The community volunteers who were instrumental in organizing the celebration. In back from left, they are Jocelyn Bernard, Sonny Robbins, Robin Reinert, Willy Dick, Jayden Kohoko, Kayla Menkhorst and Brandy Couette. In front are Megan McGrath, Makayla Gendron, Anne Goodwin and Laurie Hazen.

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Eganville – A brand-new social gathering space has begun taking shape in the community just in time for the warmer weather.

The Eganville and District Seniors Needs Association hosted an event last Friday celebrating the launch of its brand-new accessible and inclusive gathering space, the Connecting Communities Walkway. The well-attended celebration treated visitors to a traditional beef stew and bannock (skaan) from Nigig Nibi Ki-wan Gamik, Indigenous teachings from Willy Dick of the Algonquin Way Cultural Centre (Omàmiwininì Pimàdjwowin) and a performance by the Papase Drum Group.

Eganville Seniors’ Executive Director Kayla Menkhorst kicked off the event by thanking the wide variety of attendees, which included community members such as the former Mayor of Killaloe, Hagarty and Richards, Janice Tiedje, Councillor Bil Smith, North Algona Wilberforce Mayor James Brose and Special Projects Coordinator Cameron Montgomery. She recognized the government of Ontario and its Inclusive Communities Fund for backing the initiative as well as key partnerships with the Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation and many more of its internal organizations.

“Without all this support, this project would not have been feasible. Miigwech,” Ms. Menkhorst said. “It has allowed us to purchase some fully accessible tables and benches. There will also be other benches installed outside to allow everybody, strollers, wheelchairs and walkers to come together as a community.

“You’ll also see an array of different signage, with QR codes to learn more information. In the spring, all of these signs in both English and the Algonquin language will be installed outside on the walkway,” she continued. “Without further ado, who is hungry?”

The meal was prepared and served by volunteers Niomy Hogan and Robbie Commanda with some help from others. Prior to eating, Ms. Menkhorst invited Mr. Dick to discuss the significance of the lunch being served, and he went on to underscore the meal’s importance and its impact on Indigenous lives.

“The skaan is fry bread. It’s not traditional but bread-making is part of our traditional diet ever since the Eastern Agricultural Complex,” he said. “You could actually make flowers, breads and soup and stew thickeners from tree barks.”

He explained the practice of gathering a starch you can cook bread with by scraping the cambium tissue from certain tree barks or smashing cattail roots with rocks in a pail of water to separate the fibers. Mr. Dick then gave listeners a crash course on the surrounding culture.

“The Algonquin language is polysynthetic, meaning it’s really long words made up of root words. One word can tell you a lot about something. In the soup there’s a lot of vegetables, which came later on in our diet, but traditionally meat was our main source of food looking back 10,000 years ago to living off the land.

“Feasting and food sharing is a big part of the Algonquin culture,” he said. “Giving food is also giving the gift of extending life.”

Before eating, Mr. Dick gave thanks in his native tongue before translating its meaning.

“I’m saying thank you for the day, for our grandfathers and grandmothers of today, tomorrow and yesterday. Thank you for fire, earth, wind and water. Thank you for giving us parents, bringing us a new day and for the sun.”

After the meal, Sonny Robbins, the cultural coordinator at Nigig Nibi Ki-wan Gamik Society and instructor for the Papase Drum Group, discussed the upcoming performance they had planned.

“This group of boys here have been singing together now for a little over a year. We started a youth drum program in the community for something to try and get our children engaged in culture and normalizing our traditions,” he explained. “This drum can take you many places and do a lot of things for you if you just put your energy and heart into it.”

He highlighted its significance and the different spirits that go into their creation since they’re made of wood and animal hide, a combination of natural materials.

“The idea is you’re honouring those animals and spirits. You have the spirit of that animal that gave its life for you. We eat its food but we also want to use everything we can,” he said. “Those trees are also living beings and have spirit; they also gave their life for that reason. I know of some drum makers who breath air into it before tying them up. They’re putting a bit of themselves in it too.

“It’s a live being so we always honour it,” he said. “It was a little thirsty, so I made sure we gave it a drink (of water). We’ll give it gifts and offer it tobacco to help take those prayers for us.

“The sound of the drum is something we’re all born with, that heartbeat when we’re in our mother’s wombs. When you’re drumming, especially inside, you’ll hear some different things vibrating. That energy resonates, it’s not just sitting here. You’ll feel it across the room and through the floor. It’s that healing energy and medicine it’s giving off. It’s about respecting everything, all of creation.”

After the performance, visitors headed outside to check out the area’s new signage and space where the new walkway is being built.

Project Background

The Connecting Communities Pathway has come a long way since it was first announced last spring as part of an ongoing effort to boost local community engagement and inclusion. Echo Centre and Fairfield’s Senior Living have rolled out the initiative slowly but surely as it continues taking things one step at a time.

The plan started thanks to a federally funded grant, the New Horizons for Seniors Program, which spruced up a vacant area adjacent to the Echo Centre parking lot with a set of outdoor exercise equipment.

It wasn’t long until the next part of the plan was put in place, when volunteers gathered to plant a dozen fruit trees along the planned pathway. The area also received several folding benches that double as tables thanks to a grant from the 100 Women Foundation.

It expanded again in the fall when it officially unveiled its lending hub with a stunning piece of Indigenous art that took over a hundred hours to create. The new addition has allowed them to offer a range of high-energy activities, including kick sleds, e-bikes, and trekking poles, as well as leisurely fun items like bocce balls, horseshoes, and fishing rods.