We Are Worthy of Being Seen
Music: B-Side Players
Music: Rhonda Head
Music: Marx Cassity
Advertiser Index
20
There is a significantly low percentage of Indigenous athletes competing in professional sports in North America, but it’s a different story across the Pacific. Find out why
8
Meet Dawn Chartrand of Om-Digenous Yoga and Wellness. Chartrand is a wellness warrior who has experienced healing through her yoga practice and now offers an inclusive experience for others that integrates her First Nations culture
14 Cover Story
As Indigenous communities deal with the effects of intergenerational trauma, there is a hopeful future with the Buffalo. Read more as we acknowledge Buffalo as the keystone towards Indigenous wellness
12
Two women entrepreneurs, Bernadette Lavoie, owner of North Country Massage and Medi-Spa, and Patrice Mousseau, owner of Satya Organics Inc. are running their businesses with social consciousness and selfcare in mind
24
The Pembina Trails School Division addresses systemic racism head-on with the development of an anti-racism policy, and the creation of healthy and safe spaces for Indigenous students
MAR 5-7
AFOA Canada National Conference – Leading Change and Inspiring Others
With ample networking opportunities and an interactive trade show, conference themes include leadership, governance, business development, wealth creation and more.
RBC Convention Centre Winnipeg Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada afoa.ca/events/conferences/22nd
MAR 5-7
SHARE Investor Summit 2024
Join investment decision-makers in exploring opportunities for coordinated and impactful investor action in the context of environmental, social and governance pathways. Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada events.share.ca
MAR 19-22
Gathering Our Voices
A four-day gathering that brings Indigenous youth together from across Canada to participate in ceremonies, workshops and educational experiences, enabling them to build a toolkit to inspire and empower others.
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada gatheringourvoices.ca
APR 3-4
Annual Trust and Investment Conference
NATOA will host a two-day event bringing together trustees and industry experts from across the country to knowledge share, network and plan for the future of Indigenous trusts and Investments. Centre Sheraton, Montreal, Quebec, Canada natoa.ca/trustandinvestmentconference
APR 22-23
Annual First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) Conference
At the 7th annual conference learn about how Indigenous consent and rights are pivotal to advancing Canada’s global market share. Toronto, Ontario, Canada fnmpcindustryevent.com
MAY 14-15
Forward Summit / WEST
Indigenous and non-Indigenous businesses and organizations across Canada come together for economic reconciliation, creating a community focused on action.
Grey Eagle Event Centre Tsuut’ina Nation, Calgary, Alberta, Canada forwardsummit.ca
MAY 15-16
2024 Vision Quest Conference & Trade Show
The annual event is focused on Indigenous business, community and economic development and offers delegates incredible networking opportunities and trade show experience.
RBC Convention Centre Winnipeg Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada vqconference.com
MAY 21-22
Eastern Indigenous Consultation & Engagement Conference
With a focus on economic development amid environmental sustainability, the Canadian Institute’s annual consultation event will deliver discussions on the most crucial topics affecting consultation in Ontario and across Canada. Mississauga, Ontario, Canada canadianinstitute.com/eastern-indigenousconsultation-engagement
"The Buffalo is a symbol of strength and resilience. The Buffalo face towards the storm, overcoming the challenges that approach them. It's a message of hope for our communities who are working hard to improve wellness and holistic balance with all my relations and each other."
~ Katira Crow Shoe, International Buffalo Relations Institute
Holistic health—what does that mean to you? For me, a lot of it has to do with finding that balance in my life which can be challenging most days. To live holistically we must care for all parts of ourselves and to do that successfully I believe it’s important to feel empowered when it comes to our health at whatever stage we are at on our journey. In this issue, Indigenous healer Asha Frost shares a personal story where, at a disheartening moment in time at a doctor's office, she drew on the teachings of the Medicine Wheel and soon felt optimistic knowing deep down there was another answer. She reminds us, “We are all worthy of being seen in our wholeness.” Flip to page six to learn more.
On the cover of this issue is the buffalo, a stunning image captured by photographer Johane Janelle and a timely representation of hope and revitalization. The return of the buffalo represents a positive step towards ecological and cultural renewal with the rebuilding of that relationship between buffalo and Indigenous Peoples for the health of future generations. SAY Magazine was pleased to speak with Katira Crow Shoe (quoted above) from the International Buffalo Relations Institute about the importance of buffalo and their influences on our holistic health. Make sure to check out the cover story for all the details including more beautiful photography of this keystone species.
As you flip through these pages I hope you feel encouraged on your wellness journey. Do what makes you happy and set some clear goals for personal empowerment: find movement you enjoy, make time for reflection, connect with nature, connect with others, eat well, get some sleep, and love deeply.
Thank you to those who have contributed their stories and expertise to this issue—I hope they inspire you as they have me.
~ Danielle Vienneau, Editor-in-Chief
SAY MAGAZINE
Volume 23, Issue 1
SAY Magazine is a bi-monthly publication that publishes six issues a year—one issue every eight weeks.
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"Holistic health is rooted in Indigenous ways of knowing and being, it sits in the teachings of our Medicine Wheel and is remembered in our bones."
I remember the day so clearly in my mind and heart. The doctor told me that because of the lupus antibodies I carried, I should not try to have a baby. “It is too dangerous,” he said. “If I was a traffic light, my light would be red.” You would think I would be heartbroken by this news, but instead, I was angry.
His words were impactful, of course, and yet there was something inside of me that knew this wasn’t the whole truth. He wasn’t looking at me in a holistic way. He was only seeing one part of me, my body. He had forgotten to see my heart, my mind and my spirit.
This doctor also did not have access to my dreamtime or my ancestral ways of being and knowing. My mind, heart, and spirit knew and felt that my ancestors were ushering in two children who would carry on our teachings in a good way. I felt it with my whole being.
It was in those moments that our Medicine Wheel teachings of the importance of all parts of ourselves really set in. Yes, our bodies are important—they need to be cared for and honoured deeply. And yet, without including the other parts, the medicine of our wholeness is ignored.
In my teachings and learnings over my life as a homeopath and Indigenous healer, the greatest healing has happened when the whole person is taken into consideration. I have seen grief, anger and heartbreak manifest
into symptoms of the physical body, our hearts needing a place to express themselves. I’ve seen the thoughts in our minds, and the words we speak create harmony and wellness.
