UNIQUE CELEBRATION — Regina Archbishop Daniel Bohan is robed in a star blanket at what he called “the most unique centennial celebration in the archdiocese” April 18 in the village of Lebret. (Flegel photo)

Unique celebration held in Lebret

By Frank Flegel

LEBRET, Sask. — “This is certainly the most unique centennial celebration in the archdiocese,” said Archbishop Daniel Bohan, addressing about 100 people gathered April 18 in the community hall in this village 80 km northeat of Regina.

It was billed as a pipe ceremony/feast followed by a eucharistic service concelebrated by Bohan with Revs. Wojciech Wojtkowiak, OMI, of Lestock, Sask. and Oblate Provincial Janusz Blazejak, OMI, of Toronto. Several priests, sisters and local residents also attended.

The traditional ceremony was conducted by elder Robert Bellegarde from the Little Black Bear First Nation and his two sons, Jason and Jeramie. Jeramie prepared the smudge in a shallow, hollowed-out stone using sweet grass, sage, cedar and the tobacco used in the pipe. Jason performed welcoming and thanksgiving chants accompanied by a hand drum.

The ceremony/feast began when the pipe was removed from its elaborately beaded bag and laid on the carpet in front of the elder Bellegarde. He was the first to waft the smudge over him. The stone container with the smudge was then passed to the special guests around him, incuding Bohan, Wojtkowiak and elder Lloyd Desnomie from the Peepeekeesis First Nation. All the food laid out in front of Bellegarde was then smudged.

Bellegrade explained the meaning of what was happening — the importance of the drum as the heartbeat of mother earth, the pipe that speaks to the Creator for everyone and is a signal that those gathered were permitted to speak, “as long as they wanted,” he joked.

The women seated on one side of the hall and the men on the other represent a circle and balance in the Cree culture, he said.

“This time of year is a time for our feasting to begin,” said Bellegarde. “We celebrate life and all that has gone before.”

Bellegarde also explained that the servers are men and the women are honoured by being served first. Gifts of tobacco and coloured cloth were then presented to the guests seated with Bellegarde. The pipe was then lit, Bellegarde took several puffs to get it going and it was then passed to the guests, after which the food was served.

Tradition requires that the food cannot be refused when offered. If not eaten right away it can be eaten later or given away, but it cannot be thrown away.

The feast included some traditional foods, berries, bannock, biscuits, berry juices and apples, oranges, sandwiches, pies, cakes and cookies, all presented in what seemed like a never-ending stream.

Bohan in his homily noted that the Lebret area is where the church first made contact with First Nations in what is now the Regina archdiocese.
Following the feast, several guests were honoured by being robed with star blankets, which are given only to people held in high esteem by First Nations.