It was a book reading that evoked many emotions at the Yellowknife Public Library Saturday, as M茅tis author Bonita Nowell and her mother Angie Mercredi-Crerar shared heartfelt moments with their audience about NowellSA国际影视传媒檚 book, My MotherSA国际影视传媒檚 Legacy.

The story, published last autumn, shares the early childhood experiences of Mercredi-Crerar, such as when she was taken away to residential school SA国际影视传媒� a painful time in her life that she only shared with her daughter when Nowell decided to document her motherSA国际影视传媒檚 history in the pages of her book.

SA国际影视传媒淚 didnSA国际影视传媒檛 tell my kids about it because it was too horrible,SA国际影视传媒� said Mercredi-Crerar, who attended St. Joseph residential school in Fort Resolution. SA国际影视传媒淎ll I learned from that is that my kids would never, ever feel the way I did.SA国际影视传媒�

She said after her children were born, loving them was the most important thing for her to do to counter the effects that residential school had on her life.

SA国际影视传媒淲hen I was left in that residential school, they wrecked me. I had nothing. Nowhere to go and there was no hope. There was nothing for me. We were all alone and nobody cared.

SA国际影视传媒淎nd as I was growing up, I was thinking, SA国际影视传媒楳aybe someday, if I have kids, I will love them and fight for them forever,SA国际影视传媒橲A国际影视传媒� she recalled.

Poignant journey

While writing the book, Nowell told the audience that she SA国际影视传媒渇elt every emotion you could imagineSA国际影视传媒� and that its pages are filled with instances of hope, healing and reconciliation.

She said she feels very fortunate that she was able to document her motherSA国际影视传媒檚 life while she was still alive.

SA国际影视传媒淚 am grateful my mother is still here to share the story,SA国际影视传媒� Nowell said.

To complement the written book, and to honour her motherSA国际影视传媒檚 story further, Nowell said they just completed an audio-book version of the book SA国际影视传媒� complete with her motherSA国际影视传媒檚 voice and that of several other narrators, including herself.

SA国际影视传媒淚 wanted my mom, my momSA国际影视传媒檚 voice to be heard. And so I can pass that along to my siblings and their families. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 a gift to my siblings and their families,SA国际影视传媒� Nowell said.

The audio recording should be ready for sale on platforms such as Amazon, Audible and Google Play by the end of February, she noted.

Nowell said itSA国际影视传媒檚 a good feeling knowing her motherSA国际影视传媒檚 story is documented for others to read and hear SA国际影视传媒� now and for future generations.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 the greatest service to others SA国际影视传媒� be it my family having my motherSA国际影视传媒檚 voice forever; be it the story that may inspire others to reflect on their own family and appreciate their own family,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 been a privilege to share the story. These are hurts, but my mother is at peace today. She has peace of mind, she has peace in her heart. How did she get there? ISA国际影视传媒檓 sharing some of how she got there.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒擝y Jill Westerman