail.com
March 21, 2021The power of reflection and curiosity is evident here – being curious to lead others to their own responses, to be the authors of their own narrative, while also giving them the power to edit and reauthor as they are faced with the truthful contradictions of existing internal working models.
sullateskee@gmail.com
February 18, 2021I loved “Who’s Your Mob?” article in relationship to the “First off” and “secondly” stories. As an indigenous person, my life and my people’s life has been told through the “secondly” story with the first part being omitted. I am presenting about multi-cultural competence in a class next week and will be using that as an important aspect to bring into the space of the client.
Rhianne
January 6, 2021Rhianne – Brisbane, Australia
I found Justin Butler’s article particularly interesting. I found his description of Barghouti and Adichie’s ideas of ‘secondly’ stories quite powerful. And so true. The stories perpetuated by mainstream society tend to be stories that start somewhere in the middle, out of context. Butler wrote from the perspective of an Aboriginal practitioner. I wonder how his approach could be adapted for non-Aboriginal practitioners? How the questions he listed could be asked by non-Aboriginal practitioners? Or if they should be asked at all?
kemcdougall0@gmail.com
November 3, 2020I really loved the idea of saying hello again to someone who has died, in particular remembering things they brought to your life when they were alive and recalling what things you contributed to their life. I think this is very powerful in helping people live alongside loss rather than sticking to a timeline of grief and grief being silenced. This inspires me to want to be a Narrative Therapist and help people in a more creative way rather than bearing witness to people participating in traditional grief practices that silence their grief. For example, people attending a grief group can be somewhat empowering. I have actually been to a few in my time after losing two husbands tragically. However, traditional grief therapy even in a group setting is along the same lines of someone going through the motions rather than empowering them. Silencing grief only aims to internalise the grief, I really believe this as someone who took ten years to move on from my first husbands death and after ten years I am still working to overcome my second husbands death. Saying hello again helps bring back hope by remembering positive times and the wonderful things that person brought to your life and I really love that. I even think I could benefit from Narrative Therapy myself!
kemcdougall0@gmail.com
November 3, 2020I really loved the idea of saying hello again to someone who has died, in particular remembering things they brought to your life when they were alive and recalling what things you contributed to their life. I think this is very powerful in helping people live alongside loss rather than sticking to a timeline of grief and grief being silenced. This inspires me to want to be a Narrative Therapist and help people in a more creative way rather than them people carrying out traditional grief practices. For example, people attending a grief group can be somewhat empowering. I have actually been to a few in my time after losing two husbands tragically. However, traditional grief therapy even in a group setting is along the same lines of someone going through the motions rather than empowering them. Saying hello again helps bring back hope by remembering positive times and the wonderful things that person brought to your life and I really love that.
Tammy Townsend
October 17, 2020I have always placed high importance on memories. I am a very photogenic person as photos help keep those memories. When an exciting experience is over or we lose our loved ones, memories and feelings are all we have left.
I struggle at this time as I watch my nan who has always been so dear to me, slowly be taken away by dementia. I have watched as she lost her memories of people who are dear to her, of experiences she has cherished. I have watched as she has lost her ability to walk and communicate. It is hard knowing I have lost the person she was and will lose her again when she is taken from us.
I am great full for the memories I have of her before dementia and for the memories I continue to make with her.
I have personally practised some of the ideas discussed in this module. I have written letters to those I can’t speak to. I have spoken to those who can’t speak back. I have thought about how those close and dear to me might feel about my achievements and failures.
Family is life and memories are precious and to be valued.
Miranda Leon-Madgwick
August 27, 2020Annette Dudley’s letter writing is a great narrative practice of externalising our own genetic DNA and our epic-genetics. It comes together in the form of a pasted descendant from our family and breathing new life into this pasted being.
We connect by the form of ancient communication technique of writing, composing text of conversations with our dead.
But at the same time Annette expresses the importance of listening, as it’s just as important as writing when using narrative letter writing as to listen is to write and form sentences of life in order to live and understand our makeup and past.
thanks
dmohammed
September 29, 2020It is difficult to focus on one aspect of this module to comment on. However, one piece that resonated with me and stood out is in Justin Butler’s (2017) article regarding resisting colonization through how we introduce ourselves to one another as Indigenous peoples. As an Indigenous woman, I always understood that this is how my people introduced ourselves (by indicating our family lineage, Nation of origin, etc.), but to look at this through a lens of decolonization has definitely brought new life to this relational interchange of the sharing of family kin and cultural ties, as well as is the starting point for bringing forth our “strong story”. I love this. I am filled with gratitude for being able to learn from these Knowledge Keepers and Wisdom Holders today.
chrismcfarlane@live.com
August 10, 2020Incredibly detailed descriptions in the article relating to “saying hullo again”. So good to have so many practical examples we can keep and use. Found this concept very appropriate for all clients I see experiencing grief.
