Welcome to the Noojimo Mitigwaaki (Noe-jih-moh Mih-tig-waw-kih) Healing Forest
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Location: 1 Water St. - by the Labyrinth
This project was created with the intention of paying respect to and protecting the land, water, wildlife, plants and humans that walk these paths. For hundreds of thousands of years Indigenous Peoples have been protecting the spirit of the land we all call home. Our teachings remind us that everything has a living spirit which must be nurtured and cared for, a vital part of the feeding of our soul and protecting the balance of our living journey. There are cycles to honor and patterns to respect. These drive the water level, the plants and animals that flourish here and the trees that stand tall in the wisdom of protection and the healthy air we breathe.
The Noojimo Mitigwaaki is a walk of spirit, a walk of awareness, of understanding and of reconciliation for the Indigenous Peoples. As stewards of the land we bring you back to the teachings of living in balance with Mother Earth and the Spirit within, the forest is full of stories. The question will be can you stop long enough to breathe in with all of your senses and connect in a deeper way that will unveil all of the beautiful gifts in this place we all call home!
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We have developed a loop of understanding between 7 designated signs for reflection. Each sign weaves an Indigenous image with a teaching and life reflection. Our teachings tell us that everything in life has a reason and responsibility. This is the teaching gift of life. There is no ending, or beginning… there is simply the intent to experience everything. While you walk the pathways and experience your own journey, we encourage you to play, listen, experience and explore. We also ask you to walk in kindness as we work together to better understand the path to Truth & Reconciliation, the steps needed to restore balance for Indigenous Peoples who walk this Earth and face challenges every day as a result of the history that does not acknowledge their presence here on this land.
With Love & Respect for All of Our Relations See you on the pathways of the Noojimo Mitigwaaki
Welcome to Treaty 18 Territory. For time immemorial Indigenous People have walked this Earth with respect, understanding and a deep connection to everything around us. Many diverse communities crossed these paths we walk today. Indigenous peoples grew crops on these lands, fished for community on these waters and stood in protection by the mountains that overlook Collingwood. These experiences were achieved with thought, respectfully honoring the cycles of this area. Relationships of honor were communicated in every action taken to protect this land. Nothing was over harvested, picked, hunted or exposed. Instead, what was taken from the land was based on what was needed and always given back with appreciation and thanks. There are many stories of truth about this area with many diverse communities of Indigenous Peoples.
As you reflect on this image of the Turtle and Wampum Belt we ask you to consider the many diverse peoples who travelled through this place we call home and the responsibility taken to peacably walk together. Our Turtle holds many teachings of strength, vitality and agility. Our Wampum Belts remind us of the patience, wisdom and commitment it takes to walk together in unity. As you walk along this pathway today we ask you to consider all the ways that you can show up in strength, vita ity and agility yet firmly be rooted in applying patience, wisdom and commitment for creating and maintaining good relations with both the “truths” of the past and the “hopes” of the future. How will you be a part of doing better in peoplehood and as an individual?
For the Annisanaabe people of this land, the Sweat Lodge represents the womb of our mother. It encourages our connection to the land, our spirituality and the flow of balance in all things. Entering the sacred space of the Sweat Lodge is a reminder of all things sacred, inside this womb, with the land as our grounding rod, we are in connection to everything our stories teach us about. This is a place to regain our health and reconnect to the Earth who is also our Mother. It reminds us that when we are healed, we are better able to walk with our Mother Earth and learn from her teachings.
As a result of Canada’s colonial history and genocide against Indigenous peoples, traditional teachings, ceremonies and connections were banned for many years, causing deep ripples of trauma that have impacted multiple generations. Ceremonies, connection and identity ripped from families to be replaced with religions and practices that did not belong to us, see us or support us. Today, traditional ceremony, song, language and land teachings are becoming instrumental foundations of rebuilding connectedness and wholeness. When you come across the frame of a Sweat Lodge be sure to remember that it is a sacred. Treat it with the respect, every tie and every bended pole is a teaching of connectedness, love and respect for all things creation!
As the drum beats to the rhythm of its muse the life force of a spirit begins to sing. In the Annishanaabe culture our drum represents the heartbeat of the earth, through that heartbeat we are connected as one in a spiritual way. The drum is a beacon, a call to the spirit world and a reminder that we are always connected. One of drum’s many teachings is to remind us of love, kindness, creation and connection. Through the heartbeat of the drum, one can feel alive and empowered to voice a greater way of healing for this world for all to embrace.
