Ancient ritual, modern and progressive approach to care

“Clean your eyes so you can see clearly. Clean your mouth so you can speak positively. Clean your ears so you can hear clearly. Clean your mind, body and spirit.”
- Elder Vern Harper, Cree Elder, Medicine Man, Aboriginal Rights Activist, Korean War Veteran, and CAMH Aboriginal Services staff member.

On a sunny day, dozens of CAMH staff and visitors formed a circle on the south lawn of 60 White Squirrel Way to take part in an important Aboriginal ceremony called the ritual of purification (colloquially referred to as ‘smudging’). As in everything sacred, this process moves slowly and deliberately. And why the circle? “Because when you step into a circle, you become a participant. You put your energy and love inside. That’s why you feel better when you come out,” explains Vern.

Cotee, a National Ballet of Canada trained ballerina takes part in the ancient ritual of ‘smudging’. Her attire is called the ‘Jingle Dress’ and is worn to perform the ‘Jingle Dress Dance’ to promote healing.

The importance of the gathering in June was to formally celebrate the opening of the new specially-adapted Smudging Room at the CAMH Queen Street site. In the past, Aboriginal clients weren’t able to take part of this very important ritual because smoke alarms and sprinklers in the rooms prohibited its practice. 

Aboriginal Services Therapist Bob Crawford – a former Aboriginal Chief of Ardoch Algonquin First Nation, takes his bowl of sage and lights it so that a thin stream of smoke begins to fragrance the air. Next he takes the smoking bowl and presents it to each member of the circle. In turn, each person embraces the smoke and passes it over their heads, ears and faces. This is how they smudge themselves, a vital ritual that promotes cleansing and bringing  positive energy them.

“We are reaching out to a community that [CAMH hasn’t] had the best relationship with,” says Jeff D’Hondt, Manager, Aboriginal Services. “CAMH has grown as has our team. There is more work to be done but we’re looking forward to it. And the new Smudging room is a step forward,” he adds.

Renovating the room where this essential ritual can take place indoors at the start of therapy sessions, is a major stride in providing the best, client-centred treatments to a community on the cusp of major healing. “Some of our clients deal with identity issues. They feel rejected by the community. A major focus in our job is to help them find who they are. In Aboriginal culture there is a saying: ‘If you don’t know who your ancestors are, you don’t know who you are,” says Vern.

“We provide therapy at an Aboriginal level and therapy at a Western trained level,” adds Bob. In the smudging room we take two cultures that bend together to heal. We enjoy and learn from each other.”

Peter Menzies, Clinic Head; Cristine Rego, Provincial Aboriginal Training Consultant; Ana Bodnar, Consulting Psychologist; and Carlyle Gordon, Administrative Secretary, introduced themselves to the guests, explaining their roles on the team, while speaking passionately about their work and the Aboriginal communities they serve. Peter, the original member of the team, has spent nearly a decade developing the service, and every member of the Aboriginal Service has since continued his work, contributing their best professional efforts to improved mental health and substance abuse treatment outcomes in Aboriginal communities. CAMH has also shown great support for the development of the new Aboriginal residential treatment cycle, and outpatient programming.

“Having Aboriginal ways acknowledged is very important. Clients will feel it,” says Lizz Arger, Counsellor Therapist 1. Indeed, the smudging room not only includes better ventilation but also special artwork that promotes and values Aboriginal culture.

Drummers from Native Men’s Residence provided the beat of the drum for the Jingle Dress Dance and for the Sundance, a three hundred year old dance.

“It’s so important to share our culture with everyone,” says Vern who brought his daughter Cotee, a National Ballet of Canada trained ballerina to dance the ‘Jingle Dress Dance’ a highly respected and revered dance that brings healing. Accompanied by four drummers, she danced in rhythm to the drum beat like so many before her, generations ago.

Afterwards, Barbara Hurford, Social Worker 2, Aboriginal Services, invited all guests to dine on a special feast that included corn soup, and bannock with fresh strawberries. This also provided an opportunity for people to ask questions and chat with the drummers and some of the staff from Aboriginal services.

Scant decades ago drumming circles, dances and Aboriginal ceremonies were prohibited by the federal government; these rituals not only survived, but are beginning to flourish in Aboriginal communities that are striving to improve their collective mental health. At CAMH we have all of this plus a roster of highly trained Aboriginal staff, working across Ontario, to promote Aboriginal mental health throughout the province. 

 

 

• Print
  Follow us on
  
  Share