CIRCLE OF ALL NATIONS

                A Message Regarding Development at South March Highlands

January 6, 2011

William Commanda

January 6, 2011

A Message from William Commanda regarding the Proposed Development in South March Highlands

Your Worship the Mayor and City Councillors,

City of Ottawa

Re: Proposed Development in South March Highlands

Greetings for the New Year.

I write again with respect to the campaign to save the South March Highlands site. This holiday season has been afire with the passion of many community voices determined to protect this unique area.

I together with many others again urge City Council to initiate an immediate and comprehensive archaeological survey of this site; I believe it is the underlying responsibility of the crown and governments and the National Capital Commission to safeguard this ecologically and archaeologically unique site of the South March Highlands as a potential national heritage site, one of significant Indigenous importance, and as an Algonquin in the unceded, unconquered and unsurrendered Ottawa River Watershed, I add my voice to the call for such action.

I also add, as spiritual elder, that beyond its archaeological history, this is a living temple, a place of Manitou, a special place of nature, and that precious reality also demands immediate protection and reverence.

I, like many others, am deeply concerned with the devastation of yet another precious bio-diverse eco-space; the ancient history and records of the land itself, and the signature and knowledge of its original inhabitants of 10,000 years ago, yet to be uncovered and comprehended, add to the potential irreplaceable loss. It is no insignificant heritage that lies here – the likes of this site and heritage would be deeply valued in other homelands. 

I am Algonquin of the Ottawa River Watershed, and this Kichisippi landscape is the traditional homeland of my ancestors over countless centuries; our predecessors occupied this ancient, earliest habitable, land over ten centuries ago, and this is significant in the history of Turtle Island and the globe.  Our understanding of this history and heritage in the Watershed has been obliterated and distorted over the past five hundred years, but increasing numbers of people, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, are beginning to reach to this heritage that now binds us all to this land, and they are already finding their lives enriched.

In recent correspondence to the City’s Arts, Culture and Heritage Advisory Committee, I wrote “It is becoming increasingly apparent to most citizens that Aboriginal Peoples and our history, art and culture are largely invisible in the capital city.  During this past year, I have had meetings with the City’s Cultural Renewal team, and I am encouraged to see that some work is now underway to address this deficiency/omission.” 

The present challenge presents an opportunity for transforming this history.

I have written two notes on this matter in past months. I add these words to support the great community effort now underway both to protect an ancient forest and to understand the complexities of the Indigenous voice.

1.    It is very encouraging to me to see communities questioning historic land acquisition and ownership practices, development, and environmental stewardship practices; I have seen in recent years the growing strength of diverse voices coming together and impacting established governance structures with considerable knowledge and expertise. I pray bridges of understanding will evolve in engaging with these voices of the future in the exercise of true leadership in our complex and evolving societies.

2.    I have followed the efforts of the local community for many months, and I see the huge challenges in the cause being addressed with creativity, passion, research, information, prayer, dedication and commitment. I note the group has also made courteous outreach to the developers, and I hope this brings positive outcomes. I see the growing awareness of the need for Indigenous voice in the effort.  Unfortunately, most Indigenous Peoples have been far removed physically from the energy and heritage of this place. But this does not mean that the protection and preservation of this heritage is not of crucial importance.

3.    I speak for myself alone, and for my Circle of All Nations, a global eco-community unified by my fundamental and unshakable conviction that as children of Mother Earth, we all belong together, irrespective of our individual colour, creed or culture. 

I am ninety-seven years old; in less than a month, my spirit will have been part of this land ninety nine years; that is a long, long time.  I have witnessed much transformation here and across Mother Earth, and I see many, many shortcomings in our individual and collective relationship with the penultimate source of life, shortcomings that are costing us, future generations, animals and plant life more and more dearly each day. I believe Mother Earth herself must and will draw us back to sustainable relationships for and with all.

