I am a PhD Candidate. It seems weird to think of that title being applied to my name. How did I get this far in the first place? I am a storyteller, a painter, a fibre artist and a traditional crafts person and teacher. How have I become a link in this huge, scary academic wheel?
I am attending the University of Victoria, in the Indigenous Governance PhD Program. I just finished my Masters of Education at SFU, I am going to convocation next weekend. It has been a whirlwind of academia and I am dealing with a sense of loss and confusion, a loss of connection to my Northern Tutchone homeland. I miss the Yukon, granted I have only been here in BC for about 35 days, but it seems longer, the seasons here don't seem to change as they do back home.
I miss the ritual around the first snowfall. The gathering of winter gear, the prepping of the yard and the patio for the impending snow. The stacking of books to read on cold snowy days. The hunting season with family.
I miss most of all, my family, extended and immediate members.
I have challenged myself by being here, and I want to make this a success. I aim to get the most of this opportunity as possible. Then I can relax in my homeland.
