On the cover of her poetry book, Sharon (Dolly) Syrette’s hand gently clasps a feather, a symbol of honour in Ojibwe culture, gifted to her by an elder upon completion of her poetry book. Her granddaughter’s hand rests atop hers, as the pair guide the feather into words across the page. Over top, a rainbow arches across a cloudy blue sky. Syrette lovingly describes her granddaughter, Scarlett, as the “pot of gold.”
Syrette says the symbolic imagery on the cover perfectly encapsulates her book—a heartfelt collection of poems inspired by her family, the experiences of surviving Canada’s residential school system, and Ojibwe culture. Feelings for Life, published in 2015 by FriesenPress, is “more than just a book” to Syrette—it’s a “tool to heal and forgive and speak out.”
Syrette, who attended Shingwauk Residential School from 1965 to 1970, says, “Feelings for Life has given me the strength and courage to speak about my experience. I didn’t have that at the Indian residential school.”
The mother of four, grandmother of two, and great-grandmother of one did not know her own mother, and her father did not know how to read or write. Her lifeline was Mr. McNally, her english teacher at St. Mark’s school. “I loved writing and he encouraged me and mentored me,” she said.
For over 45 years, Syrette has been working as an administrative assistant and receptionist for Batchewana First Nation band office. Chief of Batchewana, Mark McCoy, described her at the Wawanosh memorial unveiling on Monday as “a ray of sunshine,” noting that she’s always happy and greets everybody in the morning. During the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation ceremony, he read the following poem from Feelings for Life about the students of Shingwauk who did not return home:
To the ones that didn’t make it
The Children of Shingwauk
my sorrow goes deep
but your memory will never be forgotten.
We cry for you, we mourn for you
but it has given us the strength
to keep on surviving.
The Creator has given us a path.
It may be rock and rough
but the rewards are priceless
for we got to live.
My sisters and brothers who were my family
will live on in our hearts.
They will forever walk by our side
and guide us on our journey.
She was seen under the new gazebo at Wawanosh memorial celebrating when McCoy gave her a shout-out in his speech.
Despite her outward positivity at the “Orange Shirt Day” event on Monday, she told The Sault Star in an interview, “To reconcile is going to take a bit more time.”
“The government & Church System tried real hard to take the ‘Indian’ out of us but our Native Spirit is strong and resilient, and we will persevere,” she said.
Syrette plans to continue telling her story, and share her poetry so future generations can realize, “whatever their dreams and goals in life are, they can be achieved if they really work at it.”
Syrette wants the young ones to know that that they have been given a voice “to shape our world into a better place of understanding and Peace among everyone that matters.”
Feelings for Life is available on FriesenPress website and Amazon, as well as the Batchewana FN band office
