Posted: May 03, 2021 4:00 AM ET | Last Updated: May 3
Cheynna Gardner, second from left, surrounded by friends, lit a sacred fire in her home First Nation of Migisi Sahgaigan to shine a spotlight on the issue of sexual violence. They hold the photos of two loved ones who died in 2020.(Submitted by Cheynna Gardner)
Watching the flames dance into the nighttime sky with beating hand drums to fill the silence, Cheynna Gardner says she finds healing.
She s spent every night around the sacred fire for the last several weeks.
Sometimes, Gardner is surrounded by friends and family and laughter fills the air. Other times, she s the only one feeding the fire.