Healing Gathering Proof Of Progress: Joseph

Healing Gathering Proof Of Progress: Joseph

Monday, August 10, 2009 at 12:20

FSIN Chief Lawrence Joseph says the healing gathering at the Poundmaker Cree Nation last week represents a triumph for Aboriginal people.

Joseph notes it wasn’t so long ago that they weren’t allowed to practice their beliefs and traditions at all.

But last week at the Poundmaker reserve, they not only practiced their healing methods, they shared them with other healers from around the world.

“The elders have been able to retain and sustain our spirituality and our practices, our ceremonies, in spite of threats from government. In fact, some people were thrown in jail, and they used to have to hide to practice their ceremonies. And today we can actually openly offer the world our principles, our value system and indeed our healing practices to the rest of the world,” Joseph says.

Joseph spoke on Friday during closing ceremonies for the week-long healing gathering.

The Poundmaker band say it plans to hold another healing gathering next year.