I am a Pow Wow Dancer and i love getting out to dance. Last year i danced at Fort Erie, New Credit and Barrie Pow Wows and this year I'd like to get out to the same ones and a few others especially making it back to Munsee-Deleware which is one of my favourites. I've been singing at the Drum for 8 years and recently i've composed some songs of my own that i'm bringing out on Wednesday Nights during our practice sessions. We practice at the school if anyone is interested we are there from 6-8....very relaxed, friendly and beginners are always welcome.
I've been listening to alot of David R. Maracle's traditional flute music over the past 2 weeks. My son and i love his "Natural Resources" Cd which i received from my Dad as a gift a couple of years ago. I'm so inspired in fact that i'm actively trying to purchase a nice flute so that i can teach myself some songs.
I sat up last night after my son went to bed and i surfed www.Youtube.com looking for Pow Wow videos and Drum groups and if this is something that you're interested in then this site is a valuble resource for songs. My favourite groups were well represented and included lots of quality Anishnaabek and Cree groups..... Taabik, Young Gunz, Snake Island, Whitefish Jrs., The Boyz, Bear Creek, Little Otter, Battle River, Eyabay. Just go to the site and type any of their names in. Just before i went to bed i listened to an awesome inter tribal by Harvey Dreaver and Whitefish Jrs. that almost brought me to tears.I saw them live in Connecticut at Schmetizun Pow Wow and Festival of Green Corn in 2001 and i danced Fort Erie last year when they were the Host Drum. Check them out !!
Oh, one other great website for traditional teachings.... www.fourdirectionsteachings.com .
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Big Update on lots of great community happenings
Aanii !!! I apologize for the long absense from this blog. It's Spring and i've found that my energies are focused less on sitting in front of the computer and more on being outside. My son and I enjoy lacrosse so we spend time chucking the ball around whenever we get a chance. Nonetheless, here are a couple of updates on community events.
There will be the community's 8th annual Tree (Poplar Pole) Ceremony on Monday May 18th at Sunrise at the Secord sweat lodge site over on Ojibway Road. All are welcome. I've hosted this ceremony several years ago and I have a strong belief in the healing and restorative powers of it as a mind, body and spirit exercise. In honoring this tree we are saying a heartfelt thank you to this live giving member of our Earth Family for providing us with life, sustainance and assistance throughout our earthly existence. This tree after the ceremony becomes a sacred place to offer prayers, remembering those that have passed and to offer spirit plates. Raising the tree is special and requires the nurturance and love of those participants. I'm very excited and honored to have been asked to participate.
Sunday May 17th is the gathering of pipe carriers at the Sundance site. It starts at 1pm and will be followed by a sweat. Word has spread about this and it is an open invitation. To be around those pipes will be powerful medicine and will focus the continuing efforts of this group of people to bring peace and unity to the community. The sweat will be a beautiful ceremony to honor Spring and to clense myself from some of the stress that has accumulated over the past few months. This Spirit Lodge is being erected at the Sundance site and prayers are welcome. I'm not conducting so i don't know who has been invited but those with positive messages and prayers would be encouraged to attend. Sweat Lodges are running in several places around the community and those that are interested in attending are encouraged to contact me and i will act as a liason with the various conductors.
Wednesday May 13 was a time of Feasting and sharing of songs. The attendance was low but the spirit was high as we honored Spring and offered a Spirit Plate to the Little People of the community. The Little People are those spirits that help to protect children and are of great assistance to families during planting. Food was offered a small pipe was offered. I brought out my son and I's Boston Creek Honor Song that i recently composed. The song came to me while I was hiking with my son and my sister and her family back to the Boston Creek. The Boston is a mighty and beautifully flowing creek that runs through New Credit and Six Nations and off the reserve. It was a special night and finally this song is composed and dedicated to the woman of the community that protect and pray for our water. I sing this song for all the strong women i know in the community that do strong work to protect Mother Earth. I also believe the coming of Spring and Mother's Day helped me to focus my spirit on bringing this song out.