Most beautifully, I have seen folks heal when connecting to the spirit world and their higher selves. In their connection, they move through layers of generational trauma, break cycles and dream a new way into being.
Before colonization, our people knew this, lived this, and healed in this way. Many carry this remembering deep in our bones, blood and sacred waters. We remember that nighttime dreaming brings wisdom and information from our ancestors. We remember that developing a relationship with the land brings us plant kin that can nourish us. We remember that speaking kind words to ourselves and others brings light to our cells and organs. We remember.
As I sit here listening to my two children giggle and play, I am grateful for how deeply I listened to the call of my ancestors and the whispers of my heart and spirit, for if I had only listened to the medical results of my body, they wouldn’t be here. This is
not a criticism of the medical system, for they are part of my story too, and for that I am thankful.
This is an invitation to see the moments in time when your wholeness was not acknowledged, validated, or seen. Perhaps this was in an interaction with a doctor, like me—or maybe it was with someone else. How can we dream a world into being that sees our fullness? How can we honour the potency of our spirit, the power of our heart, the precision of our mind, and the expression of our body? How can we hold the importance of them in equal parts?
Holistic health is rooted in Indigenous ways of knowing and being, it sits in the teachings of our Medicine Wheel and is remembered in our bones. In this time of the season—when all that is sleeping is beginning to awaken, may we listen to the memories that lie in our sacred waters and the wisdom that flows through our blood. We are all worthy of being seen in our wholeness, it is how we will heal.
Asha Frost is an Indigenous Medicine Woman, entrepreneur and a member of the Chippewas of Nawash First Nation. She is the best-selling author of You Are the Medicine and The Sacred Medicine Oracle, and has guided thousands of people through profound and lasting transformation. As a highly sought-after speaker, Frost leads from her clan teachings of the Crane—holding space from vision and heart. Frost has blended her life experience in her work as a homeopath, energy healer and mentor, with her innate gifts and the wisdom of her ancestors. She loves sharing her Medicine in powerful ways through ceremonies, teachings, and speaking events.
Healing is often thought of as an individualistic journey. Still, for many, true healing occurs when we find a community, a sense of belonging and purpose, and surround ourselves with other supportive like-minded people. Each person’s healing journey or road to overall better health is different, some take longer than others, but I believe it is something we all seek in one way or another. Having spoken to many people over the years who have overcome immense challenges, I have learned that we must permit ourselves to feel all the feelings, we must learn to forgive ourselves, show compassion, and be kind to ourselves. A person’s healing journey is ongoing and there’s no one-size-fits-all solution.
Dawn Chartrand
Ihad the pleasure of speaking with someone who has learned these things and so much more on her healing journey. Dawn Chartrand is a wellness warrior. Currently based in Winnipeg, she is Anishinaabe from Rolling River First Nation, Manitoba, and is a yoga instructor, a Laughter Yoga instructor, a visual artist, and a musical entertainer. Her story tells an all too familiar history of disconnect and trauma caused by colonization and residential schools. “My mom was raised in a residential school, so her family connection was broken early on,” says Chartrand.” One of five children, Chartrand was raised primarily in nonIndigenous communities where her parents were ministers and ran a family church. “My parents were very hard workers and wanted the best for us, but I always remember being the minority in the community where we lived and in school,” notes Chartrand.
With no connection to her Indigenous culture, Chartrand often felt disempowered and alone. “We didn’t have a family connection, nor did we have any type of pride in being an Indigenous person or what that meant,” says Chartrand. A childhood filled with experiences of racism and exclusionary behaviours, and no sense of belonging soon led Chartrand to seek out people, places and experiences that were so unlike what she was familiar with, and soon found herself in a vicious circle of addiction.
For a long time, there was a lot of stress, heartache and poverty as Chartrand tried to navigate the world as a young mother of three with no support system. “It was lonely and I didn’t have coping mechanisms that were healthy. I was just barely surviving. I fell deeper into addiction in my twenties and went through some severe depression and anxiety,” explains Chartrand. “Back then these things weren’t acknowledged and supported or talked about the way they are now.” She has struggled with addiction since her teenage years but always managed to find solace in moving her body physically.
“I suffered a lot of grief. That’s when I started working out at home. It became my coping mechanism. I couldn’t afford cable, but I could buy VHS tapes from thrift stores. I started working out and even started yoga at that time. It’s something that helped me to feel better and that’s how I began my physical fitness journey.”
For many years, Chartrand tried to get better on her own, battling addiction, getting clean and sober, and then relapsing. “I lost everything for a while,” she says. “It was this vicious circle of constantly trying to get better, trying to do better, and be better.” Chartrand and I spoke for some time as she graciously shared her story of heartache, resilience, courage and success. Chartrand has experienced many challenges throughout her life but has worked tirelessly over the last few years to build a community around her business OM-Digenous Yoga and Wellness, that integrates her First Nations culture and is inclusive of all Indigenous Peoples. With her permission, here is more from our candid interview.
SAY: What was the turning point for you—the catalyst to lasting change?
Chartrand: One major factor was eventually finding a great job with the government. It was a job I never thought I could get. It wasn’t until I was able to feel like I was contributing to society, and people looked at me and didn’t know exactly where I came from, that I was able to start to string together some meaningful sober time and start to rebuild my life. Working out—weight training, kickboxing, jogging, running— also helped me to kick that addiction. My life started to heal. I was able to get my children back into my care. I met my current husband when I was in my early thirties, I was clean, and we started building a life together with my children and his.
SAY: When and why did you start to increase your yoga practice?
Chartrand: In my thirties, I started experiencing chronic pain in my hands. They would swell and they would be very
“It [yoga] is more than making shapes with our bodies on a yoga mat. The practice of yoga, as with the medicine wheel, embodies our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual and teaches us to connect to our truest selves.”
~ Dawn Chartrand
painful and stiff. It made it very difficult to work out and that was my outlet. I went from being in the best shape of my life, feeling like I was on top of the world, to walking with a cane. My quality of life drastically changed and eventually, I even had to stop working because of the progression and increase in pain. I finally got a diagnosis of Fibromyalgia. Because I was in so much pain, my first thought was to stay more still, but less activity was not the answer. I was very sporty and enjoyed high-impact activities but that wasn’t ideal with how my body was changing, so I decided to try hot yoga. I walked into my first class and I was the only visibly Indigenous person there, and I did not feel comfortable. It was triggering, to be honest. I did not feel welcome. I felt self-conscious in my attire and with my braces on. I remember feeling very out of place. I also remember crying in pain through that first class. But when I left that 90-minute hot yoga class something felt better. So despite feeling unwelcome in that space, I kept going back.
