Artist Statement
Birth sovereignty inspired me to draw from wisdom about Indigenous midwifery in my kinship connections. Privileging these memories and medicines made me feel as though I had an extended model of care that crosscut generations. It was comforting, empowering, and it nurtured my spiritual health: powerful ingredients for welcoming baby. The stories of our ancestors are strengthened by what we share, and I use photovoice to dismantle Canada’s colonial narratives that ignore or devalue Indigenous women’s life experiences. This image is part of a series called Lifelines that weaves birth experiences with the storwork of my family narratives.

Biography
Vanda is a Métis woman from the prairies of western Manitoba and her ancestral homelands extend from Red River throughout the Assiniboine valley. Family relationships and a rural upbringing cultivated a pull towards stories embedded in land and memory. Vanda’s storywork approach blends Indigenous voices and community narratives and the lens of empowerment makes this work meaningful. Her photographs of Birtle Residential School appeared in Locale: Bringing Heritage to Life, the magazine of the National Trust for Canada. Vanda’s greatest sources of inspiration are her three children and the stories of her ancestors.