Once raised away from her community, she ended up coming back to lead the way.  Jasmine Eve Pirie is from Neqotkuk First Nation, located in the Wəlastəkwiyik Nation along the Wolastoq River in New Brunswick. She grew up away from her community because her mom lost her status, instead growing up in a place called Tinker Road. Growing up off reserve, she picked medicines, berries, fiddleheads and went fishing. They moved back to their home community when she was a teenager.

Partying and drinking delayed her graduation by a year and then a year later she decided to go back to school, but she was still partying. She met her now ex-husband and got pregnant, putting her educational dreams on hold for a bit. It took a decade but eventually she got her diploma from the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton.

Professionally, Pirie worked as a gas station attendant, then worked for the Department of Natural Resources for a few years while she was in university. Later, she moved West briefly but moved home again. She worked for the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure, working in communications until she was elected to band council in 2016. She’s been on council ever since, now in her third term. She is the third woman of twelve members.

Her advice for students who are considering leaving their home communities to study is, “Take any and all opportunities you can get, because it gives you an opportunity to discover yourself, discover who you are outside of the confines of your community. If it's fear that could be holding you back, take some of your tobacco, offer it to your ancestors, and pray and ask for guidance and direction. Believe it or not, they will, it's so surprising how supported and guided you will be, and it'll come in ways that you don't even expect,” Pirie advises. She also recommends remembering that you can always go back someday if your community needs you and there’s always a place to come home to.

When it comes to obstacles Pirie faced, getting married young and an unplanned pregnancy, combined with a tumultuous relationship made for big challenges for her education. Dealing with abuse was also very difficult. Her drinking hospitalized her at one point and she realized that this was not how she wanted to live. After digging deep inside herself, she decided to take a break from drinking which turned into long term sobriety, something that has made a big difference in her life.  

“It's living in your own authenticity. You don't have anything to prove to anyone else but yourself.”

If Pirie could give a message to her younger self it would be to listen to the advice she was given because she didn’t always do that. She would say, “Hey, younger Jasmine, just listen. Even if you don't take the advice, just listen. There are times you literally have to tell yourself, check yourself before you wreck yourself. Because all those negative thoughts, all those negative patterns could lead you in a whole different direction.”

She remembers how a boss told her, “Jasmine, no matter what happens to you in life, it's all going to work out how it's meant to work out. Everything that happens, this situation you're going through right now, it's going to be settled. It's not going to last forever.” It’s advice that still resonates with her today.

To balance her mental health and wellbeing, Pirie gets outdoors to be one with nature. She loves going to the beach in her community which she refers to as her “zen spot”. She likes to connect with the earth and recharge, releasing all negativity and refilling her cup. Otherwise, she likes to go for long drives to be alone with her thoughts. Practicing mindfulness of what she consumes is important to her, whether it’s water, food, or entertainment. She’s also thoughtful about who she surrounds herself with. She sees mindfulness as a way she’s less likely to be depressed or anxious and more likely to be peaceful.

For inspiration, Pirie looks to her parents who gave her life and set positive examples for her. She also looks to her late grandmother who raised her kids on her own. Her aunt Gwen helped her through her story of her struggles with alcohol, inspiring her to take her own break and pursue sobriety. Her friends, family and children inspire her to be her best self. She also looks to herself for inspiration. “I look back and I see how far I've actually come, and I do look forward sometimes to see how far I still have to go. When I do that, I'm just so thankful and so grateful for the life this creator has blessed me with, all the good, all the bad. Because, as I said earlier, everything happens for a reason,” she beams.

While she was once raised away from her community, Jasmine Pirie ended up coming back and leading the way. In overcoming an abusive relationship, finally reaching her educational goals, starting her sober life and her third term on council, she has learned so much along the way. Living in her authenticity with nothing to prove, she is looking down the road at all she has yet to accomplish with hope and gratitude.

Thank you to Alison Tedford Seaweed for authoring this article!