'It was very emotional': Cree poet Sky Dancer visits East Cork Choctaw monument
Joseph Naytowhow, Cree knowledge keeper, speaking at a short ceremony at the Kindred Spirits Monument in Midleton, Cork, with James Kelly, chief executive of the Ireland Canada University Foundation; Canadian ambassador Nancy Smyth; Cllr Susan McCarthy; David Stanton TD; Mary Stanton; and poet laureate of the Canadian Parliament Louise B Halfe of the Cree Nation. Picture: Dan Linehan
The national poet of Canada, a leading figure in the Cree nation, led a special ceremony at the landmark Choctaw monument in East Cork to mark the start of an official visit to Ireland.
Renowned writer Louise Bernice Halfe, who is also known by her Cree name Sky Dancer, said she was deeply moved by her visit to the striking Kindred Spirits monument in Midleton, which was erected as a tribute to the generosity of the Choctaw people during Ireland's famine.
“It was very emotional. I had to repress tears,” she said.
Ms Halfe is part of a Canadian delegation that began its three-day visit to Ireland at the monument in the town’s Bailick Park on Monday.
She read a poem before Cree elder, Joseph Naytowhow, sang a song and placed tobacco at the Alex Pentek-created monument to honour the land and the spirits of those in the Choctaw nation who raised and sent money to help victims of the Irish Famine.
“It was such an act of generosity, and we wanted to thank the spirit of those people,” she said.
“That act was a form of dialogue between people. I believe in open dialogue between people, whether that is intellectual, emotional or spiritual.
“Open dialogue is necessary in order to save the planet. We need to offer hope and faith to younger generations that we can engage in that open dialogue and that this planet will survive.”
James Kelly, chief executive of the Ireland Canada University Foundation, which works to foster connections between Canada and Ireland, said the countries share many connections, but fostering stronger connections with Canada’s First Nations is a very important part of their work.
The delegation, which includes Canadian ambassador Nancy Smyth, visited St Colman’s secondary school later where students read some of their poetry for Ms Halfe.
Local Fine Gael TD David Stanton, the convener of the Ireland Canada Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group in Dáil Éireann, said the delegation will be welcomed to the Dáil on Wednesday before Ms Halfe meets President Michael D Higgins at Áras an Uachtaráin later.
