A feast bundle in the Anishinabek culture is a bag you use to carry your own plate, bowl, and utensils with you when attending other peoples’ ceremonies and feasts, in order to hold yourself environmentally accountable.
You can get the chance to create your own feast bundle and learn about issues that are important to caring for ourselves and our natural environment through the Caring for Mother Earth Project, which is a collaboration between the Anishinabek Nation and the Thunder Bay District Health Unit. The project aims to engage service providers, parents and the general public on the topics of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) prevention, children’s environmental, maternal and child health while integrating cultural teachings.
One of the four available educational sessions offered through the project, the Feast bundle/Grandmother Bag workshop, will be presented by Lyne Soramaki and Lynda Banning at the Manitouwadge Auditorium on Wednesday, Sept. 28, from 6 to 8:30 p.m.
Residents 18 and older, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, are welcome to attend at no cost.
Participants will be provided with a hands-on workshop about the cultural significance of a Feast Bundle and Grandmother Bag. It will cover topics such as alcohol and pregnancy prevention, children’s environmental health (how to decrease exposure to toxic chemicals), rites of passage for males and females, berry fasts, transition to adulthood and more.
The session addresses self-esteem and resiliency issues. It includes a presentation, video, medicine wheel activity, and a discussion about the Seven grandfather teachings of Love, Respect, Bravery, Truth, Honesty, Humility & Wisdom.
The Caring for Mother Earth checklist will be discussed and reviewed. Participants make a commitment to care for Mother Earth and protect its children and will receive items and resources to include in their Feast Bundle/Grandmother bag. Each participant also receives a feast bundle to design during the session where an informal sharing circle occurs.
Residents can register for this free workshop by emailing Nickie at programmer@manitouwadge.ca by Monday, Sept. 26 at 4 p.m.
