Page 2 - Presbyterian Connection
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                                2 WINTER 2022
PRESBYTERIAN
Connection
MESSAGE FROM THE MODERATOR
presbyterian.ca
 Meeting the Manitou Asinîy Stone
  The Rev. Bob Faris with Leonard Weasel Traveller (Bastien) (left) and Fred Campiou (right).
of repatriating the Stone to Indig- enous stewardship has become all-consuming for Chandra.
A bit about the Stone: it is the largest intact meteorite ever found in Canada, which fell to the sur- face of the Earth near present day Hardisty as much as four billion years ago. It is almost pure iron. It had great significance for Indig- enous peoples and was consid- ered to be a sacred being that was deeply connected with the buffalo hunt. It is Canada’s only spiritu- ally recognized place of healing at a meteor landing site (much like Mecca for the followers of Islam). In 1866, it was taken by Method- ist missionaries who considered it to be a hindrance to the con- version of Indigenous peoples to Christianity. After being kept at a mission station for a time, it was transferred to Victoria College in Cobourg, Ont., then to Toronto when the college moved and to the Royal Ontario Museum. It was transferred to the Royal Alberta Museum in Edmonton in 1972, where it continues to be held.
When we gathered in a large circle in the basement of Grace Church, we heard that story. In fact, scientific facts about the Stone were presented from an Indigenous astronomer, Rob Car-
The Moderator, the Rev. Bob Faris (right), with Clayton Kootenay, member of the Lead Team for the Repatriation Project and CEO of the Indigenous Knowl- edge and Wisdom Centre in Edmonton, at the current site of the Manitou Stone at the Royal Alberta Museum.
By the Rev. Dr. Bob Faris, Moderator of the 2022 General Assembly
Like most people gathered in the General Assembly this year, I had no idea what the Manitou Asinîy Stone was. Then came the invita- tion for me to visit the Presbytery of Calgary-Macleod, that also involved me speaking at an Inter- faith Pride service, I was asked to participate in a conversation about the Manitou Asinîy Stone with Indigenous leaders as well as members of Grace Presbyte-
rian Church in Calgary, Alta., and the presbytery. I found out that the only caveat to organizing this conversation was that I would be willing to listen. It was conveyed that that was my only intention and I hope I stayed true to that promise.
I was put in touch with Chan- dra Mannix, a person from Grace I had never met before. She was the facilitator of the conversation, I was told. I was not prepared for the depth of commitment, pas- sion and political acumen I was about to encounter! The project
dinal, who is a lead member of the Repatriation Project. We also heard the Indigenous wisdom about the Stone from Leonard Weasel Traveller (Bastien), for- mer Chief of the Piikani Nation, Representative of the Blackfoot Confederacy, Spiritual Leader and Primary Elder of the Manitou As- inîy-Iniskim Repatriation Project; and from Blaine Favel, former Chief of Poundmaker First Nation, Former Grand Chief of the Federa- tion of Saskatchewan, Leader and Visionary of the Manitou Asinîy- Iniskim Repatriation Project; and from Fred Campiou, Cree Rep- resentative for Treaty 8, Spiritual Advisor and Ceremonial Elder of the Manitou Asinîy-Iniskim Repa- triation Project.
We heard how Indigenous peo- ples had prophesied that disaster would befall their nations if the Stone was removed, and how that indeed did happen with the deci- mation of the buffalo. We heard how the removal of the Stone was the removal of the focus of a meeting place that had gathered different nations to find ways to live peaceably together. We also heard the many ways in which the colonial project and mindset had destroyed traditional Indigenous ways and had ignored traditional Indigenous wisdom, to the detri- ment of all.
We learned of the various at- tempts that had been made in the past to repatriate the Stone and how they had not been success- ful. We also learned about how this new initiative was moving forward and the ways in which it had brought people together to
find common purpose in repatri- ating the Stone. We learned of the vision of a centre, designed by the world-renowned Indigenous architect, Douglas Cardinal, to be constructed near the actual landing place, where the Stone can be placed and where people can once again gather in a sacred space to seek ways to live togeth- er in peace.
I could not help but think at the time—and have continued to reflect on—how honoured I was to sit in that circle. We met in a church—a place that is consid- ered to be part of the destruc- tive force behind the attempted genocide of Indigenous peoples. We were privileged to meet with Elders and Wisdom Keepers and members of the Horn Society, who have responsibility for many traditional spiritual practices. We were reminded that our gather- ing should be centred in prayer to Creator, Creator of us all.
We could have not been invited into that circle...but we were. And we engaged in a practice of listening and learning, which took us one more step along a path that we all hope will lead to healing. At the end of our time together, we recognized that even though we did not meet in the presence of the Manitou Asinîy Stone, its gift of gathering people to find ways to live peaceably together was at work among us—a gift of the Spirit. And I believe it will continue to work among us as we respond to the invitation to bring our sup- port to this initiative and others on the path to healing.
Meegwetch.
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