Grandfather Waboose grateful for new teepee (7 photos)

Clifford Waboose was gifted with a new teepee by members of First Nations communities along the North Shore in a special ceremony held Saturday at Batchewana First Nation east of the Sault. 

Waboose is a Mishomis - a community grandfather - who lights and keeps sacred fires burning in teepees to teach and help Indigenous community members heal physically and emotionally.

Waboose himself credits teepees and the Indigenous spiritual ceremonies that take place within them for helping him recover from alcohol.

“I take care of this fire and teach younger men how to look after this fire. This fire turned my life around because I lived on the dark side for many years until I found my way through that fire. Now I walk a good road. People that come in here are sick and hurting, and I don’t chase anybody away. They come here for help, to that fire. Everybody’s welcome to come in,” Waboose told SooToday.

“It’s a big honour for me today. I say thank you to all the people who put this together to honour me with this nice big teepee where I can do all the work at different places where I’m needed. I travel all over the North Shore, wherever I’m needed.”

Waboose, a member of Batchewana First Nation and a resident of Sault Ste. Marie, has been a keeper of sacred fires for 26 years. 

The teepee is mobile and can be erected in about 20 minutes, Waboose said.

Saturday’s fire inside the new teepee was scheduled to burn throughout the evening, overnight and Sunday for a family who lost a young member to a drug overdose, Waboose said.

The teepee was constructed from maple saplings and canvas, transported from Manitoulin Island to Batchewana First Nation a few days ago and erected Saturday morning.

It is estimated the teepee cost $6,500 to construct and came into being after six months of fundraising by First Nations communities along the North Shore.

Approximately 40 people filled the teepee for an opening ceremony.

“I’m really excited,” said Isabelle Meawasige of Serpent River First Nation and Head Grandmother of the Grandmothers’ Council of the North Shore.

“Clifford’s quite well-known. The teepee that he had was breaking down, and it just couldn’t be fixed anymore. People from all over donated money for that,” Meawasige said.

“This teepee-raising ceremony is very sacred and special to our people because that fire inside it is a living spirit,” said Tracie Louttit of Sault Ste. Marie.

“Everything in there is a living spirit, the drums, the pipes; you can feel that energy from the spirit of those sacred items. You can feel the energy of the spirits of our ancestors. That’s the healing. You can’t even describe it verbally. You have to go in there to feel it."

“We’re very proud of all the people who came together to make this happen. We’re happy for Clifford, who helps the community tirelessly. When he’s called, he gets up and takes that calling. He steps up to the plate and creates the space for the people who need it, and that's the communities and the families of this area,” Louttit said.

“I’m very proud of him,” said Waboose’s brother Don.

“He’s very well-liked among our people and well-known by the Chiefs of Ontario, the Assembly of First Nations, in Canada and throughout the United States. We, as a family, see him receiving this sacred lodge to carry on this work to help people, and we’re very proud of that.”

“This is a lodge that will help in facilitating a lot of healing for our people,” said Batchewana First Nation Chief Dean Sayers.

“It helps families that are grieving. It’s a lodge that’s alive. We’re welcoming that spirit. We’re going to feast that spirit. We’re going to prepare that spirit to do work among our people and that spirit’s going to be in good hands and good company with Clifford.”

“Last year, he told me that he did 47 four-day fires, helping people pray, facilitating pipe ceremonies, at naming ceremonies, weddings. There’s a fire burning inside. We try to have it right in the earth so we can connect with the spirits and the earth.” 

“It’s voluntary. Clifford doesn’t get a salary for that. Families, the community, the First Nation try to help him out and give him gas money and an honorarium for his time.”

“We’ve brought the new teepee into the community, and now the responsibility of looking after the spirit begins for our people.”

“It’s nice to have this lodge here. It’s nice to have more options for our people in reclaiming, revitalizing and revisiting who we ultimately are as the original people. It’s a healing and a teaching tool for us,” Sayers said.