Soraya Sek
July 20, 2020I love the idea of “saying hello again”, Denborough’s chapter was full of some wonderful gentle prompts.
I also appreciated the common thread throughout the readings and videos to acknowledge that when we are working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who are grieving, to remember the compounded grief of unresolved injustices that their current loss may bring up.
fionacrotty@live.com
July 17, 2020Annette Dudley writes so beautifully, the love and respect for Elders is ever present in her words. This is an inspiring project. Presenting this idea of a letter to someone special would be so powerful, deepening our connection to others and remembering what contributions they have played in our lives. Very special.
kbeattie@laurentian.ca
June 26, 2020I find these journeys of remembering conversations so powerful and I am so grateful for all who shared. Thank you. I really appreciate the various ways these conversations have been embraced to make connections, deepen learning and enrich journeys.
acaltabiano@raq.org.au
June 23, 2020Unspoken Words by Annette Dudley: what a beautiful inspired project. Please include a follow up of the Letters between Elders and Youth. The stories of our Elders can inspire and help strengthen our youth, in turn the youth can provide meaning and connection for our Elders. This is a very worthwhile project.
Patricia
June 4, 2020I liked the re membering and the saying hello in regards to grief and loss
as we never truly say good bye to our loved ones
and what Aunty Barb mentioned about silence in grief and naming injustices
I have a story close to my heart , relating to my mother , that relates to silence in grief and naming injustices .
explains why she was so protective over her children and grand children and always encouraged us , if our children get sick and are admitted to hospital, to go sit by their bed , no matter what and wait with them until they heal and are able to go home.
siting here in 2020 and mum gone since 2006 I see so much in hindsight and myself and my siblings all follow her emotional advice .
thank you all that presented and spoke
sylphillipsayre@yahoo.com.au
May 18, 2020Cheree Morton, I hear you, with what you have written, regarding what you have called “silent ears behind a bottle” . In communities I’ve had the honour to set up camp in, I see not all mob but many mob using substances for various reason’s and how this blocks what is already built from within, our spirit and the connection to everything, which you have mentioned, thank you :)
In reflecting on the readings and video clips;
Bringing lost loved ones into our conversations:Talking about loss and honouring ways – The photo of the loved one and being able to say hello to her, is a beautiful way to honour a significant loved one, acknowledging their physical existence and honouring their qualities and everything they are, allowing this to support people with healing.
Who’s you mob? Strong / Strength story and decolonising ways was really reinforcing to me/ for me as sometimes we get side tracked and remembering who we truely are , our roots and connections and with this being able to encourage people to remind themselves of who they are and their roots and connections are so importance. Sense of being, connectedness, safety, belongingness, practise and identity are some core foundations of identity.
Creative Letters with the lovely Annette was great, because sometimes people can find it hard to yarn up particularly when people feel they aren’t being heard, validated, feeling misunderstood and / or rejected for some reason. I done something similar to this in my journey, and letting other’s know I’m here and wanting and ready to hear their stories, when they are ready. Lots to reflect on.
Nadine2410
May 4, 2020Saying hullo again has really resonated with me on a personal level. I have reflected much on my own personal grief at losing my sister some 15 years ago and I wonder how different my grieving would have been with this knowledge and skill. To consider and reflect on what my sister saw and knew of me, through her eyes, is amazingly healing, even after many years.
Julie
May 2, 2020I really enjoyed the materials in Re-membering Conversations and Aboriginal Narrative Practice. I learnt about the Dulwich Centre through the Creative Grief Practitioner course that I did and becoming more interested in Re-membering Conversations through the Creative Grief Studio where the central text was The Crafting of Grief – Constructing Aesthetic Responses to Loss (Lorraine Hedtke & John Winslade). As a grief and bereavement practitioner, I appreciate practice that continues the relationship as the influences of those we have lost continues to shape our lives. Stage theories have no appreciation for the depth of love and gratitude and meaning making that we experience with loss and grief. I love the way that stories re-member our loved ones and connect with a part of us that continues the stories. I am planning to extend my narrative practice library with some of the resources offered by Dulwich Centre.
