Camp Nibi appeal to Premier Kathleen Wynne
Letter to Premier Kathleen Wynne from Beth Brass Elson
I am writing on behalf of Springwater Park – Camp Nibi. My name is Elizabeth Brass Elson and I and many other traditional/spiritual natives and non-native people have been participating in ceremony and teachings on the Provincial Park land since April 1st, 2013.
We find ourselves protecting land and water the government has deemed invaluable and has abandoned because of lack of funding to maintain and operate the Provincial Park. Camp Nibi is asserting our rights and responsibilities as Native people to be Stewards of this valued land. Camp Nibi is practicing and sharing our culture and spiritual traditions to educate one another and all those interested in learning.
Our unique teachings have been passed along and endured many tribulations in the past. It is now time to bring forth and share our knowledge of ceremony, culture and traditions. Creating a venue at Camp Nibi to share, learn and heal from one another is a start to educating people on who we are, and what it was we have lost.
The values of protecting waters, lands, and air is greatly needed in this day and age. Our prophecy says we are to share and pass along this knowledge before all is lost. Our FN Beausoleil Band Council is in talks with your officials pursuing the political/business process to this endeavour. We the traditional people look after the spiritual applications and are not included in the conversations with the Chief and Council and MNR/Minister. We are on this land under our right to practice ceremony, traditions, culture, gather, hunt, and fish. All parties are well aware that we are not leaving this place. We are here to practice and share our culture and traditions.
We are Native women, Ojibway, Mic-Maq and Mohawk who are living on the site. Our supporters are from all areas, all Nations. We have built a Cultural Teaching Lodge, a Midewin Sweat Lodge and Ojibway Sweat/Teaching Lodge, and conduct ceremonies of many Nations on site here at the park.
Our focus is teaching, sharing and asserting our Stewardship responsibilities to protect our Mother Earth. We have a multi-denomination drumming group who meets for events. We celebrate and share the Full Moon Ceremony every month as part of our on-going teachings.
We would like to have you come out for a Full Moon Ceremony so we can meet you in person and show you some of what it is we do here on this precious piece of land, and also experience the spirituality of this park for yourself. This should be done privately without any media or public knowledge, just with our supporters such as Ann Truyens who spoke with you about resolving the Springwater Park closure issue at a public gathering held at Holland Marsh Wineries in Bradford earlier this month.
We are Stewards of the land and wish to offer our teachings to help all people connect to Mother Earth and begin the healing journey needed for humanity to survive.
Miigwetch
Thank you for your efforts Beth, our thoughts and prayers are with you. We feel we are at a critical stage of earth’s evolution and that Mother Earth’s energies are very strong and changing everything for the better, so we feel you will win.
Thank you for what you and your people are doing to save this precious piece of land. Just today I heard on CBC of research done in Japan and elsewhere which shows how beneficial to our health it is to walk in nature and in our forests. This research showed the elevation of`”killer” cells in our bodies after exposure to forests. These cells help ward off colds, other illnesses and cancers. We need more parks…not less…. and to educate people as to their great value to our well-being.
Again, a big “thank you”
Migwech to the wonderful, dedicated and strong ladies of Camp Nibi. The continuing degradation of our planet and in particular park areas in Ontario has to be halted. Neo-liberal economics do nothing to give back to the land, it just keeps taking for mega-profits. The already wealthy banks and corporations have to start sharing in the way our Native Sisters and Brothers are trying to teach us. It is wake up time before all is lost for our children and grand children and beyond. Resources on this Mother Earth are finite and have to be protected.