PUGWASH, N.S. – The youth of today give Cathy Martin hope for the future.
“If I’ve learned anything it’s that the Rainbow Warriors are here,” Martin said. “The prophecy said they were coming.”
Martin, of Millbrook First Nation in Truro, was the facilitator of a four-day spiritual leaders retreat held at the Thinkers Lodge in Pugwash from Sept. 22 to 25.
The retreat brought together leaders from several religious and spiritual backgrounds to discuss the climate crisis the world faces today.
A traditional Mi’kmaq feast was served on the final day of the retreat, which included wild salmon, moose meat with moose gravy, and traditional Mi’kmaq desserts.
Following the meal, Martin ended the retreat with stories told by her Mi’kmaq ancestors about the cycle of life and the importance of living close to the land. She also talked about how those stories were stolen from her people.
“What was written by the missionaries and the explorers who came here, and the criminals who arrived and stole our land, what we learned from them was none of this. It was taken from us.”
She says the Mi’kmaq fought for generations against these false stories while keeping their own stories alive.
“We listened to the horrific history that was told to us about our relatives, our parents, our grandparents, our great-grandparents,” Martin said. “It was good teaching because we rebelled against it because we knew the truth, we knew the stories.”
She said Mi'kmaq creator Glooscap 'created a beautiful land for the Mi’kmaq where everything was provided.’
“Glooscap left our land when the Europeans arrived because he saw them coming and said, ‘I can’t live with you anymore,’” Martin said.
Since Glooscap’s departure, Martin says the Mi'kmaq land and way of life has been brought to the brink.
“Glooscap said that when we need Glooscap to return to help us we have to send seven young natives up to the top of the hill where he left from,” Martin said. “And those seven young natives who are seven years old have to pray, and when they pray Glooscap will come and help the people.”
Martin says the youth of today are the ones who understand these stories. She says these youth are the 'Rainbow Warriors' prophesied by Glooscap.
“We need to step aside because we haven’t done the job,” Martin said. “We have to use our power to support the youth, to have their backs, and to acknowledge and identify more of the Greta’s (Thunberg).”
Robert Cervelli, executive director of the Centre for Local Prosperity, closed the retreat by thanking the participants for their input.
“It all starts with a thought. The whole universe started with a thought. This event started with a thought, and the rest of it is action. It’s all action that starts with a thought,” Cervelli said. “I think that’s what we did here, and that’s what we’re going to do, and that’s what we’re going to keep doing.”