As you walk along this pathway, take a moment to connect to your own heartbeat, your own intention and your own responsibility of connection that you came into this world to share. The heartbeat of Canada’s Indigenous Peoples still beats here. It was through connection, care and love for the land that you are still able to enjoy the views, water and experiences that Collingwood offers. Never forget the heartbeats that cared for this land we all call home for they hold a respect and connection deeper than we may ever understand. Think about all the little ways in which we are connected to everything around us and always remember to listen to the drumbeat that plays in our chest
The Red River Settlement stands as the birthplace of the Métis Nation and the heart of the Métis Nation Homeland. For generations, diverse nations have walked this land, calling it home and enriching its history. Today, we honor and acknowledge the many nations who live, work, and enjoy the shores of Georgian Bay. We celebrate the diversity and the wealth of gifts that this vibrant cultural tapestry brings to our community.
The sash is one of the most prominent symbols of Métis culture. The sash was used by Voyageurs who wore the sash as a tool, they could use while travelling. Such uses included using it as a cloth/towel, rope, and to assist with carrying their heavy loads when portaging during their trade routes. The loose strands at the bottom could also be used as well in many ways, including as thread to sew with when out on a voyage. One of the best life-saving purposes sashes were used for was as belts tied tight around the voyageurs’ waists when carrying heavy loads to prevent hernias from heavy lifting.
In Inuit culture there are three parts that make up the spirit. Louis-Jacques Doaris in “Words of Inuit: A Semantic Stroll Through Northern Culture” identifies these parts as:
Name Spirit
As an Inuk, the Name Spirit is inherited at birth, a person’s namesake comes from a family member or close friend who has passed away, in this way the Name Spirit is a form of reincarnation. In Inuit culture only humans have a Name Spirit.
Breath Spirit
When a newborn first takes a breath, the Breath Spirit enters. It is believed that humans and all living things that breath have a Breath Spirit.
Human-like Shadow or Soul
All living things are believed to have a soul. While the souls of humans and animals are classified differently, they are considered equally as important and beautiful. The soul of the deceased continues to the Spirit World. Some souls can communicate through dreams to the living.
In Inuit society, Shamanism was historically part of everyday practice. Today, because of the introduction of Christianity through missionaries and the forced oppression of Inuit spirituality in residential schools, it is difficult to find Shamans. The younger generation of Inuit who have not been exposed to the direct harms of the residential school system that caused such deep rooted shame towards the views of Shamanism, have formed new perspectives that may differ from Inuit Elders. Inuit are now free to choose their own Spiritual path.
In an interview with Muckpaloo Ipeelie, Elder Piita Irniq shares his experience as a young boy living on the land, shining light on an untouched Inuit way of life before colonization. Piita advocates for Inuit cultural preservation.
Over a 1,000 years ago, Five Nations (Seneca, Onieda, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Mohawk) were united by the Peacemaker and Hiawatha. Under the protection of the Great Tree of Peace at Onondaga Lake, together they founded the Haudenosaunee Confederacy.
Governance of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy values traditions of labour sharing, duty to family, clan & nation, as well as a responsibility to Mother Earth and the Creator to promote balance among the natural world. The Seven Generations principle tells us that the seeds we sow today will be harvested for the next seven generations.
The Great White Pine Tree was chosen by The Peacemaker to represent the Great Law of Peace, Kanyanerenkó:wa. The tallest native tree in eastern Turtle Island (North America) can be seen from a distance. The tree’s long branches create a perimeter that symbolizes the circle of protection. The tree’s needles form in bundles of five adding a reminder of the original five nations that formed the confederacy. Later the Tuscarora joined the confederacy.
The roots stretch out toward the 4 directions and are called the Great White Roots. The Peacemaker declared that any persons who choose to follow the principles of the Great Law of peace should follow those Great White Roots to the protection of the tree. In promising to abide by The Great Law, they would be welcomed under the shade of the tree.
The blanket now bathes, glides across grey stone Awakening more life than the present one alone The rock holds old song, still eager to share Ancient fire ash, the residue of aged prayer Hazy vibration, ode of the heartbeat or drum? Listen intently, there is more yet to come Copper toned footprints in pattern of dance The clay carries her duty of fond remembrance Of travelers and dwellers long into the past Buried and treasured, the sacred shall last Encoded in memory of the sediment and soil Waters entrusted to care for hallowed spoil The bluffs release vignettes of no reason or rhyme Ancient legends eroded and distorted by time Colliding and bumping, they come with such haste Growing and flowing, enjoying the chase She gathers them, cradles them, guides them along Perhaps these old verses will return into song Now at the mouth, she releases the choir A coming together of truth , love, and desire The creek slows her pace, rests in warmth of the sun Until the next cycle of shedding's begun
