Sacred Fire
Sacred Fire is a four-day ceremonial gathering in Thunder Bay.[1]
In Anishinabek News
- July 2017: A fire was lit at 4:30 am during a Sunrise Ceremony on June 10 at the Maamwi Kindaaswin Festival to honor ancestors. It served as a place for dancers to make offerings of tobacco or cedar before the Grand Entry.[2]
- June 2018: A fire was lit near the courthouse in Thunder Bay to support the Robinson Huron Treaty annuity case. Coals from previous fires were used to start new ones as the court hearings moved between different regions. The fire served as a place for people to offer prayers for everyone involved in the legal case.[3]
- August 2021: A fire was maintained throughout the Day of Mourning on August 3, 2021.[4]
- October 2025: The 2025 event marked the fifth year of this gathering, which was originally established following the discovery of 215 at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School. The gathering featured a teaching lodge, a tipi for sessions with Elders, and sweat lodge ceremonies to support healing and cultural understanding. The event was held at the Sister Margaret Smith Centre and included the release of a progress report on Indigenous health initiatives.[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "St. Joseph’s Care Group supporting hospitals and community organizations to embed Indigenous perspectives into care", Anishinabek News, 14 October 2025 (archived copy; original article).
- ↑ "Grandmothers honoured at Maamwi Kindaaswin Festival", Anishinabek News, 9 July 2017 (archived copy; original article).
- ↑ "Sacred Fire vital during the Robinson Huron Treaty annuity case", Anishinabek News, 1 June 2018 (archived copy; original article).
- ↑ "Curve Lake First Nation and Hiawatha First Nation join together to observe Day of Mourning", Anishinabek News, 4 August 2021 (archived copy; original article).