SAY: How was yoga instrumental in your healing?
Chartrand: Yoga became my safe place to deal with everything, physically, mentally, and spiritually. I experienced a lot of physical pain daily, but I was also trying to manage mentally, dealing with the guilt I felt being a mother who struggled with addiction and how
that impacted my children’s lives. I did a lot of healing and healed a lot of wounds on my mat. That’s been my personal experience and the practice of going to yoga. After about five years, I finally felt physically well enough to do away with my braces. When I maintain my regular practice, I experience a great deal of healing.
SAY: When did you decide you wanted to become a certified yoga teacher?
Chartrand: I never thought I would become a yoga teacher, ever! It was quite the process and it was a lonely practice. To me, a yoga teacher had to have certain criteria and look a certain way, and that was not me. I also felt that most yoga teachers seemingly came from privilege, so it never really crossed my mind. I tried many different studios and different types of practices, but no matter where I went, I was always in the minority. I rarely saw an Indigenous person in those spaces and that bothered me. Truthfully, it never was a welcoming environment, but I stayed with it. I wanted to continue to challenge my body. It wasn’t until I attended a BIPOC women’s retreat in British Columbia that everything changed. There was morning yoga as one of the sessions, and the yoga teacher did not fit the mould, she was not the stereotypical yoga teacher. It was a beautiful class and I left inspired!
SAY: What was the process of becoming a yoga teacher?
Chartrand: I kind of threw myself into it. Once I decided to sign up for a teacher training course, it started one month later, so I didn’t have time to think about it. As always I was the only Indigenous person, and so much of what I had felt as a child resurfaced during the duration of that training. The other women didn’t have the physical limitations that I had, and I became overwhelmed with feelings of inadequacy. It was triggered so deeply in me, and that’s been the ongoing theme of my life—that’s what drove me into addiction and into relationships that were not good for me. It was four months of intensive training that took place on weekends and it was incredibly challenging. Once I completed my training, I decided I never wanted anyone to feel how I felt. This was such a big accomplishment and it changed the way I wanted to share my practice with others. The more I taught, and in spaces where I felt accepted, the more confident I became. I started building a community of people, Indigenous people, that would come and practice with me. This was in the spring of 2020.
SAY: What are the parallels between yoga and Indigenous culture and how do you meld them together?
Chartrand: I’ve created Indigenous Wellness Workshops to incorporate the two. I honour where yoga comes from and acknowledge that this is a practice that originated in India. I honour the teaching that yoga is for all people, and I truly believe this is for everyone of all ages. It is more than making shapes with our bodies on a yoga mat. The practice of yoga, as with the medicine wheel, embodies our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual and teaches us to connect to our truest selves. The meaning
of the word “Yoga” is “Union” (in Sanskrit). I grew up disconnected from my culture, and have only begun that process of learning in the last few years. When I’m on my mat, I am in ceremony and I feel that connection to Creator, ancestors, and spirit. It’s some of the best self-care that you can commit to doing for your body.
SAY: Please tell us about Laughing Yoga.
Chartrand: About one year after my yoga certification, I heard about Laughing Yoga. Anyone who knows me knows that I’ve always been a laugh-out-loud kind of person, with a fairly distinguishable laugh. I love laughing. I figured it was the perfect fit. Sandra DeLaronde, who I admire very much, offered a two-day training, so I jumped at the opportunity to take that. It’s a little unusual, so the hardest part was trying to figure out how to integrate this into my practice. One of the teachings we learned during our training is that laughing is the quickest way to feel better. Laughing is one of our seven natural ways of healing, given to us to be able to release hard feelings and release negativity. Sometimes we laugh even when it’s the last thing that we feel like doing.
SAY: How has the teachings of Laughing Yoga helped you personally?
Chartrand: My whole world was turned upside down again with the sudden passing of my son in the fall of 2022. During the hardest times of my grieving process, I remembered Laughing Yoga. After going through all the emotions, including extreme anger like I never felt before, I just started laughing. It was just something that came from deep inside, and I laughed and laughed and laughed because I’d already cried and yelled so much. I remembered back to those teachings and I released energy
through laughing. I needed time to heal again. Returning to work and maintaining my commitments, teaching yoga, and doing art shows have continued to be a source of healing for me.
SAY: What suggestions do you have for others who want to start a journey of better overall wellness?
Chartrand: I began to meditate and practice yoga at home in my living room as a single parent, in the evenings after my babies were asleep. I’ve always felt the drive to do better, to challenge myself physically and mentally. When I began, there was no access to the internet or social media, and losing weight was never my goal. I practiced physical fitness all these years because it made me feel better. Some days it was the difference between doing something that felt better that could hurt me, or help me. Most times I chose the latter. I encourage anyone who would like to begin a healthier journey to start small. Many yoga/ gentle movement and workout resources are free online and if you don’t have access to online resources, deep breathing, stretching, or walking can be the beginning of your journey to better health. Drinking a lot of water and mindful
eating also helps. Explore new skills or hobbies to find what gifts you never knew you had. Reach out to others who might be in a similar situation and build a community. Get together, and talk about better health. There will never be a better time to begin your journey to a healthier and happier you. Nike put it the best way and I say this to myself all the time, “Just Do It.”
Chartrand offers workshops for children, youth, and adults, including Movement and Wellness Yoga, Laughter Yoga, and Painting and Wellness. She is particularly excited about her newest workshop called Movement in Love which she developed with her mother. Chartrand leads others through movements based on the seven sacred teachings, while her mother teaches Anishinaabemowin. “The response has been so great,” says Chartrand. “I didn’t expect how much children would also love yoga. It’s so important for them to see an Indigenous person in this space.” For community events and more information about Dawn Chartrand and her workshops, make sure to check out OMDigenous Yoga and Wellness on Facebook and Instagram.
Danielle Vienneau
, Editorin-Chief with SAY Magazine, believes in the power of sharing positive stories to inspire greatness in others. To submit your story, email editor@ saymag.com
“When starting a business, you have to put in the time. I’d sometimes wait hours to see a new patient, but you had to. It’s the only way the client can recommend you to others.”
