Julien St-Jean
Mansfield et Pontefract July 10, 2021
Over the weekend, Esprit collaborated with Dibaajimowin Pontiac to hold a symbolic vigil fire in remembrance of Indigenous children who were forced to attend residential schools.
The fire was lit by Sébastien Beaudoin just before 5 a.m. on Saturday and stayed lit until roughly 9 p.m. on Sunday.
After hearing about the bodies of Indigenous children found near residential schools across the country, Jim Coffey, owner of Esprit, wanted to hold a gathering for community members to gather and discuss.
“I thought it’d give people from our community a chance to come together and have their own takeaway,” said Coffey. “Whether it be sitting on the rocks and playing guitar or sitting in a group and talking about issues. Whether it be thoughts of respect, solidarity, anger or anything else.”
On Sunday, Elder Dan Ross of Pikwakanagan First Nation led attendees in a sacred pipe ceremony, which was organized by Dibaajimowin Pontiac. Attendees were invited to share their thoughts and emotions about residential school victims and anything else that may have been on their minds.
“One of the reasons we’re here today is the over 1,000 of our little children who didn’t come home from residential schools,” said Ross. “In our thoughts and prayers today, we need to think of the little children who never came home and those who did.”
Attendees listened to a drum ceremony and participated in a smudging ceremony where cedar, sage, sweetgrass and tobacco were wafted across the body.
Ross encouraged people to live by the seven grandfather teachings, which include: wisdom, love, respect, bravery, honesty, humility and truth.
As part of the weekend, Esprit sold orange shirts and donated over $500 to Indigenous women’s shelters.
“I think that everyone there was present and heartfelt,” said Coffey. “We have to continue doing things like this, inviting people to speak and learn about things.”