Amelia and Larson
April 24, 2020I really appreciated the reminder of how starting interactions with a statement that situates ourselves, where we come from and who we are is an act of decolonizing the mind. I also think this demonstrates an opportunity for the ‘helper’ to be vulnerable and bring an intimate piece of themselves to the yarn. This situates the helper as an ally who shows integrity in practicing what they preach in showing genuine moments of vulnerability and trust building.
I also see this as a further opportunity for the person seeking support to provide a deeper layer of informed consent. In the event there are certain connections and dual relationships, the person seeking support can chose to opt out before they expose themselves too much. This could create safety and help to shift the power dynamic in ways that improve the therapeutic alliance.
the.murphies@bigpond.com
April 22, 2020Wow what an informative session, so much to think about. I really enjoyed the Letter writing segment and would like to thank Annette Dudley for sharing such personal stories. Due to the COVID 19 I am working remotely with young people and feel this form of therapy could be an amazing healing tool for many of them who are feeling disconnected at this time. To write letters not only to their ancestors but also to their inner feelings, those feelings that are becoming more and more significant with young people such as anxiety, depression and stress and to be able to outline how these feelings are affecting their life will be very powerful I can imagine. Once again thank you for such a wonderful course.
Yolanda Chavez Leyva
March 31, 2020As I move through the various models of this incredible training, I am struck again and again at the connections I feel with the stories shared by the narrative practitioners. While there are differences, of course, there are so many similarities in the way whiteness/power/colonization has worked in Australia and in Mexico and the United States. It has been a true gift to go through this online training. Thank you.
nadine.lohmeyer2@lwb.org.au
March 15, 2020I enjoyed Justin Butlers article on Aboriginal mapping and how it can be useful in connecting Aboriginal people by privileging stories of identity and culture.
I also found Annette Dudley’s letter writing to bring a strong connection with ancestry and history while also cathartic in enabling an expression of emotions to address past and present experiences.
Natalie
January 31, 2020Wow, so many gems in this segment of “Re-membering conversations”. Annette Dudley’s letters to her elders inspired me to think how this might be done with people who are lost or are searching for where they belong. Also, Justin Butler’s paper on Aboriginal mapping offered ideas for “first interview connection”- “Where’s your mob from?”. This seems a great place to begin the therapeutic relationship.
Michael Chanas
November 5, 2019I enjoyed Chris Dolman’s strong theory foundation.
All articles are part of the holistic picture that come together to make a strong narrative framework.
Culturally safe ways of helping do not use a ‘whiteness lens’ for practice, where we view Aboriginal culture as an ‘Other’.
Annette Dudley identifies ‘her story in ‘Creative Letters to Elders of my Past and Present’. The writing is Beautiful and powerful – I love it. Writing is a powerful tool.
An interesting reflection in comments on ‘Re-membering Practices by Cheree Morton’ resonated with me and I will put it in my practitioner tuckerbox for later. By honouring past loved ones reflects the love we once had together with a view that the pain of loss becomes easier with time.
Mary Marshall
October 25, 2019I loved all the info except chris dolman vid. I am euro indig irish & u cannot lump all Europeans into this mass statement of we don’t know how to grieve follow some formula etc It is delusional & a lie. I am still alooking for me white privilege = another generalisation. Us Irish have our own ways & they r deeper than what u will ever know but also strongly parallel Aboriginal ways. Sort ur emotions out before sharing others stories because your overt emotional glitch response is selfish & takes precedent over the others sharing content.
rachel.grace.pybus@gmail.com
October 7, 2019Re-membering is such a beautiful sentiment that I was not familiar with before. It is yet another example of the importance of challenging dominant western constructs regarding healing. It was helpful to me to learn about this approach to support my own grief and loss journey, I am sure it will be helpful to my clients in the future.
Nicole Arbuckle
October 3, 2019Wow, I found the video with Annette Dudley so powerful and it really resonated with me. I can see the therapeutic benefit in letter writing for myself as a journaling process to deal with past trauma. I always carry this sense of hopelessness because I was able to say all the things that I wanted to say to by perpetrator but now I can see the power in writing a letter than can name all my feelings and release it, to take the power c=back that I felt I lost through the unresolved case and through his death.
I can also see then the great benefit there would be for clients to use letter writing as an externalising tool. and also perhaps for the therapists to write empowering letters for our clients to reinforce their new truth.
Anthazia Kadir
September 11, 2019Western traditions have cultivated us to believe that grief and patterns of remembering happen through a specific method and time frame. What I respect and honour about Aboriginal practices, whether through yarning, creative letter writing or remembering, is that it is organic and not forced.
