Honouring Warrior Women at Rhythms of Resilience 2025

On September 25, our community came together in song, dance and story for Rhythms of Resilience: Voices of Warrior Women at the Japanese Hall on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səl̓ílwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. 

Held each year ahead of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, this gathering is not a performance or festival; it is a space to honour Survivors and intergenerational Survivors, to remember the children who never came home and to witness the strength and care that Indigenous communities continue to carry forward. 

Grounded in welcome and nourishment 

The evening opened with words from Elder Mary Point of Musqueam, who grounded us in the teachings of this land. The hall carried a sense of warmth and welcome. Guests shared a meal prepared by Salishan Catering, featuring salmon, bannock, roasted vegetables and other traditional foods that nourished body and spirit. Sharing food together reminded us that culture lives not only in story and song, but also in daily acts of care and connection. 

Warrior women honoured in circle 

This year’s theme, warrior women, resonated throughout the evening. Spakwus Slolem (Eagle Song Dancers), Hayley Wallis, and Tsatsu Stalqayu (Coastal Wolf Pack) offered teachings and movement that honoured matriarchs, mothers, aunties and grandmothers, the women who hold language, protect families and carry traditions forward. 

Midway through the program, the Women’s Warrior Song rose in the hall. Emcees Erin Seeley and Celeste Haldane invited matriarchs and women to stand, acknowledging warrior women among us. Then, as the song lifted again, the audience joined in. The hall filled with voices, some strong, some tentative, but together forming a chorus of recognition and gratitude. It was a moment of collective witness that reached beyond performance into ceremony. 

A space of care and connection 

Care was woven into the gathering. Healing areas led by representatives from the Indian Residential School Survivors Society offered medicines and quiet support. ASL interpretation ensured that more people could take part in the stories being shared. Free childminding welcomed families, reminding us that reconciliation must also include accessibility, inclusion and care. 

The vendor tables added another layer of connection. Indigenous artists and makers offered a diverse selection of goods, from beadwork and jewelry to tea and chocolate! Visitors did not just browse, they listened, learned and built relationships. A heartfelt thank you to our incredible vendors: Hype Chocolate, Another Coyote, Tina Taphouse, Ambers Beading, Firekeepers Collective, Uy Shqwuluwun Creations and Carmen Redunante Art and Design. Thank you for sharing your artistry, creativity and entrepreneurship with the community.

Carrying it forward 

As we move toward the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, may we continue to honour the children who never came home and the Survivors and families who live with this history every day. May we carry forward the voices of warrior women, whose strength continues to guide and protect communities. 

Gratitude 

Rhythms of Resilience is only possible through the work and care of many. We thank the Indian Residential School Survivors Society for providing cultural and health supports, Vancouver Moving Theatre for stewarding the sound and A/V, Suzette Amaya for capturing event photography and backdrop photobooth portraits and Salishan Catering for nourishing us with salmon, bannock and cultural foods. 

We are deeply grateful to the artists, Elders, vendors, matriarchs, staff, volunteers and everyone who gathered with us. Your presence helps carry these stories forward with respect and responsibility. 

Traditional Opening  
Elder Mary Point, xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) (IG: @marypointgrandma)  
 
Performers  
Spakwus Slolem (Eagle Song Dancers) (#eaglesongdancers)  
Hayley Wallis (IG: @hayleycwallis)  
Tsatsu Stalqayu (Coastal Wolf Pack) (IG: @coastalwolfpack1)  
 
Vendors  

• Hype Chocolate (IG: @hypechocolate.co)  
• Another Coyote (IG: @anothercoyote)  
• Tina Taphouse (IG: @tina_taphouse)  
• Ambers Beading (IG: @ambersbeading)  
• Firekeepers Collective (IG: @firekeeperscollective)  
• Uy Shqwuluwun Creations (IG: @uy_shqwuluwun_creations)  
• Carmen Redunante Art & Design (IG: @carmenredunante)  

Catering  
Salishan Catering (IG: @salishancatering)  
 
Cultural and Health Supports  
Indian Residential School Survivors Society (IG: @irsssbc) 

Sound and AV
Vancouver Moving Theatre (IG: @vancouvermovingtheatre)

Photography
Suzette Amaya (IG: @suzetteamaya)