The Two-Spirit Dictionary

Jennifer Alicia

0:00
/
0:00

The Two-Spirit Dictionary

Jennifer Alicia

Writing from the perspective of home, identity and belonging, slam poet Jennifer Alicia weaves stories of healing and self-realization into her performances.

This is for the times I allowed binaries

to chalkine my erasure.

The times I build a home within

my fractured bones for others,

and their othering.

All of the times I allowed the guilt

of not being a good woman

drown me in the same water

I prayed to.

I forgive you.

I no longer grieve for the broken bloodline

No longer allow shame to absorb my magic

To be seen in my entirety is to sit in my medicine in the lodge,

Without judgement of attire

No more mourning for belonging

When I know kinship

Two-Spirit folks have always

been part of the circle.

A personal stands infront of a shimmering background. Their right arm is raised up beside them while they speak into a microphone.

Jennifer Alicia (they/she) is a queer, mixed (Mi’kmaw/Settler – German, Irish, Scottish) multidisciplinary artist originally from Elmastukwek, Ktaqmkuk (Bay of Islands, Newfoundland), now residing in Toronto. Writing began as an outlet for them as a child, to process and to heal experiences from childhood. Now their work has evolved into exploring themes of home and homesickness through poetry and short stories, as well as performing spoken word at marches, rallies, and open mics. Jennifer Alicia is also the author of the chapbook Mixed Emotions, a two-time national poetry slam champion, and has developed a script for the first ever Nogojiwanong Indigenous Fringe Festival in June 2021 and the 2021 imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival.

Photo

Krystle Merrow

→  Artist website

The Two-Spirit Dictionary

The Two-Spirit Dictionary

Jennifer Alicia

No items found.

Writing from the perspective of home, identity and belonging, slam poet Jennifer Alicia weaves stories of healing and self-realization into her performances.

This is for the times I allowed binaries

to chalkine my erasure.

The times I build a home within

my fractured bones for others,

and their othering.

All of the times I allowed the guilt

of not being a good woman

drown me in the same water

I prayed to.

I forgive you.

I no longer grieve for the broken bloodline

No longer allow shame to absorb my magic

To be seen in my entirety is to sit in my medicine in the lodge,

Without judgement of attire

No more mourning for belonging

When I know kinship

Two-Spirit folks have always

been part of the circle.

A personal stands infront of a shimmering background. Their right arm is raised up beside them while they speak into a microphone.

Jennifer Alicia (they/she) is a queer, mixed (Mi’kmaw/Settler – German, Irish, Scottish) multidisciplinary artist originally from Elmastukwek, Ktaqmkuk (Bay of Islands, Newfoundland), now residing in Toronto. Writing began as an outlet for them as a child, to process and to heal experiences from childhood. Now their work has evolved into exploring themes of home and homesickness through poetry and short stories, as well as performing spoken word at marches, rallies, and open mics. Jennifer Alicia is also the author of the chapbook Mixed Emotions, a two-time national poetry slam champion, and has developed a script for the first ever Nogojiwanong Indigenous Fringe Festival in June 2021 and the 2021 imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival.

Writing from the perspective of home, identity and belonging, slam poet Jennifer Alicia weaves stories of healing and self-realization into her performances.

This is for the times I allowed binaries

to chalkine my erasure.

The times I build a home within

my fractured bones for others,

and their othering.

All of the times I allowed the guilt

of not being a good woman

drown me in the same water

I prayed to.

I forgive you.

I no longer grieve for the broken bloodline

No longer allow shame to absorb my magic

To be seen in my entirety is to sit in my medicine in the lodge,

Without judgement of attire

No more mourning for belonging

When I know kinship

Two-Spirit folks have always

been part of the circle.

A personal stands infront of a shimmering background. Their right arm is raised up beside them while they speak into a microphone.

