Indigenous Motherhood Resiliency: Adapting Cultural Teachings During COVID-19 Restrictions

Government requirements for quarantining and isolation emphasized modeling, during the COVID-19 pandemic, that prioritized the nuclear family and challenged Indigenous knowledge systems for new mothers residing away from their communities. Communal ceremonies and gatherings such as naming ceremonies for children were postponed and prevented them from being introduced to the community and their family. In addition, the closing of colonial borders, such as the Canada-U.S. border for 18 months, furthered the division among Indigenous family members by preventing them from visiting relations and/or participating in condolence ceremonies for their loved ones who went on their spiritual journey. The global lockdown, however, also created a space for individuals to utilize poetry and other creative forms to help with healing processes for the loss of loved ones, decreased anxiety and fears about restrictions, and allowed for reconnecting with oneself, like becoming a new mother. Poetry became a therapeutic space to bridge hearts, create a way for healing, and devise new approaches to cultural teachings. This chapter uses poetry, photography, and storytelling as a method to show how Indigenous relationships were maintained under governmental restrictions and how cultural teachings were adapted for introducing a child. It highlights the resiliency and challenges of being separated from one’s tribal community as a new mother during the time of COVID-19.