Content
Skip to Main ContentAccessibility Help
New Brunswick·Ann's Eye

Celebrating menstruation through a strawberry ceremony

A strawberry ceremony marks the beginning of a year-long berry fast for young women starting their periods.

Starting your period is an honourable experience in Indigenous communities

CBC News ·
A girl with brown hair pulled back in a ponytail eats a strawberry.
Young girls from Indigenous communities entering their moon time, or the age of menstruation, sometimes take part in a strawberry ceremony, a celebration that involves feasting on strawberries before going on a berry fast for one year. (Ann Paul/CBC)

This is part of a series called Ann's Eye, featuring the work of Ann Paul, a Wolastoqey content creator. You can see more Ann's Eye pieces by clicking here.

Your moon time is nothing to be ashamed of, according to photographer Ann Paul.

Beginning menstruation is both personal and something supported by your community. For a group of young girls from Sipayik, also known as Pleasant Point Passamaquoddy Reservation, in Maine, entering the age of puberty is marked by a strawberry ceremony, which celebrates womanhood and the passing of wisdom between generations.

A strawberry ceremony also marks the beginning of a year-long berry fast and commitment to learning from women elders. 

WATCH | How a berry fast begins: 

Ann’s Eye: Inside a ceremony for Indigenous girls beginning their moon time

14 hours ago
Duration 2:17
Starting your period is an honourable milestone for young Indigenous women, who will sometimes take part in a strawberry ceremony to celebrate.  

"When you start your period, this is a very honourable thing," said Paul, who attended a recent strawberry ceremony. "It's so precious. We're vessels bringing life into this world."

Ann accompanied Elder Jeannie Bartiboque of Esgenoôpetitj First Nation, who led the strawberry ceremony, to Sipayik. Scroll through the photos and watch the video to learn more.

A group of girls sit facing each other in two rows of chairs, leafy boughs spread out on the floor between them.
Leaves from cedars are laid on the ground for the ceremony, representing the path the girls are about to embark on. 'Cedar is good for protection,' Ann Paul said. 'Cedar’s good for everything.' (Ann Paul/CBC)
A woman rubs a strawberry on the forehead of a young girl.
The girls are 'marked' by the strawberries, Ann said, for the year-long berry fast ahead. (Ann Paul/CBC)
A woman wearing a green shirt and long ribbon skirt bends down to hand a young girl some strawberries from a wooden container.
Strawberries are used in the ceremony because they are a symbol of womanhood. (Ann Paul/CBC)
A collection of items are spread out across a table, including a basket with a feather in it, wooden bowls and patterned cloth.
The ceremony, which Ann Paul said took about an hour, included singing, tobacco offerings and learning from the elders who attended. (Ann Paul/CBC)
A woman with brown hair pulled back in a bun looks into the distance smiling.
Elder Jeannie Bartiboque of Esgenoôpetitj First Nation travelled to Sipayik in Maine to lead the ceremony. She will return next year to mark the end of the girls' berry fast. (Ann Paul/CBC)
A group of preteen girls gather for a photo.
The strawberry ceremony and berry fast are deeply rooted in Indigenous history and are slowly making a comeback. Sipayik members reintroduced the practice a few years ago. (Ann Paul/CBC)
A graphic drawing shows an Indigenous woman holding a camera up to her eye.

Ann's Eye

Photographer Ann Paul brings an Indigenous lens to stories from First Nations communities across New Brunswick. Click here or on the image below to see more of her work. 

CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices·About CBC News
Corrections and clarifications·Submit a news tip·

Related Stories