Tribute to Carter Jay Dumont

Carter Jay Dumont
born May 29, 2023 at 10:57 am (Wàbigon Kìzis – Flower Moon)
passed away July 9, 2023 at 2:15 am (Odeyimin Kìzis – Heartberry Moon)

The Dumont family holds him up today as we would a great chief at the time of his passing: Carter Jay Dumont, son of Kyrstin Dumont and Cameron Shaver.

Though Carter was with us for only a short while, he left us with a great legacy. Because of him, we will, from this day forward, be more compassionate human beings. No elders, no matter how old they lived to be, no matter the amount of wisdom they acquired over a long life, could never, ever have in their teaching bundles, the knowledge Carter shared with us. Carter reminded us with each breath he took, of the message passed from one generation of Anishinabe Algonquin to the next: “never give up!”  He reminded us also that the “Encouragement Song”, sung many thousands of years ago, is needed today more now than at any other time in the past. Carter taught us through his mere presence, to keep well the purity and innocence alive in the human heart, to bring forth a helping hand when you see a young human being in a state of despair. Carter inspired and motivated! All who met him were instantly in awe and in wonder of him. He was so very brave! He was so very courageous! He was the physical presence of a Good Spirit! He had the most beautiful Algonquin eyes! The doctors were all amazed at his strength and willpower. His heart was small, but what a powerhouse!

I have a place in my mind’s eye (we all do) which allows me the gift of seeing spirit. Today I see a glowing Carter, he is in a cradleboard made of fine cedar, being proudly carried by my mother (deceased March 27, 2002). Thick dark coloured hair, adorns his handsome head. My mother came to me in a dream before Carter was born. “I will look after Kyrstin’s baby,” she told me. She keeps her promise now! Carter is safe with her in this sacred space where many long dead relatives spiritually stand, in a line stretching for miles, waiting to take Carter into their arms. A grand feast in his honour will surely take place.

The day Carter was born I went to the forest to perform ceremony with the placenta. His spirit name was revealed to me, “Asin” meaning “Rock”. A few days later I awoke from a deep sleep with a lullaby on my lips. I shared it with Kyrstin and sang it to Carter many times over the short days of his blessed life. I awoke at 3 o’clock one morning and wrote a poem about Carter (see below). I say this now to all, if I live 100 summers, my heart, with every vibration it sends forth, will carry in it the memory of Asin. Kizàgìhin (I love you) is a word I repeated many hundreds of times as I sat near Carter’s bedside. Carter will forever be in my heart as will all of my other grandchildren.

Carter, through my spiritual travels with him (something we did together while I sat close to him at CHEO) takes with him to his new home the songs of my favourite birds, the robin, the oriole, the blue jay! He knows so very well now, the softness and healing energy of the touch of his parents and grandparents. His mom and dad saw a shooting star one night outside of the Roger Neilson House. No doubt, I say, a sign of reassurance from loved ones in the great Spirit Land. Kyrstin and I gave Carter a cedar bath, together, to cleanse him of any negative energy lingering in a palliative care ward.

They say “it takes a community to raise a child.” If this is true, then I say it also takes a community to mourn a child as well. Babies should never be regarded as only “young” human beings. Babies are spirit! They are the wisest of the wise, the strongest of the strong! They are blessed by Creator! When they die, they should be properly grieved by the community, for a great loss has occurred. When we fail to recognize this, it means we have lost our way. Asin, Rock touched many hearts. Tears were shed and sadness entered the hearts of both family and friends. Now that this extraordinary little boy is gone from our midst, let us cast a mournful heart into a swift moving cloud passing over our sky and replace it with a heart filled with gratitude, for a beautiful baby who came among us, to make us better.

In the final hours of my great-grandson’s life, I sang him songs, I recited funny rhymes to him from old country songs, I shared memories, the good and the not so good. Carter laughed with me and he cried with me, of this I am certain! We should never take the life of a child for granted, nor should we take the death of one for granted either. A child dies. There are trails in the human heart that have never been journeyed upon. We must be careful on such a pathway, lest we allow despair and heartache to destroy us. May my beloved great-grandson rest in peace (I know he is being fussed over now by my mother). May his parents, Kyrstin and Cameron, heal in a good way. May Creator bless everyone who cared about us in the weeks of Carter’s short life.

