Lakehead University’s hosts Indigenous Student Services Centre Winter Feast

By Rick Garrick

THUNDER BAY — Fort William Elder Sheila Decorte enjoyed sharing teachings, stories, and songs during Lakehead University’s Indigenous Student Services Centre Winter Feast at the Gakina Nindinawemaaganag Lounge on Jan. 18.

“I felt it was important to share the significance of the seasonal feast, why we celebrate that particular season, what we can do during that particular season, and then how it represents Mother Earth — this is a time for her to rest, snow covers her in a nice blanket and lets her rest,” Elder Decorte says. “Winter is a time for storytelling and a chance to feast your sacred items and bundles, a time to as a reminder to change your cedar boughs in your home that you might have hung for protection.”

Elder Decorte says she invited one of the students to prepare a feast dish before the feast as an offering to be placed on the land to honour the lives of the living and the season of winter.

“Seasonal feasts provide various foods that are considered to be traditional foods like fish, wild rice (manomin), and berries,” she says.

Elder Decorte also shared some teachings on tobacco as well as two songs that are specific to the Seven Grandfather teachings, a Turtle Song representing truth and a migizii (eagle) Honour Song representing love, during the feast.

“I always like to provide a teaching of why tobacco is offered to an Elder or a Knowledge Keeper when they are approached to share their knowledge and their gifts,” she says.

Elder Decorte says it was important to share the two songs because “love is being represented by these seasonal feasts.”

“It’s a chance to come together as families and others and it’s a way to share that love for the people and the love of your bundles.”

Elder Decorte also spoke about the Water Walks that she and a group of Indigenous women have been doing in the Thunder Bay area during the feast.

“Talking about winter, it makes me think of snow and it makes me think of water and the importance of water, so I wanted to bring their attention to the importance of water,” she says. “Water is life.”

Elder Decorte says there was a good response to her presentation at the feast, which was attended by Indigenous and non-Indigenous students and three of their children.

“A couple (of students) did make a comment that they were grateful for the songs and the teachings that were shared,” Decorte says. “One young woman asked about Nanabosho because there’s various legends around that — Nanabozho is resting right there on Lake Superior.”

Yolanda Twance, Indigenous Student Services Centre coordinator at Lakehead University and Netmizaaggamig Nishnaabeg citizen, says the Indigenous Student Services Centre hosts seasonal feasts throughout the academic year to acknowledge the change of seasons.

“We always invite an Elder in to come and share prayers and share teachings on the importance of why we feast,” Twance says. “At the feast we shared traditional food, so we had fish and moose meat stew and bannock and wild rice and blueberry jam and things like that. We had a really good turnout — it’s part of the cultural support that our centre provides for Indigenous students, and the feasts are for anyone who wants to attend or learn more about Indigenous culture.”

Twance says the seasonal feasts for the spring, summer and fall are held outdoors at the university’s sweat lodge site.

“It’s really a great way to bring students together and to connect with the Elders,” Twance says.