Day 15 Afternoon Closing: Soil Ingestion Research Project ~ Cold Lake First Nations (English Bay)

Afternoon ClosingCold Lake First Nations English Bay Community Centre
Day 15 (Wednesday, August 31st, 2011):

Bannock: We waited 15 days to eat to
our hearts content

This would be the day we all get to eat bannock and dessert.  We walked to the CLFNS E-Bay Community Centre for the Wednesday weekly Bannock & Soup.  It wasn't just any Bannock & Soup this week.  We were celebrating a community member Elder's birthday and also it was to honor this project & all it's participants and planners.

When we arrived there were a lot of community members and it was a full house.  My mom, brother, Ken, Darilyn, & other family members came too.  It was so nice to see so many family today.

Chief Eric Gadwa from Kehewin Cree Nation spoke and thanked us all for being part of this project and so did Dave Scott of Tribal Chiefs Ventures.  They asked for me & Duane to speak about our experience and I couldn't help but get emotional because I felt so much gratitude but I also encouraged the people to please go back to the land and feel it's strength & transquility.  Of all the things, I spoke about I can only hope that one person heard me pleading for them to help save our Mother ~ Earth & for all of us to protect her, for ourselves too...for our survival!

These are my new found family...FYI: this is the first time any of us have dressed up & it was the first time I did my hair in 15 days...we clean up gooooddddd (lol).

My Sweet Angelle,my partner in crime

Our scholar, Graham...he would remind me to stop being a mom
(well, he's the same age as Germain)

Our Muskrat Warrior, Duane...he kept us safe & laughing

Our Humble Elder, John...when he spoke, you listened
Tom Piche (background), Director of E-Bay Centre

Our Bull Rider Ryan, the ladies man, hee, hee &
Our Storytelling Outfitter, Gerald...he kept us fat for the Bears lol

Soil Injection Project: Our Group (L to R):
Graham, Angelle, John, Gerald, Shannon (Me), Ryan, Duane, Brian

We also can't say enough about how grateful we felt for all the staff at Cold Lake English Bay Community Centre and all the friendly and generious caring community members of Cold Lake First Nations for all their kindness, stories, & just stopping in and being with us at our camp....we will miss you, our daily visitor, Dennis...keep drinking that mint tea.

All I know I, is I made great friends & family for life, I plan to start coming out here each year & go hunt & gather north of Cold Lake and do what our people have done for thousands of years...be with our Mother!

Now, I ask you ~ "What are you going to do to help Mother Earth & SAVE us ALL!...ONE Person can Make a Difference!

From Wetland to Wasteland