Angela DeMontigny: Rooted in Ceremony and Cultural Reclamation

Angela DeMontigny is an award-winning Cree/Métis designer, artist, entrepreneur, mentor, and public speaker whose work is deeply rooted in ceremony. For more than 30 years, she has pioneered Indigenous Luxury fashion internationally, blending sustainability, cultural reclamation, and ancestral teachings into her designs. Her clothing, accessories, and wellness products carry her personal signature: a weaving together of tradition and modernity, where every creation is both art and ceremony.

Angela is also a dedicated mentor. She works closely with young Indigenous women, guiding them in fashion, art, and entrepreneurship. “We all have gifts,” she says. “It is our responsibility to use them.” For Angela, mentorship is part of honouring her ancestors while building a pathway for the next generation of Indigenous creators.

Her artistry is not confined to fashion. In 2020, she was commissioned to create All Our Relations, a monumental public art installation that now stands on Hamilton’s waterfront. Unveiled on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in 2023, the sculpture is both a gathering space and a living ceremony. It honours residential school survivors, the children who never came home, and the ongoing work of reconciliation. With plans to integrate youth programming and Indigenous tourism around the site, Angela sees art as a sacred act of remembrance and renewal.

A Personal Journey into Advocacy 

Angela’s connection to BCHS began with a deeply personal experience. More than three years ago, her son faced a mental health crisis that brought them to Brantford General Hospital. “It was traumatizing for both of us,” she recalls. “That experience showed me the gaps in care but also the potential for something more holistic.”

For years, Angela had worked alongside Indigenous healers and knowledge keepers. She had witnessed people finding profound healing through ceremony, medicines, and spiritual practices. What she encountered in the hospital was a model focused almost exclusively on psychiatry and pharmaceuticals, with little attention to spirit or culture.

That contrast led Angela to become an advocate not only for her son but for others navigating similar challenges. She joined BCHS as a Patient Family Advisor (PFA) and began bringing traditional teachings directly into the inpatient mental health unit. Every few weeks, she offers smudging, drumming, and medicine songs, giving patients a moment of connection and spiritual release.

"People in crisis are often experiencing a crisis of spirit, if we do not address trauma, we are only putting a band-aid on it. Ceremony, traditional medicine, and community give people the chance to heal truly."

Belonging at BCHS 

Through this journey, Angela has come to see BCHS as a place of belonging. “Through my son’s journey, I met incredible staff and other PFAs who genuinely want to make things better,” she says. “That sense of welcome, of people coming together to support and learn, that is belonging.”

She highlights the progress she has witnessed, including the creation of a dedicated Indigenous Health Team, the introduction of cultural safety training, and a new openness to traditional healing practices. “These changes give me hope. They show that BCHS is willing to walk alongside Indigenous people in a good way.”

Angela believes that Indigenous teachings benefit everyone. “When I smudge in the mental health unit, the response is powerful. There are always tears. People feel seen, heard, and lifted. Ceremony activates the heart. It creates community.”

We are fortunate to have Angela as part of our Patient Family Advisory team. Her presence, teachings, and advocacy are helping transform how we think about care and belonging at BCHS.

Truth and Reconciliation: Walking Together

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, yet Angela is frank about how much work remains. “There are 94 Calls to Action, but progress has been slow. We need courage to make systemic changes that are truly people-focused.”

She believes education is the first step. “How many people know what the Two Row Wampum Treaty means? It is a treaty of respect and friendship, two canoes travelling side by side, each with its own laws, culture, and ways of knowing. Neither should cross into the other, but we share the river and resources. That is how Indigenous and Western knowledge should coexist in healthcare: side by side, equal and respected.”

Angela challenges us to go beyond symbolic gestures. “Land acknowledgments are important, but they must mean something. If you do not know the history behind them, if you cannot explain what treaties like the Two Row Wampum represent, then the words risk becoming empty.”

Her call to action is clear: be curious, ask questions, and take responsibility for learning. 

“Reconciliation is not a single day. It is a commitment to walk together every day."

A Guiding Principle

Angela lives by her spirit name, She Who Walks with Honour. It is both a gift and a responsibility. “It is not always easy to live up to, but it reminds me that my duty is to walk with integrity and to use my gifts in service to others.”

Her guiding message is simple but profound: “We all came here with gifts. It is our duty to use them. Sometimes it takes time to discover what they are, but we all have a purpose. Love and service to others, that is what we are here for.”

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This feature is part of the “I Belong” campaign, where BCHS employees, professional staff, and volunteers are given the opportunity to share their personal stories, strengthening a culture of belonging that empowers each individual and deepens our collective mission to provide exceptional care. Together, we’re creating a more inclusive, connected, and empowered BCHS.