Teaching lodge offers ‘voices from the past for tomorrow’

Gathering a welcome opportunity to meet with Elders
Gilbert Legarde is proud of his language.
“My Native tongue lets me say what I want to say,” said the Long Lake 58 band member.
He spoke at the Voices From the Past For Tomorrow traditional youth and Elders gathering Sept. 21-23 in Thunder Bay.
“I tell the kids, I urge the kids to go talk to their Elders. There are not too many of us left that know our history.”
Several dozen Elders from around the province and beyond attended the gathering at Thunder Bay’s Chippewa Park, hosted by Grey Wolf Teaching Lodge, a Thunder Bay organization dedicated to helping rebuild cultural and spiritual connections, to help youth and Elders connect.
The Elders offered spiritual guidance in a sacred, loving way where youth could learn and Elders could teach them about how things used to be, explained Cindy Crowe, the event’s lodge keeper.
She said the event was formed to assist in bridging the generational gaps within the communities and to revitalize culture and promote traditions to foster spiritual growth in a loving and respectful way.
“Our mandate is to be inclusive and bring everyone together,” Crowe said.
The Elders were able to speak about any issues they wanted. Some ran sweats, others offered counselling and others encouraged sharing.
“We’re excited about what is going on here,” she said. “Youth can approach Elders about getting their spirit or clan names or they could get help praying for family members. There is no agenda. It’s up to the Elders and youth what they want to see happen.”
For Legarde, language and knowledge of the past were the centrepieces of his presentation.
“I often think about my father,” he said. “He was a spiritual man. When he passed away, I often wondered about his past, his knowledge. As a youth, he would sit me down and talk to me. When he passed away, all the stuff he talked about came back. It was like a little chip in my brain was activated.”
Legarde said people need to rekindle their spirits and be more friendly and helpful.
“We have to get to know each other, not just pass each other on the street,” he said. “I’ve been sober for 20 years. I can remember the people I’ve met and say hello.”
In his sobriety, Legarde is trying to make positive changes in his life and the lives of those around him.
“In my drinking days, I didn’t show love to my children,” he said. “The love I’m giving my grandchildren is different. The youth, they are searching for that good way of life. They need lots of love. We need to show it to them.”
Legarde was thrilled to be a part of the event, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with other Elders, talking to and working with the youth.
The youth participants seemed to enjoy the gathering.
“I really want to learn more about the traditional activities,” said Darren Meekis, a Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School student from Sandy Lake. “I want to learn about drumming. I want to start.”
Muskrat Dam’s Aaron Fiddler enjoyed listening to the Elders speak.
“The stories, the history, we need to hear this,” the DFC student said.
Sachigo Lake’s Marita Barkman welcomed the opportunity to sit down with the Elders.
“I try to visit as much as I can when I am back home,” she said. “I could listen to the stories for hours. It was nice to get to talk to some Elders here in the city.”