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Cowichan celebrates strength by dancing at 1 Billion Rising event

Women and children, and their male supporters rallied in Duncan City Square Friday at noon as part of the annual 1 Billion Rising revolution.

Women and children, and their male supporters rallied in Duncan City Square Friday at noon as part of the annual 1 Billion Rising revolution.

Emcee Kendra Thomas of Warmland Women’s Support Services Society explained that one in three women on the planet will experience violence in her lifetime — that’s one billion females. Every February since 2012, women have risen in countries across the planet to show their communities what 1 billion looks like, and to show they have not yet — and will not — be defeated, and to celebrate that fact through song and dance.

“Part of what has value for me with 1 Billion Rising is the dance, the song, the movement, so that we can really stay connected in our body to the issues, we can dance out the pain, we can bring in the celebration of recovery, and how we all do that together, we can’t do this one person all by themselves, we need each other,” Thomas said. “When you’re dancing, claim your space, claim your right to it. Own it in your body and in your heart.”

From the dancing students of Discovery Elementary, to the original song of École Cobble Hill’s Jiya Weaver, 12, to the movement of Ros Pringle and friends, there was a lot of music, dancing, and a lot of celebration at the event.

“All over the world they’re doing exactly what we’re doing. This is world-wide,” said Lucy Thomas of Cowichan House of Friendship, in her opening remarks. “I challenge Cowichan for next year, bring a friend or two. Let’s make this crowd bigger next year. I challenge you here, the ones that are standing here, to bring one or two friends.”

SEE RELATED: One Billion Rising event in Duncan all about respect for women

Kendra Thomas thanked her for starting the event with heart in mind.

“We’re all of one heart, we’re all of one mind and when one person is wounded we are all experiencing the wound even if we’re not conscious of it,” said Kendra Thomas said.

It’s easy to dance, but it’s not as easy to stand up against society, explained Nadeane, a staffer at Cowichan Women Against Violence.

“It can be really hard to know what to say or do to make a difference in this culture, this societal culture we live in which supports violence, it supports disrespect, it supports being verbally violent and physically violent with each other,” she said. “It happens far, far, far too often. Yes, we can make a difference… demanding respect from yourself, for yourself, demanding respect to others that you treat others, speak to others, write to others respectfully, and that you get respect from others. You name it: ‘that’s not respectful, I don’t like it, I don’t want to hear that, I’m done with this, I’m leaving now’.”

She said “violence in words, violence in tone, violence in action is a way of grabbing power and it comes from not feeling powerful inside. We live in a culture that says lashing out is OK. We know it’s not. We never like to be the receiver of it. Let’s not be the giver of it.”

To learn more about 1 Billion Rising visit www.onebillionrising.org



sarah.simpson@cowichanvalleycitizen.com

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Sarah Simpson

About the Author: Sarah Simpson

I started my time with Black Press Media as an intern, before joining the Citizen in the summer of 2004.
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