Chris Dolman’s presentation pushed me to reflect on my practice and life from a soulful place, a place where meaning-making cannot just happen.
Thanks, Annette Dudley your letters bring back memories of times I spend with my nannie and grand-pa
Kylie Ellis
August 28, 2019Thank you Annette for your very Inspiration presentation. Listening to you read out your heartfelt letters you had written to those people who have meant a lot to you throughout your life. Thank you so much for sharing !!
lindastaunton@hotmail.com
July 2, 2019Thank you Annette Dudley for this inspiring presentation. After hearing this presentation, I shall certainly be using creative letter writing when working with clients to express and acknowledge what needs to be heard and felt. Creative letter writing offers the opportunity to connect a relative to a past family member who they would have liked to have met. I can see creative letter writing to help process grief and loss.
HeatherK
June 6, 2019Chris Dolman and David Denborough have given me a lot to think about as I reflect on the western and pathologizing ways of experiencing grief. It has given me so much to think about in terms of those situations where the ‘stages of grief’ are just not ‘working’ for people – the notion of saying hello again is so beautiful and healing. I really appreciated that.
Charmaine
May 31, 2019Re-membering and honouring our lost loved ones is such a great way to help people turn grief and sadness around and as Barbara Wingard states; ‘mainstream ways of talking about grief, there is sometimes a focus on the actual pain’. I loved Chris Dolmans video on “Re-membering reciprocal relationships”, how he was able to turn a simple statement into an honouring of re-membering of the lost loved one and bringing forward that story to be built upon thus refocusing the pain from the self to re-emerge into a re-membering and honouring of the Other (the lost loved one) and possibly other people who are still in their lives.
Justin Butler’s paper “Who’s your mob? Aboriginal mapping: Beginning with the strong story”, was a refreshing read and as an Aboriginal person, I could relate to what he was saying about the Aboriginal mapping questions because its common to ask another Aboriginal person these 3 questions and to find out if we are related or connected in some way. In relation to re-membering I feel these questions keep our history and our ancestor alive. The article, Re-membering Practices by Paul Martin, he writes; “I feel when thinking of ways of re-membering are we limited in what we are enquiring about in conversations, are we always looking to reconnect with the ones that we have lost or is it possible we are looking to find parts of ourselves that may have been lost or forgotten through time”. This gives another spin on re-membering as I feel it widens the scope for deeper “innerstanding” (understanding) of our personal journeys with those loved ones who may have helped influence that journey.
Jordan Mills
May 29, 2019I was really intrigued by the Aboriginal Mapping article by Justin Butler. Particularly the questions he posed that asked what one might speculate about how their continued cultural practices or ways of living would be seen by their ancestors. It takes the idea of re-membering conversations and applies them to ancestral contexts. What a brilliant way to intimately connect past, present and future in the most respectful acknowledging of culture, kin, land, and family.
Jonathan Morris from Brisbane
August 23, 2018Reflecting on the reading material and video’s watched I have been made more aware of while a person is sharing their story to look for ‘ Acts of resistance’ and ‘Personal agency’ in their stories and to get them to give more detail to where they may have got this from. I have a guide to use now when dealing with indigenous inmates who have lost a love one. What stood out for me was getting the person to tell me their thoughts on how they may have contributed to the life of whom they speak about. I think this would benefit the person, as they are in prison isolated from family and can have feelings of shame, not being able to attend the service. Creating the space for the person to see by talking about the positive effects they have made to another person’s life and becoming more aware of their own identity, would be very powerful to use with indigenous males.
Cheree Morton
August 15, 2018A reflection on Re-membering Practices by Cheree Morton
Saying Hullo Again (White 2016, p. 95) resonates with me. I am often yarning to clients who have lost a family member and the hullo again metaphor strikes a chord with me as I am sure it would with my clients as each of them are finding ways to deal with the loss of a loved one in their life.
My client stated that she was feeling depressed because she had a lot of sorry business over Christmas and lost her sister/cousin (In Aboriginal culture we describe our cousins as our sister/cousin or cousin/sister which is culturally respectful and honouring). I thought about the hullo metaphor and began asking her re-membering questions. I first began to have a discussion with her about externalising the depression explaining that the depression she was feeling was outside of who she is, separate from her, she looked confused so I continued with the re-membering questions with her.
After yarning with her about Aboriginal people being spiritual people and discussing the way we often carry the people we have lost with us (Wingard, B 2001), we also had a yarn about honouring our people who had passed away and that it was ok to do so if she wished, (Wingard B 2011), She began to elaborate saying, “our family who passed away are always with us, but I still feel lost without her”.