Though physically only a small bundle of human flesh, blood and bone, Carter was a full universe of Creator’s purity and innocence. I spoke to him as such and also as a representative of my future bloodline of my past wrongs and my regrets for perpetrating them. I spoke to him also about my hopes and dreams and joys of life. We, their loved ones, can have such conversations with a dying baby only days old, for they are so in harmony with Creator’s grace and we trust fully that they will speak on our behalf to those of that great spiritual council in the Land of Souls who decide if we are deserving or not of an Honour Song, at the time of our passing. What on this earth is more spiritually powerful than a dying baby? Nothing!

Loved ones never left Carter’s bedside. He was never alone! His gigantic spirit will relate to all relatives, those from Kyrstin’s bloodline and those of Cameron’s, how the love of people in the room with him comforted him every  moment of his short life. Migwech Carter, for all you did in making us stronger and better than we were before you came into our lives.

To me
He is a fearless warrior
He is my Little Big Man

He is my Rock
Now and forever

He will inspire and motivate me
I will draw strength from him
All the days
That remain in my life
He is Asin, my Rock
He is Asin, my son

Though I have yet to hold him
Close to my bosom
He is fully aware
Of the love contained
In the drumming of my heart

He has been loved
For many thousands of years
I know it is so
For I have loved him
Long before his first breath of life
Was taken

We are a People
Who love our future generations
My ancestors, his ancestors
Love him as they love me
I too
Love all my future generations
It is the way of our People

Keep the Circle Strong,

South Wind (Albert Dumont)

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6 Responses to Tribute to Carter Jay Dumont

  1. Suzanne says:

    I love this dedication to Carter and am so happy you decided to share his picture. Just seeing his eyes and his smile allows you to see his strength and wisdom in such a soft and peaceful manner. We are blessed to be able to share in his life and his precious teachings. My heart is touched forever by you Carter and am grateful knowing that you will be well taken care of in the spirit world! Lots and lots of love! Suzanne

  2. Jerry Witkowicz says:

    Life is precious and sometimes in our busy lives we take it for granted that it’s just there. Having gone through our recent loss of our grandson Teddy, we share your pain. One bright side is that our loved ones never die in our hearts. They live forever with us.

  3. Rachèle Prud'homme says:

    As I returned from the bush where I offered my prayers for Carter, I read this beautiful tribute to your Great Grand Son. I want to express my deepest sympathy to Carter’s Mom and Dad and to you and all your family and community Albert.

    The purest love comes from the little babies’ heart.
    Because they are the closest to the Great Spirit.
    Their passage in our lives makes us more caring
    It is not how long they live
    It is how their short life has touched our Spirit.
    For their love is so pure
    That it makes us more lovable
    Stronger and more giving.
    Carter was blessed with a bundle of love,
    Songs, tears, stories, smiles and even laughter

    He was like a shooting star
    Shining his light on all
    Strong as a rock
    Wise beyond words
    The deepness of his eyes
    Bind all the tenderness, all the sweetness
    All the strength, all the profoundness
    And all the lessons of history
    All the ancestral knowledge
    All the innocence and all the purity

    The words and memories he stored in his little heart
    will follow him into eternity
    All the tenderness and memories he left into your hearts
    Will follow you for eternity.
    Rest in Peace
    Little Angel.

  4. For your Rock, Albert, may there be further celebrations in the sacred space, as you write, “A grand feast in his honour will surely take place.” My prayers, Albert for your family and for Asin, Carter Jay Dumont.

  5. Christina shaver says:

    I will miss him so much his smile the way he looked at me when I visited him Auntie will miss u with all my heart and thank you so much for the tribute for him

  6. Dear Albert,
    It is with a heavy heart that I read your heart-wrenching, yet profoundly loving tribute to your beautiful great grandson, Carter Jay Dumont.
    May the memory of his beauty and strength, and the knowledge that you have all been blessed to have had baby Carter in your life even for such a brief time, help you and your family through this difficult time.
    My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
    With deepest condolences and prayers for healing to you and your family.
    Bianca Lakoseljac

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