THUNDER BAY – Idle No More is continuing forward. The growing movement appeared to many to vanish. It has not, what has been happening is a lot of re-focusing, a lot of meetings, and a great deal of serious thinking about the next steps.

Idle No More – Is Not Going Away

Idle No More in a statement issued today: Founders and organizers, formally and respectfully request across Turtle Island (North America) and across our global community, on the first day of Spring, to light sacred fires, to gather sacred pipes and pipe-carriers, to gather sacred bundles and bundle carriers, to gather drums and drum-carriers, and for spiritual leaders, carriers of ceremonies, elders, young, and community members in all territories to unite in ceremony.

We call upon our women, men, two-spirited people, keepers of ceremonies, lodge-keepers, carriers of pipes (as well as bundles and drums), spiritual leaders, communities, elders, youth and everyone to begin by lighting Sacred Fires at sunrise on March 20th.Throughout March 20th, our request for ceremonies is intended to:

• Strengthen the Movement;
• Acknowledge and Honour the spiritual foundation of our Nations and the Movement;
• Nourish the fire of our commitment to our Nations, Sovereignty, Treaties, and the Land;
• Re-Forge/Heal partnerships, relationships, and reconnect our young people and communities to their names and clans, responsibilities, teachings, elders, and
• ceremonies;
• Feast Clans, Sacred Items, Bundles, and to seek direction from Ceremonies;
• Raise the voice of the Spirit of the Drum;
• Draw upon Spirit to help challenge Canada’s violations to Treaty, Land, and Sovereignty;
• Acknowledge that Women are taking the lead by honouring and empowering women as we honour and empower Mother Earth.

This is also intended to embed a spiritual and cultural foundation for the March 21st Idle No More Day of Action taking place the next day, the March 22nd world-wide Water Day, and in all days ahead as we continue with our momentum – together.

This call and request to honour our sacred fires, and our nations. is put out one month in advance so proper time can be taken and proper protocol can be followed in each territory to seek and invite spiritual leaders, to determine appropriate locations, to plan for ceremony accordingly, and to spread the word to all regions, territories, and communities.

“Putting the Spirit First”

An Anishinaabe woman from the Treaty #3 territory recently shared that in all aspects of the movement, we should “put the spirit first.” Beyond the political advocacy and assertions of Nationhood, she recounted the central role that major ceremonies such as shake-tents, sweats, and gatherings of pipes played in helping to defeat the 1969 White Paper. Canada is actively passing nine legislations that together function as the White Paper now in 2013 – in law form to neutralize
our Nations, dismantle our connection to treaty, and to target the land we share. We ask you to stand with us, to work together in solidarity in a good way, and for us all to ensure we are “putting the Spirit first” in our opposition to this matter, as well as in our unity.