MARJORIE MUISE

Elder

Hailing from Conception Bay South, with deep seeded roots on the west coast of NL in St. Georges, Marjorie is a strong willed, determined and inspiring Elder who is gifted in many ways. A traditional dancer, drummer, singer/songwriter, story teller and cultural knowledge bearer, her spirit is filled with love and adoration for all those that enter her space. Marjorie has an incredible ability to show others their beauty and strength. She is a mentor, supportive, trustworthy and unconditional friend. Her words of encouragement and nod of approval are often all that is needed to gain the confidence to take the next step. Marjorie is vibrant and full of life. Her light hearted nature and fun-loving attitude has a way of making people feel safe and secure in her presence. Marjorie’s support and guidance for the women of the Empowering Indigenous Women for Stronger Communities project has been a source of strength and positivity as she has shown that her love of life and strong will to survive can overpower any negative influence. She is a survivor who has a story of resilience, determination and courage. Through her song writing and story telling abilities, Marjorie has guided the women of the project to write their own song of empowerment and gratitude to the Creator. Her wisdom and guidance have shown that speaking your truth can bring much healing and fulfillment. As a valued member of the Elder’s Advisory Committee, one of Marjorie’s greatest virtues is her humbleness. She will be the first to say that she does not look at herself as that of a traditional Elder; however she is so often called on to share her wisdom and knowledge of traditional ways because she is a perfect example of all that the title represents. She seeks guidance from her fellow Elders and is always humbled by their teachings and kindness toward her. Marjorie has shown through her leadership that many good things come to a kind, compassionate, generous person. Marjorie’s community work extends far beyond that of the EIWFSC project as she is a treasured mentor and leader at First Light Native Friendship Centre in St. John’s. Her years of dedication to community has brought a new generation of leaders who have followed in her influential moccasins. As a proud Mother and Grandmother, her children are all incredible examples of how she has shone her light and impacted their lives in a positive way. All strong in their cultural roots, each of them trailblazers making a positive impact and paving the way for the future of Indigenous people in our province and beyond; a testament to the fact that a great deal of strength comes through strong cultural connection. We are honored to have her on our team guiding us as we move forward together as a strong force for the future of mental health and violence against women.