Lakehead University hosts cultural workshops led by Anishinaabe Elder
By Rick Garrick
THUNDER BAY — Biigtigong Nishnaabeg Elder Beatrice Twance-Hynes recently shared two workshops, a Men’s Hand Drum Workshop and a Medicine Wheel Workshop, at Lakehead University’s Gakina Nindinawemaaganag lounge. The Men’s Hand Drum Workshop was scheduled on Jan. 29 and Feb. 5, and the Medicine Wheel Workshop on Feb. 2.
“I made my first hand drum back in 2012, taught by Georgina and Kelvin Redsky,” says Elder Twance-Hynes, Lakehead Elder-in-Residence and a member of Lakehead University’s Elders Council. “And I took what I learned and [started] teaching others how to make the drum. I teach them about the animal, the hide, the wood, the drumstick, the hoop.”
Elder Twance-Hynes says they had hand drum kits for the workshop, so she explained how to soak the hide to soften it and then how to lace it onto the hand drum hoop during the Jan. 29 session.
“The hide is hard, so we have to put it in water,” Elder Twance-Hynes says. “Then we also put tobacco in the water, and when I put that tobacco in the water I say a prayer, thanking again the animal who gave its hide, the tree that gave its wood so that they could make the hoop, and I also thanked the water. And I also thanked Creator, I thanked the ancestors as well, and I also thanked all our relations.”
Elder Twance-Hynes says they would do the birthing ceremony for the hand drum during the Feb. 5 session.
“The drummer’s voice and the voice of the drum will connect for the very first time in that ceremony,” Elder Twance-Hynes says. “We will also be feasting the drum, and after we do the feast, I will also share teachings about the drum, how the drum came to be, how to take care of the drum.”
Yolanda Twance, coordinator of the Indigenous Student Services Centre at Lakehead University, says the Men’s Hand Drum Workshop was an opportunity for students to connect with the Elders and to learn some of their cultural teachings.
“Once they are done, they will get a completed drum,” Twance says. “We’re always looking for opportunities to connect students with the Elders, so it’s a nice way to do that.”
Elder Twance-Hynes says it was important to share the Medicine Wheel teachings during the Medicine Wheel Workshop.
“Those teachings come from our ancestors,” Elder Twance-Hynes says. “The Medicine Wheel teaches us about balance, those four segments of the Medicine Wheel. There’s lots of teachings in the Medicine Wheel, four aspects of life, the elements of life, stages of life, and so on.”
Elder Twance-Hynes says the figure of a white horse on her Medicine Wheel was about the teaching of patience.
“They say in life there’s a white horse that carries us on this spiritual, as well as physical, journey that we’re on, and that white horse is called Patience — we all need that patience in life to learn the things that we need to learn to move forward,” Elder Twance-Hynes says. “I really enjoy sharing teachings, what I have learned, and I really enjoyed this workshop, bringing my Medicine Wheel out again and singing my song about the Medicine Wheel.”
Jason Big George, a first-year social work student at Lakehead University, says the Medicine Wheel Workshop was really interesting because he is from Naongashing in Treaty #3.
“That’s a couple of hours away from here, so we have different teachings about the Medicine Wheel, different animals, and stuff,” Big George says. “I think it’s really cool and interesting to learn from Elder Beatrice and kind of expanding my knowledge while I’m in Thunder Bay. I really liked the white horse [teaching], I haven’t heard that before about the patience.”
Big George says he also likes to attend the pipe ceremonies that are shared by another Elder at Lakehead University.
“I haven’t been able to go to the sweat lodge yet, but I’d like to go to the sweat lodge the next time they have a student sweat,” Big George says.