Treaty 2 Territory: The FNT2T Earth Lodge will be commemorating 150 years since we entered into Treaty 2 with a series of events from August 16-20th in Ebb and Flow and will end with a re-enactment on August 21st at Manitoba House. The details are as follows:
- Sunday, August 15th: Camp Setup at Ebb and Flow
- DAY 1: Monday, August 16th: Lighting of the Sacred Fired, followed by Ceremonies
- DAY 2: Tuesday, August 17th: Clan Gathering
- DAY 3: Wednesday, August 18th: Traditional Teachings
- DAY 4: Thursday, August 19th: All Circles Sharing (Youth, Women, Men, Elders)
- DAY 5: Friday, August 20th: Family Fun Day (entertainment, concerts)
- DAY 6: Saturday, August 21st; A,M,- Manitoba House; P.M. – Ebb & Flow Pow Wow
More information about registration will be provided at a later date. Check our website for updates and registration information: lodge.fnt2t.com
What is a Sacred Fire?
The sacred fire is a doorway to communicate and pass things onto the spirit world, to our ancestors in the spirit world. It’s the heart of our communities events and ceremonies. The fire is often kept burning for four days or the duration of the ceremony, and is tended to by a Fire Keeper, often a young man.
If we have a ceremony like a Sweatlodge or a sun dance, the fire will burn for duration of the ceremonies. If you’ve never been to a ceremony before and you walk up and see people wearing traditional regalia around a fire, maybe see a pipe or a drum, see ladies wearing skirts with ribbons on them, you can pretty much be assured that you are at a sacred fire. For our people, it is seen as a spiritual doorway that opens to a spiritual realm so that individuals can communicate and have relations through the fire. It also used to connect with our ancestors, the ones who have gone on before us.
Protocol: You would never throw things into the fire, film it without permission, or treat it like a bonfire or party. If you don’t know what to do, then ask. The only thing that goes into a sacred fire is an offering like tobacco, or sometimes a spirit dish, a plate of food to feed our ancestors, or cloth. These are things that we want our ancestors to have on the other side, in the spirit world. So, when we go up to the sacred fire and make an offering, that smoke goes up and it’s up to the Creator, Gitchi Manitou to answer those prayers or not. The fire is comfort, warmth and protection, it’s about family, community and connections.
Submitted by Renée McGurry, Earth Lodge Development Helper
