# @familysearch on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DbEe1CiyNKI
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/68301399-familysearch-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/ec9c0e11f4.jpg
- **Posted:** 2026-07-21T21:29:46.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** FamilySearch (@familysearch) — https://gondola.cc/familysearch

## Caption

“In the Cree culture, when they ask you where you’re from, they ask you, ‘Who’s your mom?’ They talk about your umbilical cord, ‘Who are you attached to?’ It’s a matriarchal society. So when you think about that, you think about … the strength that comes from your mother and your grandmother and your great-grandmother, and then the branches go out from there.

“My indigenous heritage… helps me to feel that peace in my life where everything feels complete. So when I think about my family and the things that they’ve been through, it helps me to keep going. Or I stop for a moment and try and pray and ask for help from the ancestors and from God, and I just say, ‘You know what, I need you to give me super women’s strength today.’ 

“Since I was born, there was the smell of smudge around. It’s a traditional usage of sweetgrass. My family would burn sweetgrass, either for cleansing or for offering up a prayer. Whenever I smell sweetgrass, it reminds me of my grandmother and my aunt. So I still like to smudge once in a while to remind me again of home, but also in a traditional way, reconnecting with them. 

“I am grateful for that connection. I think that everybody should have that experience—to connect with their ancestors because they are the reason why we’re here and they want to be remembered.” —Cindy Q.

Comment CONNECT and Add What You Know about your family. 

#Culture #Heritage #Family #familyhistory

## Stats

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## Tags

heritage, familyhistory, culture, family

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