Bernadette Lavoie knows where there is a will, there is a way. The professional and successful owner of North Country Massage and Medi-Spa, mother and community supporter, says finding the balance between work and family has definitely been a challenge.
Highly adventurous and well-travelled, Lavoie married, and lived in Italy with her first child, before moving back to Canada when her daughter was 3 years old. “That’s when I started my first business,” she says. As a new single and sole-support parent, her biggest challenge was the time required. “When starting a business, you have to put in the time. I’d sometimes wait hours to see a new patient, but you had to. It’s the only way the client can recommend you to others.” But then she fondly remembers times her daughter came to the business after school and napped in the laundry room. “We reminisce about those days sometimes,” Lavoie recalls, “it was us against the world.”
Her company, North Country Massage and Medi-Spa, is quite unique. They provide a variety of services and have been the leading provider of coolsculpting, injectables, laser, skin, and spa treatments in the Prince Albert, Saskatchewan area since 2010. It’s important to her that her clients leave both healthy and happy. It’s something she takes very seriously, hence the medical in “Medi-Spa.” “We have two great nurses and a doctor that are employed here. As well, 99 per cent of our employees are Métis or Indigenous single mothers.” Lavoie is determined to give back to her community however she can.
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“I had so much help along the way,” she states. “The most important person, throughout it all, has become a sister to me. Maxine Redekopp, who works for the Clarence Campeau Development Fund, has done so much more for me, more than I could have ever expected. You need people around you who support and encourage you. There is enough negativity out there.”
Lavoie tells a story of a bank manager years ago, who remarked that she was a huge liability in terms of lending, and that they were surprised she could even eat on her income. She assured him that she and her daughter would be just fine and they are.
A later relationship brought a second daughter, and the family continued to prosper. Lavoie’s eldest daughter has even decided to become a nurse, potentially following in her mother’s footsteps in the healthcare industry, and there is a proud and hopeful note in her voice as Lavoie shared that story.
Lavoie, and her family, recently moved to the family farm. As she explains more, she mentions that she is putting the eaves troughs back on the family home while talking. “Who knew?” she says. “From Milan to South Africa, I thought perhaps one day I would end up on a luxury yacht somewhere.” Then she laughs, “But I am the happiest now that I have ever been.”
The Clarence Campeau Development Fund helped Lavoie achieve her dream. The Development Fund offers a variety of loans and grants for Métis businesses in Saskatchewan.
Many people would recognize Patrice Mousseau from her broadcasting career, but these days, Mousseau is the creator and owner of Satya Organics Inc, which makes topical antiinflammatory skincare products.
This business venture started as Mousseau sought a solution to her young daughter’s eczema. “I just started looking at traditional medicine, academic studies, the existing medical research, and I created something in my kitchen crockpot that cleared her eczema up in two days.” She offered the leftovers on Facebook and then made three more crockpots to meet the demand. Recognizing a need, she started selling her product at a local farmer’s market in 2016.
From these humble beginnings, her skincare balm is now produced in
a lab and is available in about eight hundred stores across the country, including HBC and Indigo. She also exports products to Hong Kong and the United States. Her sales are equally divided between online and retail.
For Mousseau, it has always been important that her business has a social conscience. “I can do good in the world while still trying to help people.” To make a positive difference, Mousseau ensures that her packaging is environmentally responsible by being refillable and recyclable. She is in partnership with the Great Bear Rainforest to be carbon neutral and is affiliated with the Plastic Bank. Also, pulling from her experience as a single parent, Mousseau provides flexible working arrangements (task-based, instead of hours-based) so that she can tap into the workforce that is unable to work standard shifts.
However, her greatest joy is seeing the difference that she can make in the lives of others. She recounts one success story. “I remember one little boy who was just head to toe in this dry, flaky skin, very shy, wouldn’t talk to anybody. I would see him, you know, quite often with his mom because she would buy from me directly. And one day, he just ran up to me and gave me this giant hug. And I felt so wonderful. I knew that I was helping him. So having that kind of personal impact on people has been incredible.”
Mousseau advises people to take advantage of business groups and, if possible, to find a mentor or a community of other business owners. “Because the reality is that unless you have gone through the process of running and starting
Learn more about some of the Indigenous women entrepreneurs that the Aboriginal Financial Institution network has supported at nacca.ca
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your own business, you really don’t understand it. It’s a very unique way of moving through the world, and you need to have people around you who understand the journey that you’re on.”
While recognizing that it takes courage to run a business, Mousseau loves the challenge. “The great part about running a business is you’re constantly challenged. You are never bored. You are always finding new things to tackle and take on in innovative and creative ways.”
Mousseau attributes part of her success to Tale’awtxw Aboriginal Capital Corporation (TACC). Funding is crucial, and obtaining it can be difficult if you don’t have equity to leverage with a bank. “They [TACC] have been an ongoing partner with me since the very beginning, and they are so easy to work with. I mean, they are just incredibly helpful. I can’t say enough good things about TACC and the team there. They have been incredible.”
For her next steps, Mousseau is focused on marketing as well as expansion into the US market. “And doing it cautiously because, of course, the US is a giant market, and it’s very easy to get overwhelmed. So slow and steady.”
Mousseau encourages others to find their passion and the courage to start their own business. “It’s in our culture to be entrepreneurial. It’s in our culture to have community. It’s in our culture to give back to others. So that makes us perfect entrepreneurs. We are the way of the future. And, you know, I encourage people to go out there and be a part of it.”
“Since time immemorial, hundreds of generations of the first peoples of the First Nations of North America have come and gone since before and after the melting of the glaciers that covered North America. For those generations, Buffalo has been our relative.
Buffalo is part of us and we are part of Buffalo culturally, materially, and spiritually. Our ongoing relationship is so close and so embodied in us that Buffalo is the essence of our holistic eco-cultural life-ways.”
Quoted directly from The Buffalo: A Treaty of Cooperation, Renewal and Restoration, the return of Buffalo to Indigenous lands represents ecological balance and the hope for cultural connection and healing on a grandiose scale. Many nations, Indigenous organizations and conservation groups in Canada and the United States are leading the movement toward returning buffalo, or the American bison, to ancestral grazing lands to restore and preserve this keystone species.
