BOYLE - As part of the RCMP's commitment to creating a more inclusive and relevant justice system for Indigenous people, each detachment has been presented with an eagle feather that can now be sworn upon for oaths and witness statements, just like a Bible.
The practice was adopted in Alberta courthouses in November 2019 and RCMP "K" Division recently implemented its own Eagle Feather Protocol, as such, the Boyle RCMP Detachment had its feather beaded to protect and maintain it.
In many Indigenous cultures in North America and beyond, the eagle is said to fly closest to the Creator, giving it the vision, power, strength and sacredness to see everything.
Cpl. Colin Folk explained the feather will be used in instances where individuals feel more comfortable using it than a Bible when affirming statements to, or to help give comfort to someone who wants to hold it.
“It's so people can affirm on it, if that’s what they prefer,” he said. “And for victims if they find comfort in handling or holding it while giving a statement.”
He added that while it is not a requirement to have the shaft beaded, it is recommended, along with finding a local Indigenous person to do the work as different regions have different styles.
“It’s to preserve the feather, but also the style of beadwork is different for each Indigenous community,” he said.
Folk reached out to the Buffalo Lake Métis Settlement, east of the village, to see if anyone there would be able to help, and Shelley Anne Cardinal was chosen for the task by her boss, who is an administrator with the settlement.
“They had a meeting and our administrator mentioned me,” Cardinal said. "I didn't really know what she meant so I asked her what she meant by beading a feather, I thought maybe just like a feather design, because I do crafts at home.”
Cardinal has been teaching herself how to bead and also makes wreaths and dreamcatchers, most recently creating a dreamcatcher in honour of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls (MMIWG).
“I make wreaths for people when they have a family member that passed on. I made a huge dreamcatcher for the community for the graveyard and I also went to Standing Rock and I built a dreamcatcher there,” said Cardinal. “I started doing little earrings at home, learning how to bead on my own.”
Cardinal first wrapped the feather shaft in leather then set to work beading it and it took her about two hours to complete, once she got some help.
"I didn't have any idea how to (start) because I'm just teaching myself how to bead so, I had to ask my mom and my mom started me off,” she said. “Once she showed me, I'm a really fast learner.”
The colours and design Cardinal chose represent the Medicine Wheel as it embodies the Four Directions and Father Sky, Mother Earth and Tree Spirit which all symbolize health and the cycles of life. A theme she also used in her MMIWG dreamcatcher that was delivered to Poundmaker Lodge Oct. 24.
Before they were initially sent to detachments, the eagle feathers are cleansed with a smudging ceremony led by an elder from Alexander First Nation, who did so with about 100 feathers for communities across the division, then it was placed in a red case to honour it and for safe storage. The case also symbolizes protection and healing, and will include the feather, a copy of the protocol and the Department of Natural Resources permit.
Cardinal also had her father say a blessing and smudge the feather again after she was finished beading it, before giving it back to the detachment Oct. 23.
Heather Stocking, TownandCountryToday.com
Follow me on Twitter @HLSox
