The Kainai Wellness Centre held a day of prayer Thursday afternoon as a convoy of vehicles made its way through Moses Lake, Lavern, Stand Off and the Old Agency.
The convoy stopped in each community to allow an elder to pray and perform a smudge for community members experiencing loss and grief due to COVID-19 and the opioid crisis.
Prairie Chicken said the Blood Reserve is managing the situation closely to ensure numbers continue to decline.
Unfortunately, the reserve has experienced a death in relation to the novel coronavirus. On June 8., the community lost 76-year-old Adrian Buck Many Fingers, an elder who had survived one of Canada’s residential schools.
The centre wants residents to know there are resources that are accessible to them.
- Ultra-processed food tied to higher risk of early death, study finds. What to avoid
- N.S. couple felt they won ‘doctor lottery’ after years on wait-list. Now they’re back on it
- Panera to remove ‘Charged Sips’ drink from Canada amid wrongful death lawsuits
- A ‘zombie’ virus is raging among raccoons. What to know
“We do a lot of phone line counselling, scoop counselling… Skype counselling — we’re available,” said Prairie Chicken.
Reserve health workers are also continuing the ongoing fight to save lives being lost to addictions.
“The whole idea is a reminder to not forget who we are,” said Onistaya Kopi Kith Chiefmoon, an elder who works as a community engagement co-ordinator at the Kainai Wellness Centre.
“So that’s what’s really important, that we make the connection and remember who we are and to stay away from the alcohol and drugs because they were never a part of our way of life.”
The elder said the purpose behind ceremonies like the one on Thursday is to help keep Indigenous teachings that have been around for millennia alive so that they can provide guidance to those who need it.
Comments