Three Fires Society Midewewin Lodge to Hold Summer Ceremonies August 25th-30th
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Three Fires Society Midewewin Lodge to Hold Summer Ceremonies August 25th-30th
(SAULT STE. MARIE, ON – AUGUST 20th, 2009): The Three Fires Society Midewewin Lodge will be holding summer ceremonies this August 25th-30th at Ojibway Park in Garden River First Nation, just to the east of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. The six-day event is expected to draw between 300-500 visitors from Anishinabe communities from throughout North America.
As described by Grand Chief Eddie Benton-Banai of the Three Fires Midewewin Lodge, “The three fires lodge is a contemporary movement of spiritual revival, renewal, maintenance, [and] strengthening of the original teachings, ceremonies, and prophecies of the Algonquin nations of Anishinabe.”
Chief Lyle Sayers of the Garden River First Nation and the host community to the Three Fires Society Cermonies stated that “the theme of this years gathering is to Nourish the Flame, in a contemporary and modern setting we look forward to the strength of our sacred and spiritual teachings and that they continue to be kept alive and shared with our young people by our Anishinabe knowledge keepers. We are thankful that our Elders, Spiritual Advisors and leaders in the Mide Lodge continue to do this important work for us.”
Darrell Boissoneau, President, Shingwauk Education Trust states: “we are proud and honored to be part of this great gathering, Shingwauk Kinoomaage Gamig and Algoma University are partners via the Covenant and we share the importance of cultural-based and quality education for students, student needs and student excellence. The Three Fires Society is the principle source where we can discover the Anishinabe Worldview and the truth.”
Arrival day for the ceremonies is Wednesday August 26th, with a first sweat to take place in the early evening. Thursday’s activities begin with a fire-lighting at 5:40 am, to be followed by a first sunrise ceremony. A welcome ceremony and prayer will follow at 10:00 am and a welcome feast is scheduled for 1:00 pm.
On Friday, a wide variety of teaching sessions and open lodge sessions will take place. Topics that will be discussed include: teaching, learning from community people, community services, health, and education amongst others. The evening will include healing rituals and sweats.
Saturday’s activities include a sunrise ceremony at 9:00 am, followed by a full-lodge session. A feast and a buffalo dance will take place later in the afternoon.
“The buffalo dance is focused on Anishinabe adolescent teenagers who resolve by a four-year pledge to refrain from the use of alcohol, drugs, tobacco and negative behaviour, and to be positive about self, education and life,” says Benton-Banai.
The Three Fires Society Midewewin Lodge summer ceremonies will officially draw to a close at noon on Sunday, August 30th, after a sunrise ceremony and dance-out take place in the morning.
Writes Benton-Banai, “The Anishinabe people of all tribes and nations are the original people of this part of the world, whom all believe that there is but one creator, and the Earth is the Mother of all living things. In the teachings that are shared at every ceremony, [there] is peace, love, sharing, knowledge, respect, healing and equality.. In this day and age of the greatest technology that the world has ever known; all people have suffered. We, the original people are in a healing time; we must heal ourselves, and we share the healing with all people; including the Earth and the Waters.”
More information about the event and schedule of activities can be obtained by calling the Shingwauk Education Trust at 705.942.5069. Callers can ask for either Tausha or Mariah.
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