Timmins Participark on the banks of the majestic Mattagami River came alive with celebration on June 21, the first day of summer, also celebrated as National Aboriginal Day across Canada.
“This is the twentieth year we have been honouring National Aboriginal Day across Canada,” said Feather Maracle Luke the media Spokesperson for the Timmins National Aboriginal Day Committee.
“Each year we have been getting better and more people from all walks of life come to celebrate this day,” Maracle Luke said. “It is about celebrating our First Nation culture and heritage and our contributions in building the foundation for Canada.”
“But it is also a celebration of the importance our lands and our waters are to everyone,” Maracle Luke said.
Last year the Timmins National Aboriginal Day festivities took place at Hollinger Park, however this year the celebration was moved to Participark on the banks of the Mattagami River to be close to water. There is no free-flowing water at Hollinger Park.
“National Aboriginal Day is also a celebration of our life lines,” said elder Alice Sutherland who presided over the Sunrise Ceremony by the Mattagami River. “Water is our most important element.”
“Like the air, we would not survive for long without water,” she emphasized.
The festivities got underway at 5:30 a.m., on the shore of the Mattagami, with the lighting of the sacred fire which brought warmth and light prior to the sunrise. The large outline of the summer-solstice full moon was still visible in the lightening sky.
A group of thirty people, primarily First Nations from Cree and Ojibway Nations and Métis, formed a circle. Included in the circle was a gentleman named Edison, who recently arrived in Timmins from Namibia and was participating in his first Sunrise Ceremony.
Angela Beaudry, from the Conseil Scolaire Catholique de Grand Riveire was also attending her very first Sunrise ceremony.
The ceremony began with a smudging, in which the smoke from burning sage is used to spiritually cleanse participants. As the smudge bowl was taken to each person in the circle they inhaled it and scooped the smoke over them to wash over their bodies.
A song honouring Manitou the Great Spirit was sung.
As a sign of respect to the Great Manitou all those in the circle were given a pitch of tobacco and each, in turn, stepped up to the sacred fire and offered the tobacco to the Great Spirit by sprinkling it into the burning flames.
Next water was shared from a bottle held by Elder Sutherland with all those in the circle.
Finally, strawberries and blueberries were passed around and eaten by the participants. Berries were used because they are the gifts from the earth used to sustain its inhabitants.
The ceremony featured a song to Manitou, the Great Spirit, sung by Sutherland and her assistant Elizabeth.
When the ceremony finished, each person in the circle went around to shake hands and greet the person next to them until everyone in the circle had an opportunity to acknowledge each other.
An honoured guest at the Sunrise Ceremony was former Timmins mayor Tom Laughren who is now the Director of Corporate and Social Responsibility for Tahoe Lake Shore Gold.
Later in the day, fun and festivities continued with music supplied by local acts like Swamp Rocker, a local band whose founding members lead guitarist Jules Spence and rhythm guitarist George Nakogee operate the Wawatay Radio station.
For some families, the National Aboriginal Day Celebration was a great way for parents to teach their children the importance of their traditional life and heritage.
Debbie Proulx-Buffalo, with her granddaughter who was dressed in traditional Omushkego or Cree regalia as was a youth named Chad who wore a form of traditional Cree men's regalia.
During the day, young people could also be seen practicing their archery skills, while bannock, hamburgers, and hot dogs were served to the delight of all.
