Kahsenniyo performs a poem reckoning with the wounds of colonialism and breaking cycles of trauma – CBC.ca

As Canadians observe the inaugural National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, we bring together four Indigenous female poets to speak their truth in the sixth edition of the CBC Arts series Poetic License. Watch previous performances now and read Kahsenniyo Williams's poem below.

Contains strong language.

Hamilton-based poet Kahsenniyo's name means "a good name"in Mohawk.She credits her mother's sense of humour for her name but as an artist, matriarch and 1492 Land Back Lane activist who uses her words for social change,her mother may have predestined the empowered woman her daughter would grow up to be.

Watch Kahsenniyo perform Decolonizing Love in the video above and follow her at @landback_and_lipstick also a good name. In this deeply personal poem, Kahsenniyo reckons with the ways in which colonialism has decimated Indigenous lands and family structures and offers her own strategies to break the cycle of intergenerational trauma.

This video was filmed on location at the Woodland Cultural Centre, a site at which a small but mighty group has transformed the original intent of the Mohawk Institute Indian Residential School into a place of reconciliation and learning to promote Indigenous art and history.

Special thank you as well also to multidisciplinary artist Kelly Greene.Greene is of Mohawk-Oneida-Sicilian ancestry, a member of the Six Nations of the Grand River Reserve, and a descendant of the Turtle Clan.Her work centres around environmental, political and cultural themes that have been impacted by colonization.Her incredible installation "The Haldimand Coupe" (2015)is featured in the video.

I fell in love with you centuries agoas we stood belowthe silver moonsurrounded by treesme weeding gardens on my kneesnot knowing the complexitiesthat over centurieswould be put in our way

even though I wanted to staythe white man took me awayand held me in the captivityof his lust for memy brown skin a symbol of the earththat had no worthto himand I been struggling to love you since then

I've been struggling to love myselfI forgot my valueI allowed you to disrespect meas a woman I am to demand respectaccept nothing lessbecause I am worthy

I didn't know how to love the bloodthat once bound us so tightlycolonization made it impossible for you to like mebe attracted to medesire me sexuallyrespect me

I am the colour of earthwe took on the colonizer's idea of worth; it's made us forget who you arewho I amwho we are supposed to be togetherleft each other to walk this land with foreign responsibilitiesI abandoned you

you were left in the emptinessof her hollow chestwith each one of her breathsyou were left with lesseach time she inhaledher power prevailedleaving you living in a secret nightmarebut you put on a happy face, pretend that things are greatwhen day grows latethe darkness swallows you wholeyou are left with an unfilled soulin silenceemptinessdarknessfilled with regret

haunted by blood memories of mememories of who you are supposed to be

haunted by your strongsoft rhythmic heart beat in her captivityas these beats echofrom generations agoyou are reminded of the drums from homethe songs you know you are supposed to sing for your family

I've realized I don't want to plant gardens aloneit's taken a lot but I'm glad we've both come homeassimilated ideologiesof our responsibilitieswe've let gomy heart you have sewnwith needles of traditionheld together by threads of languageyour handswill help rebuild clanstogetherwe can heal centuries of collective traumaby fiercely loving the fuck out of each otherthe way we raise our children has consequencesSo, let's soak them in our love

teach our daughterstheir hearts are made of lavahave star dust under their tonguesand the ability to sift tides in their wombs

let's allow laughter to vibrate so loudlyour great grandchildren feel us in their bones

Watch more Poetic License.

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Kahsenniyo performs a poem reckoning with the wounds of colonialism and breaking cycles of trauma - CBC.ca