Kokums to the Iskwêsisisak

Abstract

The national COVID-19 pandemic response presents a sharp contrast to the matrilineal social kinship and knowledge exchange systems that Métis women and girls rely on for safety, security, and wellbeing. In this article, we demonstrate that while Métis women and girls have been left out of the national pandemic response, they continue to carry intergenerational healing knowledges that have been passed down from thekokums(grandmas) to theiskwêsisisak(girls). We show how urban Métis girls and women are both managing and tackling COVID-19 through innovative and community-based initiatives likeWell Living Houseand theCall Auntie Hotline.