Café Maison Ronde/ Roundhouse Café

I stood face to face with what might be the most beautiful art I’ve ever seen. It was birch bark that was folded and bitten into patterns. I was in awe because not only was it mesmerizing, but it was the most eco-conscious art I had ever seen. Birchbark biting is an Indigenous art form used in storytelling with spiritual significance.

As I stood in the museum, I could not help but think about how the colonial empire has destroyed and endangered these practices across many cultures. Our job is to protect our friends and help keep them, their art, and their culture alive.

While in Montreal, my partner and I visited a place called Roundhouse Café. Montreal’s only Indigenous café designed to empower people and provide opportunities for Indigenous folks who are homeless or at risk.