Name
Aryn
Tribal Nation
James Bay Cree
Attawapiskat First Nation
Omushkego Territory
Encourage
Aryn Sutherland has lived in her home community most of her life. She is a member of the Attawapiskat First Nation in northern Ontario on the coast of James Bay. Aryn finds peace and healing on the land, where she also finds connection. She has always loved hunting and going to ceremonies. She has a goal of sharing traditional knowledge and skills to live off the land with young women to then teach their children.
In the coming months, Aryn is preparing to embark on her journey as a student midwife in her hometown. The opportunity to contribute to the well-being of women, babies, and families within her community fills her with joy. As a mother of three, she loves learning about pregnancy and babies and is eager to share her own experiences as a mother. She is excited to begin her work for her home community with Neepeeshowan midwives.
Given her interest in midwifery and learning about her culture, Aryn will find deep meaning in caring for women and contributing to women bringing birth back home. She will be working to collect knowledge and share traditional ways of pregnancy, birth, and childcare with women in her community. Her goal is to restore indigenous midwifery and ancestral/traditional knowledge pertaining to Indigenous midwifery.
Aryn hopes to inspire and encourage more young women in Attawapiskat to become midwives. She believes midwives’ work brings healing, unity, and strength to her people.
