Pipe ceremony, feast marks end of Indigenous culture, language program

A special pipe ceremony followed by a paper bag feast for the homeless marked the end of an online Indigenous cultural and language program Tuesday night.

Anishinaabe Gikinoo'amaagowinan — The People's Teachings helped connect about 30 people weekly to language and culture. The program was run through the National Indian Brotherhood Trust Fund and in partnership with Selkirk Friendship Centre and Indigenous Languages of Manitoba.

"It was access to our culture, it was access to teachings, it was access to the language component on a weekly basis and these were elders who are known throughout the community and not just Ojibway," said Jeannie Red Eagle, co-ordinator for the program, who added Cree and Dakota languages were also taught.

She said in total 50 people, including some participants from Ontario, benefited from the program, which had to be run online after the pandemic started.

Red Eagle said the program gave people stuck at home something to hold onto and featured First Nations elders with question-and-answer sessions.

As a way to mark the end of the program, elder Mike Pierre gave a blessing during a ceremony at the Indigenous Languages of Manitoba building in Point Douglas.

Volunteers with the Mama Bear Clan, a grassroots group led by women that patrols Winnipeg's North Point Douglas neighbourhood and Main Street, delivered a feast in paper bags to people at Sscope, the non-profit inside the old Neechi Commons building. 

Dozens of people were given traditional stew, bannock, sandwiches and dessert. The meals would normally be served at a large in-person setting but had to go paper bag style to comply with COVID-19 gathering restrictions.

"We are helpers tonight and we are honoured to be helpers," said community outreach worker Mitch Bourbonniere, who is a Mama Bear Clan member.

"It's been a very hard and difficult year for all of us, including our relatives on the street."

Tyson Henry and Nina Assiniboine from Roseau River Anishinabe First Nation performed an honour song while community members were given their meals.

Red Eagle said she would like to offer a similar program online focused on land-based teachings in the future.