Since June is National Indigenous History Month, I wanted to share with you today a beautiful ceremony, which I discovered thanks to my friend Isabelle. She works as a journalist for The duty and she recently visited the Cree community of Waswanipi, which is located in Nord-du-Québec. She was able to attend a very beautiful event: the first steps ceremony. She told me about her experience.
Can you tell us what you experienced?
It was the first time in my life that I went to a Cree community. When we arrived, Irene Neeposh, the head of the community, told us that we were invited to attend a Walking out Ceremony. I had never heard of it, but I knew it was something very special.
What does this ceremony consist of?
The Crees are an indigenous community that speaks English and Cree. This “first steps ceremony” has been part of their traditions for several hundred years. It is a time of ritual and celebration.
When the child is ready to walk, the parents will hold him and hold him until the day of the ceremony. During this, the child will come out of the tepee and take his first steps in front of the members of his community.
Little girls will hold a toy in the shape of an ax, because among the Cree, women are often responsible for cutting wood for the fire, to heat the house and to cook. The boys will hold a toy in the shape of a gun, because among the Cree, men are often the ones who go hunting geese.
Generally, the ceremony takes place at sunrise. However, on this day, as luck would have it, there were clouds when the ceremony began. But when the little girl went out, the sun appeared and lit her steps. It was magical !
Why were you moved to attend this ceremony?
What touched me was being invited to participate in an intimate moment, by people we didn’t know. It was valuable because they agreed to share this with us. I was also moved when I saw the great leader of the community with tears in her eyes. What’s funny is that the little girl who took her first steps was called Isabelle, like me!
Gilles Abel, philosopher for children
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