Unreserved

“The war never leaves the man," sings Mike Bern, and as the son of a Vietnam vet, he would know. The impacts of service on our Indigenous veterans is often overlooked and misunderstood, but as Rosanna hears this week, it’s never too late to offer support and connection. Whether it’s ensuring Indigenous veterans have access to life-changing benefits or  honouring a loved one with a street or a song, these community connectors are making sure our Indigenous veterans receive the love and attention they deserve.

c̓ʔak̕ʷm Jennifer Lewis knows she can’t stop a wildfire, “But I sure can support and love.” This summer, as fires raged around them, she brought her nation together to pray, sing, and grieve together. Rosanna speaks to people from Mi’kma’ki to the Okanagan who are recovering from wildfires and planning for what comes next. And the solutions come in many forms: from technology, to forestry, to ceremony.

Even entomologists find some bugs gross, but Kyle Bobiwash says everything has its place! Rosanna speaks to nature lovers who remind us that “All My Relations” includes even the ones we sometimes find a little creepy or gross. Whether they're researching bats, slugs or moustachioed bees, these helpers are casting creatures in a different light, so that we respect and protect everyone’s place in the circle.

Grandmother Lucy Ducharme wants you to walk with water, and she’s not the only one. More and more Elders and water advocates across turtle island are asking us to rethink our relationships with our waterways by spending some time with them – like Elder Sharon Day who has led over 20 walks across a number of rivers in the United States, and isn’t done yet. We hear about how water walking isn’t just putting one foot in front of the other, it is a ceremony, prayer and song. From the Red River to the mighty Mississippi, Rosanna and guest host Falen Johnson hear from people who are taking it upon themselves to walk the walk of our water ways.

Alethea Arnaquq-Baril’s commitment to authentic storytelling is rooted in her experience as an Inuk woman. From documentaries to the successful series North of North, she’s been sharing stories about the North, from the North for over two decades. Now, she’s leading the development of Iqaluit’s first production studio, something she calls "a physical symbol of our audacity." Rosanna hears why starting a business in the North can be challenging and how Indigenous-led investment and development projects are helping to strengthen Northern communities.