Buffalo are fundamental to countless relationships in our natural world and they need safe spaces to fulfill that ecological role. From an environmental perspective, buffalo are essential for grasslands, their grazing behaviours naturally prompt biodiversity and nurture plants, insects and other animals. The historic relationship between buffalo and Indigenous Peoples goes well beyond environmental needs. A common teaching among First Nations is ‘everything is interrelated’, and so as the buffalo nurtures the lands, it also nurtures the people, teaching and leading us to better care for our natural resources and each other. The buffalo is as much a cultural keystone as it is an ecological one, a form of cultural identity in need of revitalization.
The Buffalo Treaty came about from Elders in Blackfoot country (Alberta, Canada, and the state of Montana, United States) who were concerned about the loss of meaning of culture
to the younger generation. The saying “out of sight, out of mind” applies here—not seeing buffalo roaming the lands has caused a disconnection to culture for many. “We need to have our young people see buffalo on a daily basis to make the connections of our culture to that very keystone animal,” explains Dr. Leroy Little Bear in a video that explains the origins of the Buffalo Treaty. This concern resulted in what is called “buffalo dialogues”. Those buffalo dialogues brought many people together, from youth to Elders, to talk and tell stories about buffalo.
These dialogues created an opportunity for positive action. “We need the assistance of our brothers and sisters, our neighbors to the South. And to our surprise, everybody was of the same mind,” says Dr. Leroy Little Bear. “Our Elders said the best road to bring in all of our people together is to sign the Buffalo Treaty so that we will all work together again as Nations.” Reviving connections and relationships became clear; however, the land was also missing the presence of buffalo. “The Buffalo is a very good environmentalist. The Buffalo Treaty speaks to conservation, so let’s all work together on conservation,” explains Dr. Leroy Little Bear. “The Buffalo Treaty speaks to education, so let’s use the buffalo as the portal for bringing our children together to learn about their culture, the land, the environment, and the cosmos. Let’s use the buffalo for teaching our children our ceremonies, our stories and our songs.”
Singing Back the Buffalo, a new feature-length documentary from award-winning Cree filmmaker Tasha Hubbard, made its World Premiere on February 24, 2024, at the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival in Montana. Iniskim-Return of the Buffalo also premiered at the Festival and tells the story of a group of artists whose purpose is to celebrate the historic return of buffalo to their ancestral lands. Find out more: bigskyfilmfest.org/festival/current-films-2024
The Buffalo Treaty was created and first signed on September 24, 2014 at the Blackfeet Reservation in Montana and there have been more Buffalo Treaty gatherings and signatories since. Each of the signatories commits to doing research and working together in areas of culture, economics, health, education, conservation, and other environmental issues. Dr. Leroy Little Bear confirms, “The buffalo is in the center and it’s bringing us all together.”
With the creation of the Buffalo Treaty also came the development of the International Buffalo Relations Institute. A not-for-profit organization, the Institute raises buffalo consciousness and promotes buffalo rematriation. The institute promotes the implementation of the Buffalo Treaty and its values by providing knowledge, skills, and financial resources to support Indigenous communities in returning buffalo to the landscape as a means to rebuild vital cultural and ecological connections across the great plains of North America. Katira Crow Shoe is the director of education at the Institute and a member of the Kainai Nation of the Blackfoot Confederacy and part of the Many Children Clan. With a background in counselling, her role at the Institute involves building a basket of resources—Buffalo curriculum that can be used within K-12 education. SAY Magazine spoke with Crow Shoe recently about the Buffalo Treaty, the role of the Institute, and how buffalo influences our holistic health.
With the tenth anniversary of the Buffalo Treaty coming later in September 2024, Crow Shoe further explains the significance of the Treaty. “The treaty calls for Indigenous Peoples to once again live with the buffalo and to renew and restore the relationship with the buffalo,” she says. “Buffalo can provide so much wellness for the land and other species. They’re vital to cultural, ecological and holistic wellness connections too.”
With a background in mental health, Crow Shoe speaks to how the Western way has taught us that holistic health (spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical) is very much dependent on the individual. “For Indigenous Peoples, we were not individualistic precolonization. We were collective with family and community, but also with species that were in our environment, the land, and our cultures. With all these combined, we as Indigenous Peoples were holistically healthy. Because of all their direct connections with each piece, buffalo are at the center. Buffalo are part of who we are. They directly impact an individual spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically, but they also directly impact family and community health.”
When discussing the impact on families and communities, Crow Shoe confirms that we have much to learn from how the buffalo govern themselves within their herds, and within their family units. “A lot of teachings came from the buffalo, they are matriarchal,” she notes. “When we talk about community health and wellness we think about things like food sovereignty, food security—when members of communities come together to harvest a buffalo. When that happens, all of those other parts included in holistic well-being are impacted, especially our cultural health with language, stories, songs, and ceremony.”
Buffalo meat is also a high source of nutrition—the organs provide a great source of vitamins and nutrients, and help support immune function, vision, cognitive health, and red blood cell production. “Buffalo meat carries twice as much iron as beef, making it a good choice for people with iron deficiency. So it’s all so connected,” says Crow Shoe.
Buffalo can teach us not only to heal individually but collectively as well. “When you start to have that collective, community-wide wellness, people begin to reconnect to each other and their culture,” says Crow Shoe.
Your donation to the International Buffalo Relations Institute would support the Institute's operations and initiatives, all of which are centred on the implementation of the Buffalo Treaty. Through implementation of the Buffalo Treaty, it is with dedication and action that the Institute and the Buffalo Treaty’s signatories hope to rectify a historical wrong and restore our relatives, the Buffalo, to the land for the benefit of all people and the planet. Donate today: buffalorelations. land/donation
“I think of a ripple in the lake. It expands and expands and it doesn’t quite stop until it hits the shores. But, it’s continuous, like vibration, or frequency—it is energy, the flux. It is about having people reconnect again to their spiritual, mental, emotional and physical health.” It is also about having people realize how their overall health is connected to the buffalo, the land, other species, and their culture.
Bringing the buffalo back to traditional lands means the next generation, and future generations, will grow up with buffalo. “I think of my parents, my grandparents, and my greatgrandparents,” says Crow Shoe. “For so many years there were no buffalo in our territory. The hope is that the younger generations begin to recognize buffalo as a keystone species and discover their relationship with the buffalo. More importantly, I hope they understand the importance of that relationship so they become stewards of the land so language, stories, songs, and ceremony are continued.” Crow Shoe explains how the buffalo can also provide a framework for traditional parenting. “Parenting has changed. We need to look at how we can take that knowledge provided by the buffalo and apply it to parenting skills in today’s world.”
