Two weeks after the mass stabbings that took place on James Smith Cree Nation, the community is coming together to heal with a fish fry.
Sunday marked the third fish fry the community has held over the last week, as people celebrate the lives lost in the mass stabbing.
“We are all tired, but in conjunction with everything that has happened, we are happy we can be here to help our community,” said Phyllis Head, an elder in the Peter Chapman band, who has been at all three fish fries this week.
“People have just been going day to day and some of them haven’t had time to go shopping for groceries or doing their house chores,” Head said as she explained the importance of the meal.
Almost all the food has come from donations from across Canada.
“We are all hurting, and it is such a tragedy,” she said. “It is unbelievable the support we have received from all over Canada, and I am just overwhelmed with everybody that came together and helped us in any way they can.”
The Indigenous culture has used feasts to bring people together for generations, and to have a moment where the community can eat together to begin healing is very special to a number of people in the community.
“It is a good time to have a meal with the community,” said Alvin Moostoos, the vice chief councilor for James Smith Cree Nation. “It’s something we put together to start that healing process and this is just one step. We need to continue to do stuff together.“
He hopes events over the next coming weeks and months continue to provide joy just as the fish fry did Sunday. He wants to thank all the communities that have helped over the last two weeks, and thank everyone that continues to play a part in the healing process.
“I’m very happy for other communities who have come out. They have helped us carry that burden and I am very honoured that they come out to help us,” Moostoos said.
Across the community, people were grateful for the help they have received and thankful for a fish fry to help a grieving community move forward.
“I do believe we will come together,” Moostoos said. “Right now we are knocked down, but we will get back up. We will get back up with pride.”
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