Staff at the Prince George Native Friendship Centre (PGNFC) gathered, spaced apart, in front of the third avenue building to uplift spirits with songs of healing.
The physically distanced ‘flash mob’ consisted of drumming and performing of four traditional Indigenous songs.
“It really is about sharing out medicine,” says PGNFC executive director Barb Ward-Burkitt.
“At times when there are challenges especially for Indigenous people we come together through medicine and medicine can happen in many ways – through the language, through the songs, through our drums, we use the smudge bowl to cleanse the drums before we came out – so that is about sharing that medicine. I think that it makes a lot of sense given what we are going through right now.”
She says the event was also held to uplift the spirits of PGNFC staff who are on the frontlines every day.
"Our buildings are all open and we needed to do something to uplift their spirits and around staff morale also. This was an opportunity to do that and have a little fun.”
The PGNFC says it'll will take a moment every Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. in front of its Third Avenue building to perform the songs.
“We might have some different songs but I think it will be the same kind of messaging. It’s an opportunity to uplift folks and let people know that we are here and that we are thinking of them and that we are prepared to care of all of our vulnerable people, in the same way, each and every day while at the same time practicing all of those universal safety precautions.”
