Travelling “up the Gatineau” oftentimes brings thoughts of spiritual wonderment to my mind, my heart and to my dear soul.
An example: Heading south December 22 at the time when the sun begins its skyward journey, I saw in the eastern sky, sundogs! It was only the second time in my life I have been blessed to see this spectacular phenomenon! I noticed the sundogs between Kaz and Low and kept them in sight till I was close to Wakefield. The teaching I received on sundogs is that they are looked at by some as predictors of fast approaching freezing temperatures. Others, such as I, believe that seeing three suns on the horizon signals the arrival of a time when deep spiritual meditation should take place to assure sacred enrichment for the human spirit. “Time to light your pipe,” was suggested to me by Maria Campbell, a celebrated author and an elder in Saskatoon whom I have great respect for.
Many years ago, I was instructed by a Cree elder (Raymond Ballantyne) to place my first pipe, made of red pipestone, onto the branch of a tree in the woods for four days and four nights before its first use in ceremony. I chose the balsam fir up the Gatineau, to keep the pipe safe till I returned to bring it with me to a ceremonial site. It was 1995, I still have the pipe and smoke it by and by when spirit calls on me to do so! The pipestone was carved as a gift for me by legendary elder Lame Buffalo (Bobby Woods).
The trees up the Gatineau mean a lot to me, both emotionally and spiritually. I embrace them, both for their physical beauty and how I hold them up as the most wise of all life Creator placed on this earth, helping human beings to live well. I write poetry in honour of trees, I press my face on their bark on extremely cold days to feel their warmth. What wonders they are! I once stood barefooted on a decaying old maple tree in the woods near the 105. My legs sank past my ankles into the tree. I felt the caress of the tree’s energy, still very much alive in the old maple. It was so soothing and spiritually refreshing! Trees are so perfect!
Worthy
I will turn my face
Towards the sun and say
Grandfather
In your fire I find my strength
I will allow the winds
To gently stroke my thoughts
And I will say
Father
O how you make me wise
I will gaze upon
The full circle of the moon
And say
Grandmother
Through you I see
The love of God
I will lay down
On soft meadow grasses
And say
Mother
Heal me and teach me
To respect all the things
On this earth
And only after I have done
All of these things
Will I be worthy
To walk among the trees
I have a memory from the early 1960s of my uncle Maurice going out in a rowboat and catching a 36 pound catfish in the Tenàgàdino Zìbì (Gatineau River). I wonder today if such ancient fish of that size still roam the river, up the Gatineau. I hope so!
The Algonquins have a legend telling us that the first “treaty” or “promise” ever made was between a sturgeon and a muskie. The sturgeon proposed that if the muskie promised to never attack him, he (sturgeon) would forevermore keep the muskie’s hunting grounds clean. The muskie agreed. A treaty was made between them all that time ago and holds strong to this very day! In my view, a treaty is the word of the Nation! If your “word” means nothing to you nor to anyone else who knows you, then I ask, “What is left in your heart you can point to that declares, ‘I am a human being’?”
Up the Gatineau! Long live this wondrous place on the unceded lands of the Anishinabe Algonquin.
Keep the Circle Strong,
South Wind (Albert Dumont)
