Elders leads ceremony to save river

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A special and sacred ceremony took place on the banks of the Oldman River on the Peigan reserve Feb. 6.

Peigan Elder and spiritual leader, Joe Crowshoe, was joined by Christian and Muslim ministers in a special blessing of the river which is threatened by a dam under construction just outside the reserve.

Crowshoe began the blessing inside a tipi where he performed many sacred ceremonies never before observed by non-Native people. He also permitted photographs to be taken.

As he unfurled the sacred waterpipes he told the assembled crowd they are very special and used during times of war. Helpers removed the fastenings of the tipi and peeled back the side of the canvas to allow most of the crowd to huddle around the fire and watch the special songs and ceremonies.

"I have a great concern about nature, the waters, the stones, the trees. You are witnesses in this tipi . . . you must try and teach the people to see what we have left is special and must be preserved," Crowshoe told the crowd.

He then blessed and smudged himself with the sacred pipe and passed it around the tipi to the ministers.

"We have got to draw the people together under one God Creator, that is why we are here today," he said.

Crowshoe blessed the waterpipes and held them in the four directions. Taking the rattles, he performed the sacred waterpipe song.

"These pipes represent the power of nature and of the river and of the birds. You take away that river, you take it all away."

After the blessing the crowd moved out of the tipi to stand next to the river. As the crowd stood on the bank, a large golden eagle circled overhead for several minutes before flying toward the dam.

"Indeed, we have seen a sign," said Chief Peter Yellowhorn to the assembled crowd.

"This is Napi's river. It is the backbone of the world during the spring runoff, and we must not deprive our children of that heritage," said Yellowhorn.

Naturalist and author Andy Russell, who recently published a book on the river, said the eagle was a sign of the Great Spirit of the Oldman River.

"I feel very strongly that it's important for us to help matters with the power of nature to stop this dam," he said.

Catholic priest Father Gauthier blessed the river, in both English and Blackfoot, and then recited the Lord's Prayer.

Muslim representative Buff Parry spoke the opening prayer of the Qur'an (pronounced Kor-ann) in Arabic. He then recited Sura 78 in English. This chapter of the Qur'an is called Napi's (nab'nabaa) great message. "It is significant that this chapter goes by the name of the river," he said.

Then special effigy blessings were inserted into the banks of the river.

In an interview after the ceremonies, band councillor Nelbert Little Moustache said people of all faiths are working to save Napi's holy river.

"We want to convince the government that the dam project should be permanently halted."

The dam is located about 10 miles upstream from the reserve. If completed, it will destroy more than 300 sacred sites, including medicine wheels and ancient tipi circles.