Lloyd S. King Elementary's Girl's Hand Drummers and Big Drum will be recording a CD to celebrate 10 years of traditional singing at the school. If you know me you can contact me to get a copy sometime in July when its finished post-production work. I'll also try to have copies available at the Summer Pow Wow in August.This will be a youth project...singing, producing, mixing, graphic design,photography and writing. Tentative title is "Mdaaswi : Celebrating 10 year's of Anishnaabe Voices at LSK" .
Miigwetch for listening.....have a great season and may this message find you in good health.
There will be the community's 8th annual Tree (Poplar Pole) Ceremony on Monday May 18th at Sunrise at the Secord sweat lodge site over on Ojibway Road. All are welcome. I've hosted this ceremony several years ago and I have a strong belief in the healing and restorative powers of it as a mind, body and spirit exercise. In honoring this tree we are saying a heartfelt thank you to this live giving member of our Earth Family for providing us with life, sustainance and assistance throughout our earthly existence. This tree after the ceremony becomes a sacred place to offer prayers, remembering those that have passed and to offer spirit plates. Raising the tree is special and requires the nurturance and love of those participants. I'm very excited and honored to have been asked to participate.
Sunday May 17th is the gathering of pipe carriers at the Sundance site. It starts at 1pm and will be followed by a sweat. Word has spread about this and it is an open invitation. To be around those pipes will be powerful medicine and will focus the continuing efforts of this group of people to bring peace and unity to the community. The sweat will be a beautiful ceremony to honor Spring and to clense myself from some of the stress that has accumulated over the past few months. This Spirit Lodge is being erected at the Sundance site and prayers are welcome. I'm not conducting so i don't know who has been invited but those with positive messages and prayers would be encouraged to attend. Sweat Lodges are running in several places around the community and those that are interested in attending are encouraged to contact me and i will act as a liason with the various conductors.
Wednesday May 13 was a time of Feasting and sharing of songs. The attendance was low but the spirit was high as we honored Spring and offered a Spirit Plate to the Little People of the community. The Little People are those spirits that help to protect children and are of great assistance to families during planting. Food was offered a small pipe was offered. I brought out my son and I's Boston Creek Honor Song that i recently composed. The song came to me while I was hiking with my son and my sister and her family back to the Boston Creek. The Boston is a mighty and beautifully flowing creek that runs through New Credit and Six Nations and off the reserve. It was a special night and finally this song is composed and dedicated to the woman of the community that protect and pray for our water. I sing this song for all the strong women i know in the community that do strong work to protect Mother Earth. I also believe the coming of Spring and Mother's Day helped me to focus my spirit on bringing this song out.
Lloyd S. King Elementary's Girl's Hand Drummers and Big Drum will be recording a CD to celebrate 10 years of traditional singing at the school. If you know me you can contact me to get a copy sometime in July when its finished post-production work. I'll also try to have copies available at the Summer Pow Wow in August.This will be a youth project...singing, producing, mixing, graphic design,photography and writing. Tentative title is "Mdaaswi : Celebrating 10 year's of Anishnaabe Voices at LSK" .
Miigwetch for listening.....have a great season and may this message find you in good health.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Mother Earth Water Walk 2009
Miigwetch to my friend James who has informed me about his cousin's efforts to raise awareness of the dire situation facing the Great Lakes water. Josephine Mandamin is an elder from Thunder Bay who is originally from Manitoulin Island. She has walked 17,000 km over the past 6 years to raise Great Lakes awareness. Mandamin was moved by the spirits to speak out for the water and she felt it was natural for her to pick up her copper pail and start walking. Her message is that the water is sick and that people really need to fight for the water, to speak to the water and to love the water. Mandamin stops at every tributary and talks directly to the water, offering prayers, tobacco and thanks. She is doing it for the betterment of the next generations. To read more of her journey and the campaign of awareness including valuble water information please visit : www.motherearthwaterwalk.com . This year at our community school we plan to focus our activities on water (Nbiish) and to raise donations for Josephine.
