How friendship centres support, heal and connect urban Indigenous people [Video]

When Mi’kmaw elder Marjorie Muise made the move from the small town of St. George’s, N.L., to the bustling city of St. John’s a decade ago, she was met with more than just a change in scenery. 

The shift from a small, close-knit community to an urban environment left her feeling overwhelmed and out of place.

“Coming into the city, it was like, ‘Oh my God,'” Muise said in an interview with Unreserved. “The different diversity threw me back for a bit.”

For Muise, it wasn’t just the pace or the crowds that were difficult to navigate, she was also disconnected from the culture and traditions that had always been a part of her life.

It was through attending First Light, an Indigenous-led friendship centre in St. John’s, that Muise found a path back to the community and ceremonies she had lost.

“It creates … the home feeling,” Muise said. …