For London police officer, gathering of Indigenous women brings power and pride

It wa a bit of a fluke that Sereena Nahmabin found herself surrounded by more than two dozen other Indigenous women she barely knew, sharing stories about the experiences that have shaped them. 

"We all shared a turning point in our lives and it just made the connection between all of us so much deeper," said Nahmabin. 

The London police constable from Aamjiwnaang First Nation near Sarnia was one of 26 women who took part in the first-ever Miss Indigenous Canada pageant — though the event had nothing to do with outer beauty and everything to do with community service, empowerment, and the celebration of different cultures from across the country. 

"I have never been so inspired as I was looking around that room. I've always been proud to be Indigenous, but this took it to a whole new level." 

The sharing circle was just one part of a three-day retreat-like event which helped the women connect with one another and share their traumas, hopes, and dreams, Nahmabin said. It all culminated in an award ceremony after cultural presentations from the contestants.  

"We only had three minutes for our presentation and mine was all about my grandmother," Nahmabin said. "She was born into a medicine family and she's been gathering medicine since she was six years old."

Nahmabin was encourage to apply for the pageant by her sister, "It's not about beauty. It's about what you're doing in your community and what you are like on the inside," she said. 

A three-day gathering included a visit to a residential school, which Nahmabin found very powerful. "It was a very emotional experience for all the girls for a lot of different reasons," she said. "I couldn't help but look around and feel so proud about where we were, that we were all standing there and breaking our generational cycles. It was very impactful." 

Nahmabin's participation in the contest was praised by London police Chief Thai Truong, who posted about the event on Instagram and said "Sereena's traditional presentation, highlighting holistic medicine taught by her grandmother, showcased the deep cultural roots and knowledge she is dedicated to preserving and sharing." 

Nahmabin, who has worked for London police for the last eight years, said she hopes to keep sharing her culture with others as she works as a constable. 

"It suits my personality, this career," she said. "It's very challenging and you're continuously learning and put into tough situations that force you to grow. I like the challenge and the mental aspect of making sure you're taking care of yourself and making sure you're self aware because you really have to always be on top of your game." 

The Miss Indigenous Canada crown went to Jessica McKenzie, from Opaskwayak Cree Nation in Manitoba.