Jennifer Alicia (they/she) is a queer, mixed (Mi’kmaw/Settler – German, Irish, Scottish) multidisciplinary artist originally from Elmastukwek, Ktaqmkuk (Bay of Islands, Newfoundland), now residing in Toronto. Writing began as an outlet for them as a child, to process and to heal experiences from childhood. Now their work has evolved into exploring themes of home and homesickness through poetry and short stories, as well as performing spoken word at marches, rallies, and open mics. Jennifer Alicia is also the author of the chapbook Mixed Emotions, a two-time national poetry slam champion, and has developed a script for the first ever Nogojiwanong Indigenous Fringe Festival in June 2021 and the 2021 imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival.

Photo

Krystle Merrow

→  Artist website

Ancestors
Memory
Courage
Transmission
All
Ancestors
Disruption
Vulnerability
Curiosity
Expansion
Disruption
Care
Vulnerability
Edge
Curiosity
Care
Courage
Curiosity
Opening
Expansion
Elusiveness
Vulnerability
Invitation
Meditation
Expansion
Memory
Courage
Curiosity
Kinetic
Expansion
Elusiveness
Ancestors
Invitation
Transmission
All
Disruption
Courage
Opening
Meditation
All
Absence
Elusiveness
Ancestors
Memory
Vulnerability
Care
Vulnerability
Invitation
Corporeal
Meditation
Disruption
Vulnerability
Impulse
Kinetic
Corporeal
Opening
Corporeal
Organic
Transmission
Expansion
Absence
Ancestors
Courage
Organic
All
Elusiveness
Vulnerability
Immersion
Corporeal
All
Disruption
Elusiveness
Ancestors
Edge
Transmission
Disruption
Elusiveness
Care
Corporeal
All
Elusiveness
Impulse
Invitation
Immersion
Meditation
Elusiveness
Curiosity
Corporeal
Transmission
All
Disruption
Memory
Impulse
Curiosity
Expansion
Elusiveness
Opening
Organic
Meditation
All
Elusiveness
Ancestors
Memory
Invitation
Transmission
Elusiveness
Immersion
Expansion
All
Absence
Ancestors
Courage
Immersion
All
Disruption
Invitation
Immersion
Organic
Transmission
Care
Vulnerability
Curiosity
Transmission
All
Memory
Impulse
Immersion
Transmission
All
Care
Edge
Corporeal
Expansion
All
Elusiveness
Memory
Care
Courage
Vulnerability
Ancestors
Vulnerability
Corporeal
Transmission
Expansion
Care
Courage
Invitation
Transmission
Ancestors
Courage
Immersion
Corporeal
Organic
Absence
Disruption
Impulse
Edge
Kinetic
Memory
Elusiveness
Vulnerability
Meditation
Kinetic
Ancestors
Courage
Disruption
Opening
All
Memory
Care
Corporeal
Meditation
Expansion
Absence
Ancestors
Memory
Edge
Expansion
Ancestors
Opening
Invitation
Curiosity
Expansion
Disruption
Ancestors
Invitation
Curiosity
All
Ancestors
Curiosity
Kinetic
Transmission
Expansion
Absence
Elusiveness
Vulnerability
Edge
Meditation
Ancestors
Care
Curiosity
Meditation
All
Absence
Disruption
Opening
Transmission
All
Disruption
Care
Kinetic
Transmission
All
Memory
Curiosity
Kinetic
Corporeal
Meditation
Care
Vulnerability
Edge
Opening
Corporeal
Absence
Memory
Invitation
Transmission
All
Disruption
Elusiveness
Courage
Edge
Expansion
Ancestors
Memory
Care
Courage
Transmission
Absence
Memory
Edge
Curiosity
Immersion
Elusiveness
Impulse
Curiosity
Kinetic
Transmission
Impulse
Opening
Organic
All
Disruption
Care
Opening
Transmission
All
Disruption
Ancestors
Care
Impulse
All
Absence
Memory
Opening
Immersion
Meditation
Disruption
Courage
Impulse
Edge
Organic
Ancestors
Memory
Invitation
Meditation
Expansion
Invitation
Curiosity
Immersion
Corporeal
Organic
Ancestors
Vulnerability
Invitation
Organic
Meditation
Ancestors
Care
Invitation
Organic
Meditation
Corporeal
Kinetic
Meditation
Transmission
All