Lastutsa̱las Jessica Barudin is a Kwakwa̱ka̱’wakw scholar, community wellness practitioner, and Kwak̓wala language learner committed to trauma healing and revitalizing and reclaiming ancestral wellness practices. As a mother, she draws inspiration from her children, aiming to foster a nurturing environment for her kin and future generations. Her work focuses on the intersection of trauma healing, language revitalization, and community planning to promote holistic well-being. She empowers others to reconnect with their roots through research, writing, land-based learning, and ceremony.

This Waterfall Prayer was created at a healing camp while at the Hada River in Ḵwiḵwa̱sut’inux̱w territory. As a Kwakwa̱ka̱’wakw researcher, writer, and wellness practitioner – my work interweaves elements of language revitalization, community healing, and cultural resurgence. Inspired by the sacred flow of water and the resilience of my ancestors and our living/supernatural world, this poem is a prayer that weaves themes of identity, connection, and transformation. Utilizing embodiment, photos, video, and poetry, I circle between past and present, honoring our stories while envisioning a thriving future for our people and non-human kin. With a deeper understanding and connection of Kwakwa̱ka̱’wakw a̱wi’nakola (land, air, water), I/we reclaim personal and collective empowerment through the (re)membering of our language and timeless healing practices.