Sandra Noel is an Inuvialuk woman whose family hails from Inuvik. She was born in the town, adopted as a baby and raised between Inuvik and Yellowknife until about 10.
She would later find herself back in Yellowknife, this time in the foster system. This, unfortunately, is not an uncommon story among Inuit, Inuvialuit and Indigenous people as a whole.
Noel has two biological sisters, and all three have been estranged from each other for most of their lives.
On March 2, the three sisters – Sandra, Emma and Charis will meet in Vancouver. Though they have all met separately, this will be the first time the three of them will be in the same room together.
Noel did have contact with her biological grandfather, who would walk her to school as a child in Inuvik. She said he held the key to bringing the sisters together.
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“We didn’t even get into contact until 2007, and we have my grandpa to thank for that,” Noel told Cabin Radio this week.
“He kind-of always had contact with us individually. Before he passed away in 2008, he made sure we got in contact with each other.”
Asked how finding her sisters makes her feel, Noel said: “It’s emotional but it’s a good emotion. It’s exciting, it’s a dream come true.
“Once I found out about them and I met them each individually, I felt like I found a piece of myself in each of them, you know? I feel so much more whole.”
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Noel also spoke about their birth mother, who passed away a couple of months after the youngest sister was born.
“I wish she got to know each of us now, but I think she would be really happy for us,” she said.
Noel and her sisters will spend a week together in Vancouver.
“I was planning to go see Emma, we haven’t seen each other in over nine years. It was long overdue to visit with her,” Noel explained.
“Then my sister Charis was like, ‘You’re going to see Emma? I want to come!’
“It’s going to be a very special memory and something I hold near and dear to my heart, having all three of us together.”
