b'INTERGENERATIONAL TRAUMAIn her second year of sobriety, a meditativecontemplate the connection betweenlive close to projects such as hydro dams. moment in the bath spurred a key mode ofviolence against Indigenous women andTheres no connection to place or people, healing for Knott. I got out of the bath andviolence against the land. Although mostsays Knott. Indigenous women become a started writing, she says. I wrote the firstCanadians are aware of the environmentaldiscardable resource that they can extract 10 pages of what was to eventually becomedegradation that extractive industries likeas well.my book. That entire process of writing wasoil, gas and mining can bring to Indigenous very cathartic and very healing. lands, few understand the impacts onNow in her tenth year of sobriety, Knott Indigenous women and families. Duringadvises people in addiction treatment to The family support she received duringthe early stages of my sobriety, I spent a lottalk about the things that scare them most. the editing process added another layer ofof time sitting by the Peace River, recallsBeing willing to fall apart is terrifying, healing. My mom was there a lot of theKnott. I started thinking about how thebecause you dont know if you can make time, holding my hand or literally holdingriver and I were alike. it through that, she says. Emotions arent me, when I would find myself triggered,good or badthey just are. The hard things says Knott. She would just let me cry it outJust as she was violated by sexual violence,wont swallow you whole. You can be and put me back together. the river has been violated by the construc- curious and feel them and let them go.tion of hydro dams. We have been through What has truly affirmed Knotts purpose inthose same experiences with settlersKnott is now ready to share the softer side writing this book is hearing from readers.coming in and being very extractive,of her journey. Her second book, Becoming a Its created so much space for other peopleKnott explains. Indigenous women andMatriarch, is coming out through Doubleday to connect with me and feel safe in sharingIndigenous lands are seen as resources thatPress in spring 2023: The first book their story, she explains. Being able toyou can pull from. cleared space so that I could [now] tell a witness other peoples truth, and be trusteddifferent story, explains Knott. Reflect on with that, is one of the greatest honours. In extractive industries, workers arrivethe good teachings that I have received and from outside the community, do their work,how Ive implemented them in my life in Strikingly, throughout her addictionthen go back home. This has immensethe present day, as someone who is growing and recovery journey, Knott began toimpacts on the Indigenous communities thatinto a matriarch.Ontario Native Womens Association51'