Waawiindaasowin - Naming Ceremony
I had the pleasure of attending a Naming Ceremony in the community last week for 3 young children. The 2 boys and 1 girl were welcomed into the community with their Spirit Names with a traditional feast, pipe, 7 traditional colours,eagle whistle and little boy water drum. After smudging, each child was offered water from their father and strawberries from their mother and then they were given their names in the language. All of the ceremony participants faced the East and spoke the Spirit Name 4 times after which we turned to each of the 4 directions and repeated this process. It was beautiful and simple and was a powerful expression of Anishnaabek culture and tradition. Miigwetch to the families and to Dan for conducting the ceremony. if any families are interested in having this ceremony done please contact me and we can arrange future ones.
Nooziwinike - giizhigad : Naming Ceremony Day
Waawiindaasowin : Naming Ceremony
Manidoo - nooziwinan : Spirit Names
Nooziwinike - giizhigad : Naming Ceremony Day
Waawiindaasowin : Naming Ceremony
Manidoo - nooziwinan : Spirit Names
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Stone : Poem #4
stone
hand on stone,
heart thumps,
mind on family,
words fall silent,
tears pour,
we breathe as one and this stone supports us,
we walk as one on this sacred ground,
step,
step,
step,
we climb to the next level,
the vista is a gift,
a glimpse into the heavens,
into skyworld,
we stand with wind supporting us,
breathing and standing strong,
step,
step,
step,
we make our way down,
we climb to the next level,
the decent was a gift,
this stone,
this mountain, this relation of ours,
so strong and steady,
hand on stone,
heart thumps,
tears dry,
stone
hand on stone,
heart thumps,
mind on family,
words fall silent,
tears pour,
we breathe as one and this stone supports us,
we walk as one on this sacred ground,
step,
step,
step,
we climb to the next level,
the vista is a gift,
a glimpse into the heavens,
into skyworld,
we stand with wind supporting us,
breathing and standing strong,
step,
step,
step,
we make our way down,
we climb to the next level,
the decent was a gift,
this stone,
this mountain, this relation of ours,
so strong and steady,
hand on stone,
heart thumps,
tears dry,
stone
Monday, March 16, 2009
Ki : Earth : Poem #3
Ki
Earth
our mother
thump, thump, thump,
Ki
alive and flourishing,
covered in water,
rock ,
and vegetation,
thump,
a heartbeat so strong ,
that it brings us,
together,
it brings our hearts and spirits,
and hands as one as we,
reach for the sky,
feet planted to the ground,
thump,
together we join hands,
across the Earth our chain reaches,
thump,
smiles and bright eyes,
songs and kind words,
Ki,
thump,thump,thump,
our hands and arms stretch ,
our feet and legs dance,
thump
heartbeat of our nations
our mother
Earth
Ki
Earth
our mother
thump, thump, thump,
Ki
alive and flourishing,
covered in water,
rock ,
and vegetation,
thump,
a heartbeat so strong ,
that it brings us,
together,
it brings our hearts and spirits,
and hands as one as we,
reach for the sky,
feet planted to the ground,
thump,
together we join hands,
across the Earth our chain reaches,
thump,
smiles and bright eyes,
songs and kind words,
Ki,
thump,thump,thump,
our hands and arms stretch ,
our feet and legs dance,
thump
heartbeat of our nations
our mother
Earth
Ki
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Shkode : Fire Journey : Poem #2
shkode
from the darkness,
a spark lept,
light,
heat and flame crept,
from the quiet,
a rumble,
rippling,
through the air,
from the east,
the light spread south,
from the south the heat blanketed the west,
we gathered in the north,
and we felt,
the joyous emotional ,
blast,
laughter,
shouts of joy,
whistles,
back to the eastern door,
we sat and watched the embers,
radiate,
rain fell,
to the ground to clense,
the fire's last resting place,
we smiled and closed our eyes,
in prayer,
what a journey this flame took us,
thank you,
fire,
shkode
from the darkness,
a spark lept,
light,
heat and flame crept,
from the quiet,
a rumble,
rippling,
through the air,
from the east,
the light spread south,
from the south the heat blanketed the west,
we gathered in the north,
and we felt,
the joyous emotional ,
blast,
laughter,
shouts of joy,
whistles,
back to the eastern door,
we sat and watched the embers,
radiate,
rain fell,
to the ground to clense,
the fire's last resting place,
we smiled and closed our eyes,
in prayer,
what a journey this flame took us,
thank you,
fire,
shkode
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