Guelph’s sacred fire space to be used for Indigenous spiritual gatherings

The City of Guelph has announced the completion of a sacred fire space in Royal City Park.

The space is meant for spiritual gatherings by local Indigenous groups for celebration, prayer, gratitude and personal healing, the city said in a post on its website.

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“We are honoured that members of the local First Nations, Métis, Mixed Ancestry and Inuit community trusted us to help bring their long-needed sacred fire to life,” Martin Neumann, the city’s manager of parks operations and forestry, said in a statement.

“This sacred space acknowledges that Guelph is situated on treaty land, of which we are stewards, and honours our community’s unique history and culture.”

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The city said fire keepers will support local Indigenous groups using the sacred fire according to their own unique traditions.

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“The sacred fire is a dream almost 30 years in the making,” members of the Seven Generations Forward Circle, a local Indigenous group, said.

“We are looking forward to sharing this sacred space with the Guelph community at specific times of the year.”

More information can be found on the city’s website.