I said, “How does the loss make you feel’?
She said, “Isolated, worrying all the time for my children”
I said, “If your sister were here now, what do you think she would say about the way you are trying to deal with her passing and about the worrying you have for your children”?.
She said, “I don’t know, I guess she would want me to be the best Mum I can be to my children and to stop worrying for my children”.
I said, “What would your sister say about you as a mother to your children”?
She said, “She would say I am a good mother, a caring loving mother”,
I felt my re-membering questions began to fade so I started yarning with the kids about their attendance at school, one of the children was a brilliant artist, I said to her, “would you draw me a picture or a painting that would describe the feelings you are having that stops you from returning to school and show me next week when I come over for a visit”? She said, “Yes”, as she enthusiastically nodded her head. As I left the family home, the mother, said, “Thankyou sis, I feel so good”
As I was driving back to my office I began thinking about the following week when I meet with the family again and how I could continue the re-membering yarns with the family as I could see that they resonated with them and the family began to open up because my clients face lit up when I asked her questions about her sister/cousin.
I was also reminded of another conversation I had with a client.
She described the frustration she felt with family members who were interfering in her relationship and how her x-partner had let her down. She began to describe herself as a failure as a mother because her relationship “failed”, she further explained, she moved into a new home, applied for domestic violence order because her x-partner was abusive toward her and transferred the children to a new school.
Sometimes in Aboriginal culture, when you marry or have children with an Aboriginal man or woman you often take on the whole family, Aboriginal people often have this joke with one another, in our family we do. We are very family orientated and sometimes this can feel like a hindrance for people who are not aware of the bond we share with our Aboriginal families.
I began to explain the club of life to my client, I further explained that there are good and bad people in our club of life and we can sift out the bad people who don’t serve us or our families well and keep the good people in our club of life, those who make a positive contribution to our lives” (Russell & Carey, 2004 p.47).
I said, “How does the failure make you feel”
She said, “Debilitating”.
I said, “if you were to name the failure, what would you call it”?
She said, “draining”
I said, “If you could see yourself through another’s eyes, and see how you moved house to a safe environment for your children, you applied for a domestic violence order and you left the abusive relationship, what would you say about that person”?
She said, “I would say that that person was a good mother, a mother who put her children first, strong and resilient, a person who could do whatever she wanted when she put her mind to it”.
I said, “would there be a name that could describe that person”.
She said, “yes, strong woman”
I again felt my landscape of enquiry began to dwindle but when I reflect back on my conversation with this client I could see the potential for a sparkling moment and re-authoring of the the thin description my client had of the failure.
Having a yarn with those who’ve passed away (Johnson 2018), I began thinking about our ancestors and how important it is to keep their legacy alive, to honour them. I thought about questions I could implement with clients who often speak about their ancestors with sadness and mourn at the loss of them and other family members.
I reflected on questions such as those described in the Remembrance: Women and Grief and Loss (Denborough, Pitcher, Leibeherr & Hedtke 2011), with particular focus on three themes, the cultural, the spiritual and the legacy questions. Some questions I reflected on were;
“Are there any things about our ancestors who have passed away that you would want to carry forward in life for you and your family’?
“Do you think our ancestors had cultural ways of responding to grief and loss that would be significant to you’?
“As you deal with the grief and loss of your ancestors, culture and language, can you think of ways our ancestors would want us to engage spiritually and culturally to keep their legacy alive”?
What questions did the readings/videos raise?
The following is more of a thought rather than a question or a dilemma. Aunty Barbara Wingard (2001) talks about how Aboriginal people sit in silence because of the loss of a loved one is to painful to speak about. I find the Aboriginal people in my community have forgotten how to honour their loved ones who have passed.
Re-membering conversations give our people, our families permission to talk about their loved ones who have passed in respectful and honouring ways, thereby keeping the spirit of the loved one who has passed away alive because their spirit is our spirit.
Our ancestor’s voices weren’t often heard and as a result Aboriginal people can sometimes feel like they are not heard, that they don’t have a voice, maybe that’s why they are silent. I’ve named this, “silent tears behind a bottle” because too often drinking is how some of my people choose to cope with grief and loss.
Some Aboriginal people in my community have forgotten how to grieve a lost loved one, re-membering conversations help us to honour them and to sit collectively and celebrate them as their spirit lives on in us and through us, their spirit is in the land, the trees, the rivers, oceans and the animals that often visit us from time to time to let us know that they are near.