August 5, 6 & 7, 2011
GRANDFATHER WILLIAM COMMANDA'S ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL
CIRCLE OF ALL NATIONS
SPIRITUAL GATHERING
KITIGAN ZIBI ANISHNABEG
CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS

 

September 21, 2011
- starting at 9:30 am
CIRCLE OF ALL NATIONS
PADDLE FOR PEACE
VICTORIA ISLAND, SACRED CHAUDIÈRE SITE
our Equinox event to animate the
UNITED NATIONS
INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE
and the LAUNCH OF
THE CITY OF OTTAWA PEACEFEST
SEE ALSO www.departmentofpeace.ca

Please forward these invitations to your families and friends.

July 2011

Letter from Romola…

      Thanks for the many messages and prayers concerning Grandfather's health.
The past two months have been a really difficult experience - and GWC is now
catching up to his age.  I think we can thank the health care system for that. You
have heard of the Romanov Report - just wait till you see the Romola Report!

In this regard, I include an excerpt from our note to the Office of the Commissioner
of Official Languages (needless to say, this in not all I learned over the past
weeks):
Thank you for your concern for Elder Commanda's health.  The past weeks of worsening
kidney disease, dialysis and hospitalization have indeed been a very difficult and
painful experience, and, ironically, the predominant feature in the end has been
language. Yes, the Algonquin language.   Elder Commanda reverted to almost exclusive
use of his mother tongue during this pivotal period.  At times when he seemed
furtherest away from us and closest to the other side, the language took on an
unfamiliar rhythm, sound and intensity - it was like the ancient voice of the land
was resounding.  At times when the pain was the greatest (and he was given no pain
killers), he prayed and shouted constantly and fervently in his everyday Algonquin,
for hours at a stretch, dry tongued and hoarse - it took folk a long while to
realized the acuteness of his pain; he prayed in his language to cope with the pain
- language was the pain killer.

And what did he say? - it was overwhelming the numbers of times he said Megwetch,
Megwetch - Thank you, Thank you. I thought, My God, in his position, I would have
been saying, Please, Please. He was saying, Thank you, Thank you.  What a glimpse
into the character of the man and the demands of his language and philosophy.

This insight took me well beyond simple matters like, how can Native people access
adequate medical attention, if they cannot be understood - and of course we all know
access to health care was a fundamental commitment of the Royal Proclamation and the
earliest treaties.

This was about the entrenchment of the spirit and ideology of the language on the
land and its peoples - all its peoples - within the psyche of this country.  Elder
Commanda made this quite clear when we "bust him out" of hospital, and took him to
join his friends at the June 21 Summer Solstice National Aboriginal Day Pipe
Ceremony at Victoria Island, site of the much anticipated Indigenous Centre, en
route to his home in Kitigan Zibi - he sat in his car and held court for 90 minutes,
as the familiar faces greeted him, one after the other - and this time, he spoke
Algonquin to them all.  He was in fact saying, if we truly want to communicate with
and understand him and his messages (and many do!), we have to embrace the first
language of the land and of its First Peoples.  This was a shift from his own
personal Trilingual Policy and his traditional style of translating himself from
Algonquin to English and French to ensure that he communicates with all. 

It was also a statement about the fallacy of building nationhood in this country
without the expression, vibrance, resonance and guiding precepts of the first
language of the land, which, as Elder Commanda has reminded us countless times, was
taken by the 84 nations of Algonquian descent throughout Turtle Island from Time
Immemorial.

It has been a humbling realization for me, who, as much as I have supported his work
these past thirteen years, has not learned his language, and even now, as we cope
with his illness at home, I see the inadequacy of my service to him as he pointedly
expresses his needs in Algonquin - only when he decides to take pity on me does the
cheeky man translate! - but there are moments when he is too sick for that.

Anyway, we are most grateful to all the folk from within and without the system who
helped Grandfather through this challenge.  In this regard, I must especially
acknowledge the ceaseless advice, support and supplies from Susan Hagar and the
special support from Edmond Decontie.

Now, as he did with his cancer in 1961, Grandfather is counting on his unique blend
of good medicine to help him into the future - yes, endless work, Indian Medicine,
traditional food, homeopathic cures, prayers, ceremonies, drum songs, dance, and
love and support from good friends around the world, many, we are discovering being
folk who do not even know him personally (e.g. check out - Earth Heal Blog:
http://earthheal.blogspot.com/).

YES, THE 2011 CIRCLE OF ALL NATIONS GATHERING!
CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS

Grandfather invites you to his Annual Spiritual Gathering - August 5, 6 and 7 - at
his home in Kitigan Zibi, Maniwaki, Quebec - J9E 3B1. 
 
This year our focus is on PRECIOUS LAND AND SPECIAL POWER PLACES; DEVELOPING THE CAN UMBRELLA (CAN U??!!) ; and there will also be a focussed workshop to develop a volunteer CAN Task Force for the VISION FOR THE INDIGENOUS CENTRE ON VICTORIA ISLAND AT THE SACRED CHAUDIÈRE SITE.

Now you see our notice and invitation are going out late - our preparations are also
starting late; we hope you will help animate the Gathering by volunteering your
skills, labour and support to make it effortless for all our regular helpers,
especially on the Thursday - you will then be able to understand first hand how
Grandfather magics a first rate international gathering of leading edge ideas and
creativity; unique community peace-building, intercultural understanding and racial
harmony; and transformative personal development, under the shelter and wisdom of
the Indigenous Umbrella! 

He gets us to share our unique individual gifts to create the bio-diverse eco
experience - and as we engage, so we evolve!  At the gathering each year, we have a
few streakers - who skim through the experience; a few strollers who look and see; a
few passengers, who come for the ride; but the ANIMATORS are the ones who really
know what the magic is about! Thousands across the world have been inspired already!
 Come be a part of GWC's CAN!  - As somebody said, Yes, you CAN!

A SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT!!  - this year,  l'Universite du Québec is presenting
Elder William Commanda with his latest honour - le titre de docteur honoris causa
(D.h.c.)!!!

Again, thanks for your interest, respect, friendship, love and support over the
years.
        Best wishes for the summer.
        And, please do your bit to help with the manifestation of Grandfather
Commanda's Vision for the Indigenous Centre in the heart of the country!

 

For more information, please call
613-599-8385 or 819-449-2668 or email circleofallnations@sympatico.ca