Currently, the United States has made great strides with many nations successfully rematriating buffalo. Canada has some catching up to do, which involves building greater capacity and looking at how buffalo are monitored. “Borders were not only imposed on Indigenous Peoples, they were imposed on the buffalo people as well,” explains Crow Shoe. “Buffalo are not classified as wildlife and that impacts their presence for many Indigenous nations and ecosystems—this is also part of the purpose and objective of the treaty.”
Near the end of the conversation with SAY Magazine, Crow Shoe reflects on her past experiences working in mental health and how that impacts the work she does now. “Before I started this position, I always talked about people going through trauma, but not often about land and other species going through trauma,” she says. “When we consider that, we think about the buffalo being removed and how that must have been traumatic for many ecosystems. With the return of the buffalo the land heals, species heal, and then we as individuals and communities begin to heal." She considers the epigenetic wisdom of Indigenous Peoples and their relationship to ‘all my relations’. “Wouldn’t that also apply to species and land? I hope everyone understands and recognizes just how important buffalo are collectively.”
For more information on the Buffalo Treaty and efforts to bring back the Buffalo please visit the following links: buffalorelations.land and buffalotreaty.com
Danielle Vienneau, Editorin-Chief with SAY Magazine, believes in the power of sharing positive stories to inspire greatness in others. To submit your story, email editor@ saymag.com
"I think it’s ridiculous that there’s one, maybe two active professional Indigenous women’s soccer players in North America." For distinguished forward Victoria Marchand, the lack of Indigenous athletes at the top of North American sport is an all too familiar and personal affair, hardly exclusive to soccer. Last season’s NHL had just 10 Indigenous players across the league, while the CFL, NBA, and MLB are equally if not more bereft. In one sense, it’s yet another example of marginalization; why would sport be any different from education, industry, politics, and wider society? But a look across the Pacific shows it doesn’t have to be this way.
In both Canada and Australia, Indigenous people make up roughly five per cent of the wider population, and the histories of colonization, cultural genocide, and continued discrimination bear many similarities. But whereas the number of prominent athletes in the North American major leagues could be counted on one hand, the situation is remarkably reversed Down Under. In Australia’s two most popular sporting competitions, the Australia Football League (AFL) and National Rugby League (NRL), more than one in ten players is Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander.
Such is their preponderance in rugby league that often a quarter of national team players are Indigenous, whilst the sport’s All Stars weekend pits the best Indigenous Australian men and women against the Māori of Aotearoa New Zealand. Clubs, players, and leagues even involve themselves in pertinent political issues, with the NRL, AFL, Olympic and Commonwealth Games committees, soccer federation, and multiple other governing bodies coming out in support of the Yes campaign in the run-up to the Voice referendum.
The usual voices may ask why such representation matters, that in
professional sporting recruitment, the only consideration must be the cut-throat pursuit of the most talented at any given moment. But analyzing why there is such a shortage of talent at the top highlights the structural and societal barriers facing Indigenous Peoples in sport and life. The lack of role models also entrenches a cycle of futility, depriving generations of inspiration to pursue their sporting dreams.
What explains this discrepancy?
For one, pathways and development look remarkably different in Canada and Australia. Promising youth talent in Canada is primarily funnelled through educational institutions, from the school level up to the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) and U Sport tournaments for colleges and universities respectively, eventually ending up at the drafts for the major leagues.
In Australia the path is more direct, with professional clubs scouting the best players directly from local teams based in the community. Whilst leagues fund and promote outreach programs to Indigenous communities, the picture in Canada is limited and piecemeal. Asked about league-led specific programs and outreach initiatives for Indigenous athletes, Marchand unequivocally responded, “There
is currently none. There’s currently nothing for Indigenous athletes in the CCAA and U Sport.”
The picture varies depending on sport and province, with more partnerships and pathways in British Columbia. But “there’s nothing that exists east of that, which is very devastating because there are a lot of great players.” Indeed, such is Marchand’s commitment to “play for a club that supports a vision and mission to support Indigenous athletes” that she undertook five-hours flights to play in BC League 1 for Nautsa’mawt FC, the country’s only Indigenous owned club. However, after the end of the 2023 season, the club withdrew from the provincial competition.
It’s symptomatic of a wider piecemeal system across Canadian sport in which major leagues by and large abdicate responsibility, with a handful of clubs and universities attempting some outreach projects but never able to provide the required coverage. There are plenty of ideas for how to rectify the practical barriers, with more grassroots partnerships between professional leagues, schools, postsecondary institutions and communities coming top of the agenda.
The AFL has several grassroots Indigenous programs, and there is a National Indigenous Cricket Championship. In the rugby league, the Koori Knockout emerged from inner-city Sydney’s Aboriginal community over 50 years ago to provide further access for Indigenous players. It has grown into one of Australia’s largest Indigenous gatherings, and attracts contemporary superstars and aspiring players alike.
But it is not just as simple as more outreach programs, dedicated pathways, and subsidies. As in too many walks of life, societal change is required. In addition to the structural barriers, players face racism and discrimination, even from their own teammates and support staff. Marchand told SAY Magazine that she would be nicknamed ‘Pocahontas’ and how racism and discrimination nearly destroyed her career.
Addressing the barriers that prevent Indigenous youth from chasing their dreams is not only worthwhile but will also have a galvanizing effect for the future.
There were no support systems to tackle the “underlying toxicity” whilst even at Nautsa’mawt FC, non-Indigenous players would be favoured over Indigenous ones. She suggested more Indigenous coaching modules with multiple layers of training and education for coaching and players, possibly with an oath to forego racism and discrimination that incorporates a cultural safety component.
Fundamentally, sport can only have so much of an impact in a structurally discriminatory society, and Australia is no stranger to these issues. The limitations of sport as an influence were demonstrated by Australians voting ‘No’ to the Voice (which aimed to enshrine acknowledgment of and consultation with First Nations into the constitution) despite sporting endorsements.
