Tribute to Ember Tuck-Wynne and Red Rock Indian Band

One of my favorite communities to visit is Red Rock Indian Band. They have always made me feel welcome. To hear of their recent tragic loss was heartbreaking.

Lyne Soramaki from the Thunder Bay District Health Unit and I work on a project together called “Caring for Mother Earth Feast Bundle Workshop”. We developed and facilitate the workshop together. We are a team. The first Feast Bundle Workshop we ever held was at Red Rock Indian Band. On our way there, Lyne and I saw two Eagles soaring in the sky. This was the first time Lyne ever saw two Eagles flying together. Almost every time since then we see two Eagles on our travels. It seems like they are watching over Mother Earth and flying by to thank us for the work we do. We have adopted them as the symbol for our partnership.

In February we had the pleasure of facilitating our workshop at St. Edward’s School in Nipigon. Neither of us realized how significant our interaction with the children on that day would become. Ember Tuck-Wynne created her Feast Bundle with us on January 8, 2015. We will remember Ember as the girl whose face lit up when she talked about playing hockey.

Lyne and I like to believe we met Ember for a reason. Her family and community now have an angel watching over them. Lyne and I will be on the lookout for our Atikameksheng Eagle soaring high above caring for Mother Earth and all her children.

Often times we may forget that children are given to us as a gift from the Creator. Ember Tuck-Wynne has left me with a priceless gift. I now realize that our every interaction with children, no matter how brief, is a gift to be cherished.

Lynda Banning works for the Union of Ontario Indians in the Fort William First Nation Satellite Office. She is the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Regional Program Worker for the Northern Superior Region. She may be contacted by phone at 807-623-8887 or by email at lynda.banning@anishinabek.ca