(Trigger Warning: residential schools, murder)

The Indian Residential Schools Crisis Line is available 24-hours a day for anyone experiencing pain or distress as a result of his or her Residential school experience. Indian Residential School Survivors and Family can call 1-800-721-0066. 

24/7 Helpline (or text or chat) for and by Indigenous women: http://talk4healing.com/need-help/

My heart was heavy after learning about the 215 Indigenous children who were buried in unmarked graves at the Kamloops “residential schools” (more like labour camps). Did you know that number has grown into the thousands? It will continue to grow as more and more grave sites are found but the media are no longer talking about it.

I will not let those children be yesterday’s news. Each one of those children was a gift to their family and community. Instead, there is just so much pain in our communities as many of us grapple with our identity and mental health.

Music is my greatest gift and my greatest healer.

That’s why I’ve chosen to give you one of my timeless live music videos from way back in 2007. It is the song that came to me for my son Quinn, simply called “Healing Song.” In 2016, gun violence stole my son from me. Finding out about the 215 Indigenous children who were murdered in my hometown was devastating.

Music is my medicine, so I offer you this beautiful song that helped my son through hard times when he was a teenager and beyond. It has helped many people across Turtle Island (North America). I am humbled that many drummers and drum groups have asked my permission to share this song. We have song-sharing protocols for our hand drum songs. This song is for everyone.

The video is from a conference in Penticton BC, not from Kamloops back in 2007. I was singing Healing Song to bring healing to the Indigenous community and the water there. Just close your eyes and let the song wash over you. I asked an audience member to film me on my old camera, so the visual is very fuzzy, but somehow the sound quality is still very good.

BREATHE. Let the music into your heart and your body. Let those medicine tears flow if they come.

Drink extra water to help flow the healing energies through you and to detoxify you of emotional residue that is ready to be released. Know that not everything is ready to be released. That would be far too overwhelming for most of us, so we have to release pain slowly, gradually.

Be kind and gentle with yourself, okay? Love yourself up. Love your children and grandchildren up. Take care of you first, and then see how you can help others.

Love & Blessings,

Brenda MacIntyre, Medicine Song Woman