Mi'kmaw elder creates 22 paintings for families of N.S. mass shooting victims

Joe Michael, a Mi'kmawelder and 25-year veteran of the RCMP from Sipekne'katik First Nation in Nova Scotia, has prepared a gift forthe families of the victims of April's mass shooting.

Twenty-two people were killed duringthe mass shooting that spanned 13 hours and over 150 kilometres of the province April 18-19.

Michael has created 22 paintings that include elements or symbols of traditional Mi'kmaw teachings, which Michael hopes will help the families to heal from the loss of their loved ones, he said.

"The paintings seemed to flow," Michael said.

"[As soon] as I laid a picture down, another image came to me. It just kind of snowballed from there."

He said that later this year, when measures to stop the spread of COVID-19 are reduced and people are able to gather in greater numbers, he's hoping to meet with the families to share the paintingsand invite them to participate in Mi'kmaw ceremonies. He's recently made his contact information available on his website, if familymembers would like to reach him, he said.

"[The Mi'kmaq] understand, and we want to share our teachings, our healing. We want to help," he said.

Mi'kmaw elder makes paintings to help shooting victims' families

4 years ago

Duration 1:42

Joe Michael has created 22 paintings that include elements or symbols of traditional Mi'kmaw teachings.

Michael, who is known internationally for hand crafting and painting talking sticks itemsused in numerousFirst Nation culturessaid he was reading online reports of the shootings early in the morning on April 19 when he began to feel an uneasyfeeling "in my heart, in my gut,"he said.

Michael served as an RCMP officer in numerous Nova Scotia communities for 25 years. In2014, when three RCMPconstables were killed in a shooting in Moncton, N.B., he was asked to travel to the province to honour the victims and families with Mi'kmaw ceremonies, he said. He made talking sticks for the wives of the three fallen officers.

"I looked at some of the images I put on a talking stick, and I started painting," he said.

"I just let my mind be guided by my hands."

The first painting he completed, he said, was of Const. Heidi Stevenson, who was killed in the shooting. Despite having workedforNova Scotia RCMP at the same time as Stevenson, Michael saidhe didn't know her personally butthat she'd gone out of her way to care for a family member of hiswhen they had a run-in with the law.

"The stories I heard of her ... how she was a well respectedmember. Kindhearted, and always helped people," he said.

Michael framed his painting of Stevenson with an eagle feather, which is a gift ofhigh honour in Mi'kmawcultural practice.

Michael saidhe hopes each family willfeel a connection with a painting and take it home, but that he intends on giving the painting of Stevenson to her family.