Healing Walk Takes Place for 2nd Year

Written by Press Release on 17 July 2018

LONGLAC, ON – (See poster below) Members of the media and the public are cordially invited to attend the Healing Walk for all First Nations and Communities this Thursday. Walkers will be available to speak about a 7-day walk that began yesterday, July 15th, with a pipe ceremony at the Keemeshomnishnanak Monument in Ginoogaming First Nation.

This is the second year the walk has taken place. Last year approximately 30 walkers participated. The walk, jointly hosted by Long Lake #58 and Ginoogaming First Nation, brings spiritual focus and attention to the many different issues facing Indigenous Peoples.

Each day, walkers will pray and bring attention to the following issues:

July 15 – Drugs & Alcohol;
July 16 – Courage and Cancer;
July 17 – Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women & Men;
July 18 – Residential School & Day School Survivors & Descendants;
July 19 – Suicides;
July 20 – Land, Water & Air; and
July 21 – Racism.

Walkers are covering 40 – 50 km per day passing the communities of Longlac, Long Lake #58 First Nation, Geraldton, Jellicoe, Aniimbigoo Zaaging Anishnawbek (Lake Nipigon Ojibway First Nation at Partridge Lake), Beardmore, Bingwi Neyashi Anishnawbek (Sand Point First Nation), Biinjitiwaabik Zaaging Anishnawbek (Rocky Bay First Nation), Lake Helen First Nation, Nipigon, Red Rock, Hurkett, Dorion, Pearl, Pass Lake, and Thunder Bay. Walkers have invited members of these communities to join them as they go along.

By Thursday, walkers will have walked 191 kms on Trans-Canada Highway 11. They will be starting the last leg of their journey along Trans-Canada Highway 17 which will be 131 kms to Thunder Bay City Hall and Fort William First Nation. A healing song will take place at Thunder Bay City Hall and a feast will take place at Fort William First Nation at 1:00 p.m.

On July 21, walkers will travel to the Lake Helen First Nation Traditional Pow Wow to conclude the walk with a
ceremony.

Dates:

Thursday, July 19, 2018
Saturday, July 21, 2018

Location:

Nipigon River Bridge (on July 19 which will be shut down for a period of time)
Thunder Bay City Hall (on July 21)

Time: 9:30 AM (both dates)

For questions about the walk, please contact: Allen Towegishig at (807) 853-5959; or Lionel McCraw (807) 853-0599; or Cecil Mendowegan at (807) 707-0535.