The Blessing

Elder Grandmother Doreen Spence's The Blessing is a prayer which opens this Special Issue. It speaks to the knowledge that Indigenous people gleaned from having survived centuries of persecution is of value for the present day. This prayer, The Blessing can be viewed as a call to action for reconciliation. Elder Spence says that "Life i.s a gift and not a given. Life must be respected. The concept of respect here implies an active process of interaction with "every living entity upon Mother Earth."