Grandmothers
I say I am sorry for what you gave up
For not being allowed your real names
You are not forgotten
And I am thankful
That your tribe name survived
I honour you
And say I remember you

And though your words
Were not heard
I remain to say
That I am part of what
You left behind
And I am coming full circle
To say
I continue in each way
See me
I am a part of all that became undone
No matter what blood is measured
By those who have none
I say to them
It is not theirs to measure
Nor to cut off
What is rendered and sacrificed
I will begin again
And take what was cut off
And sew together
The parts that were meant
To decrease
I remember you Grandmothers
In what names were given you
The parts that were not cut off
The ones that were written down
So your blood
Travels through mine
And continues
Through my children
So my Grandmothers
Are their Grandmothers
The moment they are born
Your strands intertwined
I retraced where you went
And I continue
Where you left off

To my Ojibwe Grandmother
Marie Charlotte Sauteux
Who became a Couvret in
Seventeen hundred
And fifty three
Who had Angélique
Boozhoo and Miigwetch
Greetings and Thank you

To my Montagnaise/Chipewyan Grandmother
Louise Montagnaise/Chipewyan
Who became a St-Germain
And had Françoise
I greet you with my heart
As I cannot find your tongue
And say thank you

To my Sioux Grandmother
Marie Siouse/Sioux
Who became a Boucher
And had Paul
Hohahe and Pilamaya
Welcome and Thank you
Toksha ake wacinyuanktin ktelo unci
I shall see you again Grandmother
Wayo kapi
It is the truth

To my Cree Grandmother
Suzanne Crise/Cree
Who became a Parenteau
And had Marie
I say Wat chia ~ Chin is kum din
Welcome and Thank you
Tanasin casoine
What is your name?
Mamaskatch eka e kiskeyittamân tanisi e isihikasuyàn?
It is surprising
That I don’t know what’s your name?

We will begin again Grandmothers
And even though
You were forced to forget your tongue
My heart speaks the same one
And we will begin again.

LauraLee K. Harris