A Haida on the Hill

The Nations Capitol Hill in the District of Columbia.

On approach to D.C. our jet flew over the Potomac river. A river that is engraved in the History books, and the river that carries water past, the District of Columbia, the United States of America’s Capital. I arrived safely into Washington, D.C. late afternoon Saturday, January 2nd. Feeling grateful for the opportunity to once again grace the Capitol with indigenous spirit. I wondered if the ancestors knew I was here. My thoughts wandered to our Alaska Native and Indigenous issues.

The next couple of days were just the regular unpacking, getting settled, and trying to adjust to the four hour time difference. However, in my getting settled part, I pulled up google maps to find my way to the building I will be working in for the Senator. I found that it was very close, since it was a couple of minutes away, I kept walking all the way to the Capitol building. It was a rainy, cold day and my shoes got soaked but I kept on my way to the Capitol. I spotted it and smiled. A silent reverent thought between the Capitol and a Haida woman. Although, I was a bit cold and my hands were starting to get numb from the icy rain, I took some selfies. On the top of the Capitol is the goddess Columbia – a woman, overlooking the grounds and all those who enter and exit. A possible reminder of the divine feminine who keeps watch. As a woman that follows the matrilineal line of our mothers it gives me a sense that she is important but what was the architects and builders intention? I will look into this further at a later time. I tend to seek truth in history and my curiosity leads me to find that there is a lot of history that is not shared. I made my way back to the Hall and put on dry clothes and readied myself for the next day. https://pagangrove.wordpress.com/2016/07/05/columbia-the-goddess-of-america/

So, Monday made my way to the Senators office. Exciting! A very friendly staff person who greeted me and introduced me to some staff. And then escorted me to get my I.D. My I.D is important to enter the building and I also needed it so I could get the rapid covid test that the Senate offers to employees. It was required for me to get a test and provide results to housing and to make sure I didn’t pick anything up on my travel to D.C. Late, that evening my result arrived via email and was ‘negative’. Yew!

On Tuesday I was sworn in as a Senate staff member. I wanted a picture but the swearing in was so quick and unceremonious that there was no time to have anyone get a picture. My mom will have to wait. Orientation lasted a few hours and then front end staff needed assistance with phone coverage which I willingly assisted. At the end of our day I was told to not come in the next day because there was going to be protesters that were arriving by the thousands, and, lead staff requested for ‘safety reasons’ staff could telework. And, a protest there was…