However, just because there are limitations, does not mean that action should be avoided, nor that genuinely substantive change can be affected. At the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, 400-metre gold medallist Cathy Freeman defied a ban to perform a victory lap with both the national and Aboriginal flag. In 2015, North Queensland Cowboys captain Jonathan Thurston celebrated the grand final victory on the pitch with his daughter holding a black doll. In 2020, Australia’s female soccer team, boasting two Indigenous players, proudly flew the black, red, and yellow Aboriginal flag. It was a way to
“represent our people on the world stage that would show the rich culture that we have in Australia and support against discrimination and inequality,” in the words of striker Kyah Simon, who cited Freeman as an inspiration to herself and teammates.
These are moments that capture the public zeitgeist—powerful symbols of not only the potential that Indigenous athletes can have in their respective sport, but also of their right to inhabit the national sporting conscience, that with the right measures and hard work, success can be achieved and dreams can come true. Of course, it will take funding and dedicated programs, and there are limits on just how much restitutive impact sport can have. When society continues to operate in a discriminatory manner and is so divided that any goodfaith measures are open to malignment and wilful misinterpretation, there is a natural disincentive to take proactive action.
Addressing the barriers that prevent Indigenous youth from chasing their dreams is not only worthwhile but will also have a galvanizing effect for the future. Inspiring the next generation is an oft-quoted cliché, but it nonetheless remains true that visible (and numerous) role models can have an activating and motivational impact on young followers, convincing them that it is possible to achieve ultimate sporting glory. As Marchand said, “The priority is exposure and getting the kids hooked and having role models in the community.”
Thomas Law is a writer and MA candidate at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at the University of Toronto. He has written for the Koori Mail, an Indigenous Australian-owned newspaper.
As an Indigenous woman dealing with the effects of intergenerational trauma, I find myself at a crossroads between the painful past and a hopeful future. My journey is more than just getting by, it’s about showing the strength and resilience that come from facing and overcoming these challenges. It’s a message of hope to others in our communities who are working to improve wellness despite the racism and injustices that still exist.
Against this background, the Pembina Trails School Division
(PT) in Winnipeg, Manitoba, is doing important work. PT is committed to creating a school environment where Indigenous, Black, and People of Colour (IBPOC) students feel included, supported, and valued. By organizing events like diversity walks and cultural festivals, and working on an anti-racism policy, PT is taking real steps toward building a more equitable and inclusive community. PT’s work goes beyond just talking about diversity and inclusion. They’re actively making changes, like hiring Indigenous student support teachers and creating an equity and inclusion position. These steps are crucial for making sure every student can achieve their best, in an environment that respects and honors their cultural background. Moreover, PT’s focus on anti-racism
education and creating policies to tackle systemic injustices shows a deep commitment to making school a safe place for Indigenous students.
Addressing the problem of antiIndigenous racism is essential for the well-being of Indigenous students. It’s about breaking down the barriers in the way of our health, getting equal access to resources, and challenging the microaggressions or stereotypes that hold us back. This effort is not just for us now but for future generations too. It encourages everyone to see things from different perspectives and work together for change, aiming for a society that truly values and celebrates Indigenous Peoples. This narrative of resilience and advocacy for change is deeply personal. My own experiences with microaggressions, both in professional settings and as a mother, highlight the pervasive challenges Indigenous Peoples face.
As an educator myself, I have poured my heart into the education system for over two decades, integrating history, culture, and perspectives with the hope that this would change attitudes toward my people. When I became a parent I hoped these efforts would create room for my children to flourish in our shared education system. At the tender age of six my son’s experiences with exclusionary behaviours, despite my best efforts, hit a painful bump in his lived experience as a visible Indigenous child. Instead of seeing his brown skin color as a symbol of pride, he wished he had white skin as he was beginning to experience that his skin color and ancestry set him apart and was not as accepted as other races among his peers. His wish for white skin, driven by a desire for acceptance, underscores the critical need for environments that affirm Indigenous identities and promote pride in one’s heritage.
These experiences are powerful reminders of the necessity to combat anti-Indigenous racism vigorously. My journey and my son’s journey stand as a testament to resilience and hope amidst the challenges posed by systemic injustice—also reflective of a broader struggle within our communities to foster wellness and challenge the status quo. In this context, the efforts of the Pembina Trails School Division in Winnipeg are important to highlight and celebrate. Through various initiatives, PT is actively working to dismantle the systemic barriers that have long hindered true inclusivity, and their work goes beyond mere dialogue about diversity and inclusion.
By hiring Indigenous student support teachers and the creation of an equity and diversity position, they have a team, not just talking about change, they’re actively pursuing it. These roles are pivotal, as they are not just hired to support or enhance
achievement, they are there to challenge the existing norms. This task is monumental, representing a significant departure from the everyday workings of maintaining the existing systems that often overlook or marginalize voices and experiences. Their very presence becomes a disruptive force against those who maintain the current state of affairs.
Acknowledging the magnitude of this undertaking, I commend PT as the third school division in Winnipeg that is addressing systemic racism head-on by working to develop an anti-racism policy. My work with them, and previously with another school division on similar initiatives, has shown me the depth of reflection and critical examination required in this process. It’s not a small feat—it demands courage, a willingness to confront uncomfortable truths, and a dedication to effecting real, lasting change.
Developing an anti-racism policy is a clear indicator of PT’s dedication to
not just achieving academic success but also ensuring wellness for all students. It’s about creating spaces where Indigenous students, and all students of color, can thrive without the burden of systemic barriers or the weight of stereotypes and prejudices. The work of PT, coupled with the personal and collective journeys of Indigenous Peoples striving for wellness and equity, underscores the importance of this ongoing struggle. It highlights the critical role of education in promoting inclusivity and the impact of dedicated individuals and divisions in driving systemic change.
Hats off to the champions within these communities and institutions who move this work forward, ensuring that the path to wellness is accessible to all. Their efforts are not just commendable; they’re essential to building a future where every student can see themselves reflected, respected, and celebrated within their educational journey.
Rebecca Chartrand, the CEO of Indigenous Strategy Alliance, is an Anishinaabe First Nations woman from Treaty 4 territory in Manitoba with over 25 years of experience in K-12 and post-secondary education, including the arts. She has a strong sense of pride in her identity and is highly respected for her courage, integrity, voice and vision. Chartrand’s work focuses on bridging diverse communities through reconciliation, antiracism, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), and Indigenous and multicultural education frameworks.
