Sacred fire burning in downtown Winnipeg

A sacred fire is burning in downtown Winnipeg for a First Nations group.

More than 3,000 delegates from the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) Special Chiefs Assembly were honoured at a ceremony Monday at St. Mary Ave. and Carlton St.

The AFN Special Chiefs Assembly is meeting to elect a new national chief. The fire will be kept burning 24 hours a day until the assembly concludes.

“The sacred fire welcomes all to come and join and be a part of the ceremonies,” said Lisa Meeches, executive director of Manitoba Ahbee.

Kevin Settee, an Ojibway Cree youth and University of Winnipeg student is the fire keeper and pipe carrier. Kevin, other volunteers and members of the Downtown BIZ will keep the fire burning until Dec. 11. 

AFN to elect new leader

The election for the AFN national chief will take place at the RBC Convention Centre from December 9-11. There are three people in the race.

• Ghislain Picard, the AFN regional chief for First Nations in Quebec and Labrador, who took over the role of national chief after Atleo’s abrupt resignation in May.  
• Perry Bellegarde, the chief of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations.
• Leon Jourdaine, a former Treaty #3 grand chief and chief of the Lac La Croix First Nation in northwestern Ontario.