THUNDER BAY - Making a connection to the past can be as simple as watching a traditional dance, seeing an artisan’s skills at work that have been passed down for hundreds of years, or just tasting some delicious fry bread.
“This was my first experience with fry bread,” said Fran Radege of northern Wisconsin. “It was delicious, especially with the strawberry jam.”
Radege was one of many who came out to Fort William Historical Park for the annual Anishnawbe Keeshigun festival on Saturday and Sunday.
The festival is a celebration of Indigenous culture and included demonstrations of snowshoe weaving, mukuk making, wood carving, traditional dances, as well as games such as atlatl (spear throwing) and baggataway (lacrosse).
One of the most popular demonstrations was the making of bannock bread. Participants were given the opportunity to mix the ingredients, knead the dough, and then fry it over an open fire.
Karen Saunders and her sons were visiting the festival for the first time and she said there was a lot of new and interesting things to learn.
“The boys learned how to make bannock, so maybe we will be eating more bannock at home,” she said. “It seems pretty simple and we’ll see how it tastes.”
For Saunders, celebrating Indigenous culture is important because it allows us to learn more about the land and the people who live here.
“I think it can help make a connection with a lot of the people who live around here,” she said. “History is important. It’s back to the basics in a lot of ways.”
This is the first visit to Fort William Historical Park for Radege, who has visited Thunder Bay before.
“Oh it’s a wonderful experience,” she said. “This is living history and I think everyone should see living history because that is how you will really remember it.”
Radege said she has learned many things about the Indigenous people of Canada that she did not know before, and knowledge can go a long way.
“I think it’s important that we understand our own culture, but also the culture of other people and I think it’s important that we respect the culture of other people,” she said. “That’s the only way we are going to have peace in this world.”
The Anishnawbe Keeshigun festival wrapped up Sunday afternoon. Radege said she hopes to return and she is very happy she finally stepped back into the past, and made a delicious connection with history.
“We have the recipe for fry bread,” she said. “I was discussing with one of the Native speakers and she was sharing some of the tricks of the trade.”