Known for igniting crowds with their fierce rhythms and uplifting message of unity and consciousness, the B-Side Players are a local favourite, earning 13 San Diego Music awards.
BB-Side Players honour the international cross-pollination that has always made music a universal language. A ninepiece band, their music is as diverse as their ensemble, exploring the multifaceted grooves of Latin America and the Caribbean, and incorporating the sounds of Cuba, Jamaica, Mexico, and Brazil. They combine any beat that catches their ear, regardless of geography or genre, to create a compelling, horn-driven, polyrhythmic groove with the funk, rock, jazz, and hip hop rhythms of their homeland, dropping bits of Cumbia, Salsa, gritty street Samba, Son Montuno, Jarocho, and Boogaloo into the mix.
B-Side Players have been laying down their unique Latin global funk ever since they got together in 1994.
Their albums showcase a band with restless musical intelligence, effortlessly blending genres to fashion their forward-looking Latin-flavored soul music, and their live shows are just as eclectic and electric.
Known for igniting crowds with their fierce rhythms and uplifting message of unity and consciousness, the B-Side Players are a local favourite, earning 13 San Diego Music awards. Part of a new movement in popular music, the band focuses on the political climate of the world and nation. The B-Side Players are a living and breathing cultural art experience for the mind, body and soul.
Seventeen-time international awardwinning MezzoSoprano vocalist, Rhonda Head, released her fourth full-length album in the fall. Waniska, which means to rise up or awaken in the Cree language, is dedicated to Head’s late brother Chris and pays homage to her roots as a member of Swampy Cree Nation in Manitoba’s Treaty 5 Territory.
“The album is about loss and finding happiness again,” shares Head. “Working on this album was very emotional, and spiritual and it also brought great joy. Coming from a reserve in northern Manitoba, this has been one amazing journey from the beginning stages of the album, to the final take.”
From Opaskwayak Cree Nation, Head started playing piano at a young age and excelled in it. As her talent grew, she found success early on, winning multiple music competitions as a youth. Head’s love of music inspired her to learn to play various instruments, strengthening her musicality and eventually leading her to develop her vocals while attending college in Toronto, Ontario. Head’s first vocal coach was an Opera singer and although she was hesitant at first, this style of music helped her find her voice. Head explains how classical music found her— the beginning of a beautiful and successful career that includes a lengthy list of milestones including being a board member at Canada’s largest rights management organization, SOCAN, and
a member of the American Recording Academy.
Head released her very first album Kayas, in 2010. Kayas was recorded in five different languages—Cree, Italian, Latin, French, and English—and won World Album at the 2011 Native American Music Awards. To date, almost all of her recordings have received a music nomination or award—an incredible feat for any artist. “I write about the experiences I have had in my life,” says Head. “I want to keep writing songs, our stories, and share them with the world.” When she performs she hopes to inspire others. “Clapping and a standing ovation is the ultimate compliment,” she says.
Head plans to continue to perform in communities and venues around the world and looks forward to collaborating with other diverse songwriters and artists to create unique euphonious masterpieces.
Head’s latest seven-track album, Waniska, is available now on all streaming platforms.
I write about the experiences I have had in my life, I want to keep writing songs, our stories, and share them with the world. Clapping and a standing ovation is the ultimate compliment. ~ Rhonda Head
“If I can make art that even one queer or trans person hears, or sees, and they stay alive and love themselves and their identity more because of it, mission accomplished.”
~ Marx Cassity
Indigiqueer artist Marx Cassity delivers inspired synth-driven electronic rock songs with Native nuances, that speak to overcoming hardship through resilience in connection to nature, humour, love, compassion, spirituality, and heritage. On a mission to help people embrace their identity, and guided by spirit and ancestors, Cassity is constantly exploring and evolving as an artist and a person.
Cassity is an enrolled citizen of the Osage Nation, with Kaw, Saponi, and Susquehannock, as well as French, Scottish-Irish, Irish, English, and German heritage. They are named for their Osage Congressman grandfather Mark Freeman, Jr., and grew up on the Osage reservation on the land of their great-grandmother, original allottee Grace Lessert Freeman who taught them a love of playing piano. Drawn to the instrument from a very young age, Cassity ended up studying classical piano well into their college years.
As a child in the 70s Cassity was happily labeled a tomboy and spent a lot of time running around barefoot in the dirt, recording the sounds of thunder on a cassette tape recorder and later spinning vinyl records of artists such as Queen, Pat Benatar, Eurythmics, David Bowie, and Prince as a youth. Coming out as queer in the late 80s came with significant challenges, to say the least, and this led Cassity to drop out of music school to become a nurse during the era of the AIDS crisis. They eventually became a trauma therapist specializing in Native and 2SLGBTQ+ resilience.
During the pandemic lockdown, while Cassity worked as a trauma therapist for Native American and LGBTQ+ clients, they came across a startling statistic regarding the alarming percentage of Native American
LGBTQ+ youth who attempted suicide in 2020. This became the inspiration for Cassity’s forthcoming album 2Sacred. Having been one of those youth, Cassity wanted to share their story to help people feel less alone and more confident in authentically expressing who they are. “After hearing that disturbing statistic, my mission for creating this project was born,” says Cassity. “If I can make art that even one queer or trans person hears, or sees, and they stay alive and love themselves and their identity more because of it, mission accomplished.”
The result is a collection of 10 songs that make up Cassity’s fourth studio album 2Sacred. The album explores themes of what it means to be TwoSpirit—an LGBTQ+ person with Native American heritage who has learned to love and accept themselves, and who has chosen to pursue art as an act of devotion and decolonization. For this highly vulnerable material, Cassity was grateful to work with Wolf Carr for vocal production at the Hallowed Halls Studio alongside engineer Justin Phelps who created an environment of safety and groundedness, both as solid allies to Native American/ Indigiqueer artists. 2Sacred was funded by grants awarded to artists by two Native American non-profit organizations, NDN Collective and the Osage Nation Foundation. The album is available now on most streaming platforms.
by LARRY K.
Canadian Wildlife Federation
Canadian Mennonite University
cmu.ca
Community Futures Manitoba
cfmanitoba.ca
Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology (MITT)
mitt.ca
National Aboriginal Capital Corporations Association (NACCA)
nacca.ca
The Frog Radio
thefrogradio.com
Thompson Rivers University
findyourtru.ca
Vision Quest Conferences
vqconference.com
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