HEALING AND RECONCILIATION FOR COMMUNITIES AND FAMILIES
Empowering Indigenous Women and Children Through Cultural Healing

Gignoo Transition House near Fredericton, New Brunswick, has been a sanctuary for Indigenous women and children since 1993.
The organization helps families overcome the impact of intergenerational trauma stemming from Canada’s history of residential schools, Indian day schools, and the 60s scoop. At Gignoo, vulnerable and at-risk families find support and protection as they look to heal and break cycles of trauma in their communities.
Recognizing the importance of culturally rooted support, Gignoo launched a cultural healing program in the spring of 2022. The program invites local traditional artisans, teachers, storytellers, and Elders to share their knowledge through gatherings, talking and sharing circles, ceremony, dance, drumming, and singing. Plans are being made to also offer Maliseet and Mi’kmaq language classes.
To ensure the program’s continuation and expansion, Gignoo has received funding from the Indigenous Reconciliation Fund (IRF). The support enables the transition house to continue providing culturally appropriate, holistic healing to Indigenous women and their children and will be used to help expand the scope of the program, allowing for more diverse activities.
The name “Gignoo” means “our home” in the Mi’kmaq and Wolastoqey languages, reflecting the organization’s mission to create a safe and welcoming environment for those it serves. Gignoo Transition House is the only non-profit Indigenous women’s shelter in New Brunswick, serving Mi’kmaq, Wolastoqiyik, Passamaquoddy, and other Indigenous women and children. Through its cultural healing program and supportive services, Gignoo is playing a key role in helping families reconnect with their cultural roots, heal from trauma, and find a path toward a brighter future.
Diocese of Saint John
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