​Over 200 community members, from babies to elders, took part in the traditional Anishinaabe spring feast at AICHO on March 20, 2024.

In Anishinaabe tradition, sacred items need to be feasted at least twice a year: once in spring and once in fall. This is an act of acknowledging and honoring the spirits, relatives, ancestors, and other community members and the help received from them. Feasting connects Indigenous people to their own culture, their communities and their spirits.

Miigwech to our Traditional Healing Grant via Minnesota Department of Human Services Behavioral Health Division for funding these cultural experiences for the community. Lastly, miigwech to Ivy Vainio, AICHO’s Arts and Culture Coordinator, for being the lead organizer and for all of AICHO staff and Gimaajii relatives for assisting tonight.

Event details:
Date: January 10, 2024
Time: 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. CST
Zoom presentation
Register by Monday, January 8 before 5:00 p.m. 

About the event:
Sharon Day is a Bois Forte Band of Ojibwe tribal member and has been leading water walks for years. She will discuss the 2023 Lake Superior Water Walk and talk about the healing of the water and ourselves. Nibi Walks are a spiritual practice in which Sharon and others carry water along a river or lake  to speak to the nibi water  spirits and pray for the health and future of the waterways. The word nibi means water in Ojibwe. Nibi Walks involve carrying water along the river and serve as an extended prayer.Lake Superior Water Walk commemorated Josephine-ba Mandamin's walk around the lake in 2013 which began the contemporary water walks. Josephine-ba said, "The water has to move to be healthy."

This event is free and open to the public.

Sponsored by the Minnesota Department of Human Services Behavioral Health Division via our Waaseyaa Traditional Healing Grant.