Spring Feast in Red Deer
This year Red Deer’s Indigenous community gathered for our 17th Annual Spring Feast, 4 days of ceremony, connection and healing. The theme of the Spring Feast this year was All Together with a focus on White Bison Wellbriety teachings of Mothers of Traditions, Fathers of Tradition and Celebrating Families.
Day 1 began with the women leading the way as the life givers. Corky (Teresa) Larsen-Jonasson led the whole day with 3 ceremonies for the women. The women opened with a Pipe Ceremony, with a Wellbriety circle in the morning, in the afternoon the women gathered by the river for a Water Ceremony. Ending a great day of community with a Women’s Sweat Lodge. Where over 40 women came together in prayer, setting the tone for the days to come, there were 12 women that this was their first sweat, everyone women came into all 4 rounds.
Day 2 was dedicated to the men. After opening with a Pipe Ceremony and a Wellbriety meeting focusing on the Fathers of Tradition, in the afternoon the men received teachings from respected Elders: Lynn Jonasson (Red Deer - originally from Manitoba Fisher River Cree Nation) Peter Bigstone (Ocean Man, SK), Calvin Williams (Kainai), and Reg Davidson (Haida Gwaii), Frank Shannon (Haida Gwaii) and Kyle Campiou (Driftfile Cree Nation). The day ended with a powerful Men’s Sweat Lodge, also with over 32 men present, with 20 community members outside the lodge to support.
Day 3 was for the families. We began with a community Pipe Ceremony and a Wellbriety Circle, followed by crafts and teachings for all ages from Peter and Marlene Bigstone. The day closed with a co-ed Sweat lodge, again with over 30 participants in the sweat and over 20 community members outside the lodge in support.
Day 4 was the big community day of our Feast celebration. To honor those that did not make it through the winter and for the Red Deer Industrial School located across the river known to be one of the highest mortality rates in Canadian history, we feast each year to honor those, as many of the students came from all across Turtle Island. The ceremony was held by Elder John Crier (Samson First Nation) and Elder Corky (Teresa) Larsen-Jonasson (Samson FN/MNA). We welcomed over 200 community members to share in the feast, with over 20 Oskapiews (helpers) distributing the food, and closing with giveaway for the Community. The final sweat lodge was for all the helpers, planners for those that had dedicated their time to help with the event and helped make this gathering possible.
