Annual Spring Feast promotes healing and prayer with Sacred Hoop

“Wherever it goes, it creates those four things” says Jonasson.

The Sacred Hoop is a ceremonial object that was born of a vision that one man had in 1994, shortly after the birth of the first white buffalo calf. In the vision, a willow sapling lost its leaves, which then formed a circle. Then, 100 eagle feathers arrived from all four directions, attaching themselves along the hoop’s four coloured quadrants: yellow, to the east; red, to the south; black, to the west; and white, to the north.

The hoop itself was constructed in a sweat lodge in May 1995, based on the vision. It was then entrusted to Don Coyhis, of the Mohican nation, and the White Bison organization for the work they were beginning. It has since travelled more than 200,000 miles to various Indigenous communities.

While the hoop represents a unique opportunity for prayer and offerings, many other culturally significant ceremonies will occur as well. The full schedule can be found here.

“If people are interested in Indigenous cultural practices, whether they’re Indigenous or not but they’re curious, Spring Feast is a great time to come and see and really get a deep appreciation because there’s sweats; there’s pipe ceremonies; there will be traditional singers; dancing; traditional prayers; things that are culturally specific to the area, so it’s kind of a good introduction,” shares Hans Jorgensen, a co-organizer for the event and Indigenous cultural helper at Safe Harbour.

For those who are unfamiliar, a sweat lodge is a purification ceremony.

“We are asking Creation to remove the toxins from our body, to help our minds to be clear, to help release our emotions, whatever they may be,” explains Jonasson. “We ask the Creator that they would help us with those things that we cannot manage or that we need help with. And our world especially, our world needs a lot of prayers today.”

These can be physically or emotionally intense due to the confined space, which will be pitch black aside from the glow of the stones. Those with anxiety or claustrophobia are asked to be mindful of their limits and sit next to the exit.

In addition to their prayers, people are encouraged to bring offerings of braided sweet grass, cigarettes or pipe tobacco, or ribbon or broadcloths (one-metre of fabric, typically cotton) for the Creator as a sign of respect, and to amplify their prayers. There are guidelines regarding clothing and detoxification which are essential for participation in and respect of the ceremony that can be found here.

The event as a whole has been curated with the intention of honouring the White Bison organization and all that they do. Notably, they promote Wellbriety Circles, which is an integrated approach to addictions and healing that combines the 12-step program with teachings of the Medicine Wheel.

“A lot of people say they might not relate to AA or NA, but they show up to a Wellbriety Circle and connect with it,” says Jorgensen.

The organization was born in the United States, and four years ago, Safe Harbour became the first treatment centre in Canada to be certified by White Bison to offer their programs. They also offer Mending Broken Hearts, Warrior Down, and the Many Healing Blankets programs.

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by Ashley Lavallee-Koenig

Annual Spring Feast promotes healing and prayer with Sacred Hoop

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