Indigenous ceremony tries to right the wrong caused by handcuffing of grandfather and granddaughter

The culmination of a B.C. story of prejudice that went national has ended in aceremony in Bella Bellaand I was there to witness it at the invitation of the man at the centre of the hurt.

Maxwell Johnson, a 56-year-old Heiltsuk man, was handcuffed and detained inDecember while trying to openhis 12-year-old granddaughter's first bank account with the Bankof Montreal, in downtown Vancouver.

Within hours of the CBC publishing the story in January, it went viral, openingup conversations across the country about the everyday racism Indigenous people experience while shopping,trying to do businessor banking.

Itgave some Indigenous people spaceto speak out about commercial racism.

The bank apologized and the Vancouver Police Departmentcalled the incident "regretful." Neither called it racism.

Almost two months later, in February, Johnson, his granddaughterand his Heiltsuk community on B.C.'s Central Coast tried to put it all behind them at a washingceremony.

Political and cultural power

Bella Bella is a 2,000-person strong reservethat is culturally and resource rich, welcoming to visitorsand politically powerful.

In 2019, hisHeiltsuk Nationreceived a$75-million settlementfrom Canada after a court case found that the Heitsukhad the Aboriginal right to commercially harvest herring spawn on kelp. Johnson and every Bella Bella member received compensation in theorder of $30,000in December a sum he thinks could have triggered the BMO employee to suspect him of fraud and call 911.

The community has also fought to keep their culture alive. Since the federal government's ban onpotlatches was lifted in1951,Pauline Waterfall, an elder, helped revitalize itand other ceremoniesthat had been outlawedduring colonization.

One of thosewas the washing ceremony,a purification practice to help restore one's balance after an accident, or fromtrauma.

Waterfall refers to it as "to hailhsistut" or to turn things around and make them right once more.

She andHeiltsukhereditary leaders decided to hold a washing ceremony for Johnson after noticing he and his granddaughterweredeeply affectedby the event.

A cultureat odds with journalism

As someone who broke the story and in turn brought awareness to the hurt Johnson, his granddaughter and the community went through, the Heiltsuk people invited me to the ceremony. It also invited scholars, lawyers and health care professionals, as well as BMO representatives.

The bank brought 15 executives to the ceremony, chartering two planes to Bella Bella.

While the washing ceremony is largelyabout leaving trauma behind, it is also about telling the story in a public setting, where witnesses observeand later impartwhat happened.

The protocolacknowledges those who witnessed and supported the victims with gifts.

The BMO executives were blanketed and taken around the fire several times a demonstration of them witnessing the ceremony. But it also allowed others to witness who they were and that they came.

I was not expecting to be draped in a button blanket and ceremonial apron by the communityas a way to honour my role in society as a witness. Asone who listens and documents stories,I was told this was also a responsibility and a connection to my ancestors and the future generations.

Journalism protocols direct reporters not toaccept such gifts, as it could be perceived as taking a side or even a bribe. ForHeiltsukprotocols, it was about accepting myrole as a witness.

Having these hard conversations about opposingworld views is important in terms of the media's role in reconciling with Indigenous people.

'Like a weight lifted'

Following the ceremony, I caught up with Johnson on a nearby island where his community is building a healing centrethat he will help to paint.

I asked he if he felt better now that the ceremony was over.

"It really put my mind and my soul at ease,"he said.

"I hope it helpedtoopentheireyes to [the reality] that First Nations people and their culture is alive and it's strong," he added.

None of the BMO representatives would speak to me at the washing ceremony, but one of the members of the newly formed BMO Indigenous advisory council told me that she hopestheincident will spark the education neededto prevent it from ever happeningagain.