Ask any longtime Yellowknifer and theySA国际影视传媒檒l tell you SA国际影视传媒� everyone knew Margaret Thrasher.
A fixture downtown in the 1970s and '80s, Thrasher, an Inuvialuit woman, was monikered the matriarch of the citySA国际影视传媒檚 street population. A protector and a proclamator, she was often seen, and heard, SA国际影视传媒渉olding courtSA国际影视传媒� in front of Franklin Avenue's post office, her booming voice, and blasting boombox, too hard to ignore.
Sometimes, Thrasher could be seen sitting on a curb, sketching or painting the urban landscape that surrounded her.
But Nina Segalowitz, ThrasherSA国际影视传媒檚 daughter, grew up not knowing the woman known to so many in Yellowknife.
Born in Fort Smith in the early '70s, Segalowitz was taken from Thrasher during the Sixties Scoop SA国际影视传媒� when thousands of Indigenous children in Canada were taken from their families to be adopted or put in foster homes between the 1950s and 1980s SA国际影视传媒� when she was just a baby. Segalowitz was adopted by a Montreal couple.
Segalowitz grew up knowing she was from Fort Smith. She knew she was SA国际影视传媒淓skimo"SA国际影视传媒� the term used at the time. But she knew nothing of her biological father, a Dene man from Alberta, or of her mother, Margaret.
SA国际影视传媒淚 grew up without knowing who I was,SA国际影视传媒� said Segalowitz in a recent interview with Yellowknifer.
In the late '90s, a quest to reclaim her culture and identity took Segalowitz back to her birthplace, where she met her biological father, and learned her mother, Thrasher, had died in 1989.
She went back to her life in Quebec, left with only a few material items linking her to her mother.
That changed when a parcel arrived at Segalowitz's doorstep this week.
Segalowitz waited until Thursday, her birthday, to open it. Inside, a painting of Yellowknife's Gold Range bar, created by Thrasher herself.
"I'm able to be with my birth mother on my birthday," said Segalowitz, fighting back tears as she unveiled the painting during a Facebook Live video Thursday.
The painting was sent by Gail Cyr, a well-known Yellowknifer who recently connected with Segalowitz online.
Segalowitz knew the piece was coming, but didn't know what it looked like, leaving her with a "wonderful surprise" on her birthday.
Cyr, who tuned into the emotional online unveiling, was gifted the painting by late Northern News Services founder Jack SA国际影视传媒淪igSA国际影视传媒� Sigvaldason on her 60th birthday.
Cyr, herself SA国际影视传媒渇inallySA国际影视传媒� reconnecting with some of her foster brother and sisters, told Yellowknifer she knows the value of holding on to the little things.
SA国际影视传媒淗aving something of them in your possession is important,SA国际影视传媒� said Cyr. SA国际影视传媒淪o I got in contact with (Segalowitz) and told her ISA国际影视传媒檇 like to send it to her,SA国际影视传媒� she added.
SA国际影视传媒楽tolenSA国际影视传媒� identity
For Segalowitz, who knew little about her motherSA国际影视传媒檚 art, the painting means the world.
SA国际影视传媒淲hen I see paintings or drawings that my mother did, it just brings me closer,SA国际影视传媒� said Segalowitz.
Raised by two university professors in Montreal, Segalowitz grew up in an "enriched" environment with SA国际影视传媒渁 lot of material things.SA国际影视传媒� She went to private school, travelled around the world with her parents and began cello lessons at the age of three.
SA国际影视传媒淚 played in an orchestra. I had loved music for a long time. But it didnSA国际影视传媒檛 feel like it came from where I came from.SA国际影视传媒�
When Segalowitz heard Inuit throat singing and Dene hand drumming as a teen, it felt like home.
At 18, after stepping into Montreal's Native Friendship Centre, she became a SA国际影视传媒渟ponge" to the culture she had lost. Segalowitz began searching for ways to make herself "feel more Inuit ... more native."
SA国际影视传媒淚t started from the outside, from beadwork to braiding my hair. But then it became an internal thing where it felt like I had to have connections with drumming and singing,SA国际影视传媒� said Segalowitz.
Segalowitz began throat singing while at university. Twenty five years later, sheSA国际影视传媒檚 still performing, often bringing her own daughters along with her. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 part of keeping a vow to her three children, that she wouldnSA国际影视传媒檛 let them live with the SA国际影视传媒渟ame trauma of being separated and of not knowing who they are.SA国际影视传媒�
Performing also brings her closer to Thrasher.
SA国际影视传媒淢usic for me has been a way to really piece together an identity that was stolen from me when I was taken from my mother."
Gold Range Tavern tales
In 1999, Segalowitz took a bus from Montreal to Yellowknife. During the trip, she took a seat at the Gold Range bar.
SA国际影视传媒淪omeone said, SA国际影视传媒榯hatSA国际影视传媒檚 where your mother used to sit,'SA国际影视传媒� recalled Segalowitz.
She spoke with residents, many of whom were amazed at how much she looked like her mother, and heard stories about Thrasher breaking up bar fights and protecting women on the street. Listening to the stories, Segalowitz thought SA国际影视传媒渢hatSA国际影视传媒檚 how I am.SA国际影视传媒�
Segalowitz, who grew up knowing nothing about her motherSA国际影视传媒檚 penchant for protecting people, has worked as a social worker for decades.
Her first job was a front-line worker at a womenSA国际影视传媒檚 shelter.
SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 very protective of my family and my friends and ISA国际影视传媒檝e always played a role of standing up to the bully,SA国际影视传媒� said Segalowitz. SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 very strange to hear youSA国际影视传媒檙e just like somebody youSA国际影视传媒檝e never met and have been searching for all your life.SA国际影视传媒�
Segalowitz said Cyr, who has been SA国际影视传媒渟upportiveSA国际影视传媒� in helping her learn more about her mother and family in the North, sent her the painting even though they'd never met in person.
SA国际影视传媒淭hat just moves me to tears.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒楽inging, painting, holding courtSA国际影视传媒�
Cyr smiles when she recalls the many stories and memories of Margaret Thrasher.
In the late 1980s, Thrasher ran for mayor of Yellowknife, handing out posters and pins to supporters on the street.
She nearly won.
When Cyr was acting mayor in the '80s, Thrasher was recruited to lead a crew of street cleaners in on city streets. Just two days later, Cyr received a phone call.
SA国际影视传媒淪A国际影视传媒榃hatSA国际影视传媒檚 wrong with the streets?SA国际影视传媒橲A国际影视传媒� Cyr remembers the caller asking. SA国际影视传媒淚 go SA国际影视传媒榳hat do you mean?,' fearing the worst.
SA国际影视传媒淪A国际影视传媒楾heySA国际影视传媒檙e so clean,SA国际影视传媒橲A国际影视传媒� the caller replied.
SA国际影视传媒淪he was such a fixture on the streets. Singing, painting, doing this and that SA国际影视传媒� holding court,SA国际影视传媒� said Cyr.
As for Segalowitz's newly-acquired Thrasher-original, she has a special place picked out for the painting right next to her medicine bundle and eagle feathers.
She hopes to pass it on to her children.
SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檒l make sure my girls know who it comes from.SA国际影视传媒�
