Theresa HarmonSA国际影视传媒檚 mother used to call her SA国际影视传媒渢he lost one.SA国际影视传媒�

Separated from each other in Yellowknife during the Sixties Scoop, Harmon and her birth mother, Mary Crookedhand Thomas, spent decades and worlds apart.

Then, in 2008, thanks to some web-sleuthing and a lone NWT number listed under her mother's name, they found each other.

Driven by a desire to rediscover what sheSA国际影视传媒檇 lost SA国际影视传媒� her culture and the mother she never knew SA国际影视传媒� Harmon travelled with her two teenagers from California, where sheSA国际影视传媒檇 settled, to the Northwest Territories. Mary, a longtime Lutsel K'e resident, met them in Dettah.

Harmon recounted the trip to Yellowknifer in 2008.

After the visit, Harmon returned to life in California. Her kids graduated, moved out and married. She became a grandmother. But she always made sure to give Mary, and her step-dad Eddy Catholique, a call up North.

Last summer, the call came to Harmon.

SA国际影视传媒�(My cousin) said SA国际影视传媒榶ou need to come up here,'" recalled Harmon in an interview with Yellowknifer earlier this week.

Eddy, her mother's longtime husband, had died. In Lutsel K'e, there was no one left to take care of her.

Harmon was torn.

SA国际影视传媒�I fought it,SA国际影视传媒� she admitted. Harmon was still grappling with the recent death of her own husband when she weighed whether or not to leave everything behind.

SA国际影视传媒�I had a good life in California. I had a good job, a nice place SA国际影视传媒� great weather.SA国际影视传媒� Her kids, Harmon said, called her crazy for even thinking about dropping everything to go take care of a woman she barely knew.

SA国际影视传媒�One day I just said, SA国际影视传媒極K, ISA国际影视传媒檒l go up there and ISA国际影视传媒檒l get to know the woman I didnSA国际影视传媒檛 know,SA国际影视传媒� said Harmon.

SA国际影视传媒�And I did it.SA国际影视传媒�

In August, Harmon packed her bags and flew more than 3,000 kilometres, trading in the hustle and bustle of AmericaSA国际影视传媒檚 most populous state for a Northern community of 300 plus residents.

SA国际影视传媒�It was like learning to walk again,SA国际影视传媒� said Harmon.

'It's all about mom'

The land was SA国际影视传媒渂eautifulSA国际影视传媒� and SA国际影视传媒減eaceful.SA国际影视传媒� Her mother was SA国际影视传媒渧ery happySA国际影视传媒� to see Harmon. Mary joked she'd SA国际影视传媒渒idnappedSA国际影视传媒� Harmon, vowing to not to lose the SA国际影视传媒渓ost oneSA国际影视传媒� again.

But HarmonSA国际影视传媒檚 transition from California to Lutsel K'e SA国际影视传媒� the latest chapter in a complicated quest to reclaim her identity and culture following the Sixties Scoop SA国际影视传媒� hasn't been easy.

After a harsh winter, Hamon was ready to throw her hat in and leave.

She didn't.

SA国际影视传媒�ISA国际影视传媒檝e decided to stay, to see this through,SA国际影视传媒� said Harmon.

SA国际影视传媒�ItSA国际影视传媒檚 all about mom.SA国际影视传媒�

Harmon plans on staying for the foreseeable future SA国际影视传媒� but the challenges remain.

The little comforts of California are gone. Harmon sees the sadness and anger that festers in her community, passed down through inter-generational trauma SA国际影视传媒� including the enduring wounds of the Scoop SA国际影视传媒� and the lack of resources to deal with it.

But in leaving her life in California behind, Harmon says sheSA国际影视传媒檚 gained a lot, too.

SheSA国际影视传媒檚 learned, through new friendships with a group of women in Lutsel K'e, how to make a fire, how to dry meat and tan moose hide and how to fish SA国际影视传媒� things she SA国际影视传媒渘ever, everSA国际影视传媒� saw herself doing only months ago.

'I've learned to kick back and breathe'

Some days, you can find her cutting wood or riding a Ski-Doo. SA国际影视传媒淚 learned that I love going berry picking SA国际影视传媒� even ice fishing. It was freaking cold, but I still enjoyed it,SA国际影视传媒� said Harmon.

Her new life is a far-cry from the SA国际影视传媒済o-go-goSA国际影视传媒� culture of California, she added.

SA国际影视传媒�It feels great,SA国际影视传媒� laughed Harmon on the change in pace.

SA国际影视传媒�ISA国际影视传媒檝e learned to kick back and breathe.SA国际影视传媒�

As for reconnecting with her culture SA国际影视传媒� Harmon is still working on it. But when she looks back on the Sixties Scoop, Harmon is SA国际影视传媒減ast the anger.SA国际影视传媒�

When Harmon was separated from her mother at the age of one, after Mary contracted tuberculosis, she bounced between foster homes before being adopted in Ontario. She was told her biological parents were both dead.

It was the SA国际影视传媒渋solation and liesSA国际影视传媒� that hurt most, said Harmon.

Important to share survivor's stories

Some Sixties Scoop survivors wishing to apply for compensation as part of the federal government's $875-million settlement attended an information session in Yellowknife earlier this week.

For Harmon, a remedy to the lasting impact caused by the Sixties Scoop transcends any SA国际影视传媒渕onetary valueSA国际影视传媒� placed on pain.

SA国际影视传媒�Money helps, but what Indigenous people really need is to be able to share their stories and talk about the isolation and trauma,SA国际影视传媒� said Harmon.

By telling the latest chapter in her story, Harmon hopes to work towards breaking that SA国际影视传媒渢aboo.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒� In memory of Eddy Catholique.