See how a baby is welcomed into a First Nations community
Ann Paul | CBC News | Posted: December 3, 2022 10:00 AM | Last Updated: December 3, 2022
Inside a placenta burial at St. Mary's First Nation
Image | Placenta burial lead
Caption: Elder Imelda Perley is reviving the traditions of placenta burial and spirit name-giving ceremonies at St. Mary’s First Nation. (Ann Paul/CBC)
When a baby is on the way in St. Mary's First Nation in New Brunswick, the community gets ready to welcome the child.
But there are some traditions that Elder Imelda Perley wants to bring back.
Giving a child a spirit name is one of them. On a weekend this fall at St. Mary's First Nation, also known as Sitansisk First Nation, the community held a ceremony to revive this aspect of their culture.
The community and family also held a placenta burial ceremony, which is a way to honour the ancestors.
WATCH | Elder Imelda Perley performs a placenta burial to honour the ancestors:
Media Video | (not specified) : Ann’s Eye: Elder Imelda Perley on Wolastoqey doula training, placenta burial
Caption: “This baby is going to belong to the whole community”: How St. Mary’s First Nation celebrates a birth and honours a promise to the past.
She's also sharing her knowledge with women interested in becoming doulas, who support the mother and help the family prepare for the placenta burial and spirit name-giving ceremony.
The emphasis on community involvement is so the parents know they're not alone in raising their child.
"It's really important that we nurture our women who are bringing these amazing babies into our community," Perley said.
CBC contributor Ann Paul joined the community for the placenta burial and spirit name-giving ceremony. Watch the video below and scroll through the photos to see what she saw.
Image | placenta burial one
Caption: Community members, doulas, family and friends gather outside a sweat lodge, where the parents or caregivers will take the baby. (Ann Paul/CBC)
Image | placenta burial two
Caption: Elder Imelda Perley gathers her sacred bundle. For this ceremony, she is the one who gives the children their spirit names. (Ann Paul/CBC)
Image | placenta burial three
Caption: A sacred fire burns outside the sweat lodge. Every ceremony has a sacred fire so community members can offer tobacco. Smoke goes up to the Creator, taking their prayers. (Ann Paul/CBC)
WATCH | Elder Imelda Perley performs a placenta burial to honour the ancestors:
Image | placenta burial four
Caption: Robbie Tomah (middle) was the fire keeper for the ceremony. He prepared the sacred fire by the sweat lodge and tended to it. Mason Paul (right) was the photographer for the placenta burial and name-giving ceremony. Imelda Perley, who works at the University of New Brunswick, wanted to document the event. (Ann Paul/CBC)
Image | placenta burial five
Caption: Women in the St. Mary’s First Nation community who are interested in becoming a doula, who works with and supports the mother throughout pregnancy and birth, were able to learn from the teachings of Elder Imelda Perley. (Ann Paul/CBC)
Image | placenta burial six
Caption: “These women in our community are doing an amazing job in the reclamation of our cultural foundation, which every child needs,” Imelda Perley said. (Ann Paul/CBC)
Image | placenta burial seven
Caption: The women learning about becoming doulas and placenta burial also received a lesson on making what’s called a moss bag (left). Ann Paul says this is because of a tradition where long ago, when babies didn’t have diapers, caregivers would use soft moss instead. In some First Nation communities, every family that uses a doula will receive a moss bag for their child. (Ann Paul/CBC)
Ann's Eye
Photographer Ann Paul brings an Indigenous lens to stories from First Nations communities across New Brunswick. Click here or the image below to see more of her work.