I have been passionately interested in my history and heritage for close to a century; this passion fired the creation of the Circle of All Nations, focused on advancing Respect for Mother Earth, Indigenous Wisdom, Social Justice and Peace Building, and we conceptualize the intermix of these priorities under the rubric of Sustainable Relationships. This is the essence of our ancient Indigenous prayer, Ginawaydaganuc, which reflects that, in the final analysis, we are all connected – with the water we drink, the air we breath, with the food, medicines and gifts the earth provides us, with the animal teachers, with the larger universe, and with each other. Modern scientists and quantum physicists are trying to apprehend this immense reality of the circle and cycle of life.  This is a medicine circle and medicine cycle that demands respect and responsibility. Thousands of people from across the world, Indigenous and non-Indigenous have participated in my annual gatherings to engage in the creation of such an understanding of and in our lives.  South March Highlands is one such learning site.

4.    While focused on the protection of this specific site, I see the seeds of this larger vision taking form in this South March Highlands Campaign.

By way of illustrating this point, I mention the following:

1. •Indigenous Peoples have expressed our concern for Mother Earth to the United Nations since the 1940s, myself amongst them; in October 2010, the Policy Matters book emerging from the UN Conference on Biodiversity in Japan (after which Canada and the United States signed on to the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples) notes (page 209, my photo included) the struggle to practice Ginawaydaganuc, and sustain the biological diversity of (our) homeland; that day is coming;
   

2. •In 1987, at the Constitutional Debates, as Carrier of our Sacred Wampum Belts, I reminded the then Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and the Premiers of their historic and collective failure to protect the environment, consistent with the Three Figure Welcoming Wampum Belt heritage of the land, and issued an urgent warning and appeal for sustainable stewardship;
   

3. •In 1996, with the release of the Report of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, I drew attention to the polluted Ottawa River waters, noting that the survival of Indigenous Peoples and the environment were in fact one and the same thing, something that others not genuinely “at home” here need to understand, in order create a respectful relationship with Mother Earth; in the end, the pollution impacts all our lives;
   

4. •I served as spiritual guide for the 1995/96 Sunbow Five Walk for Mother Earth, a walk from First Encounter Beach, Cape Cod to Santa Barbara, California, to bring Indigenous prayer back to land despoiled by bloodshed, expropriation and exploitation;
   

5. •On my Circle of All Nations brochure, I note that endless stream of logging trucks through my homeland feels “like a needle in my eye”;
   

6. •and it is only since my Waterlife Workshop of 2006 that the capital city and now Gatineau have awakened to the gravity of the pollution of the Ottawa River. 
   

I mention these few things to show that my concern for the South March Highlands is consistent with a much larger and longer commitment to the environment and Mother Earth.  Further, I have been engaged here in Kanata regularly over the past dozen years, have conducted countless ceremonies here with people from all over the world; and I photographed the four-trunked tree in my Circle of All Nations logo myself, here in Kanata.  Hence my message.

It has not been easy to awaken people to my way of understanding life; my ancestors have had to suffer dismissal of our traditional practices over countless years.  In view of our commitment to assert an Indigenous position, and in the spirit of the Seven Fires Prophecy, I try again.

I realize this file is not an easy one to resolve, given decisions, management, legislative, and development precedents. Yet this is one of the critical challenges of our times. Already, much pristine space has been lost to development.

In view of the body of information and the interest now come to light, I pray deep wisdom and urgent action will guide interventions and the crucial next steps.  True consultation with a range of players, creative engagement, genuine exploration of options and opportunities and time can guide us to new pathways out of the forest.

With respect.

Sincerely,

William Commanda

Algonquin Elder

Founder, Circle of All Nations

613-599-8385; 819-449-2668

circleofallnations@sympatico.ca

www.circleofallnations.ca

http://web.mac.com/circleofallnations

A Mini-Biography of Dr. William Commanada, OC, Algonquin Elder

Founder, A Circle of All Nations

Ninety five year old Alonquin Elder William Commanda from Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg, Maniwaki, Quebec was born on November 11, 1913 under the bright light of the Morning Star, so his mother named him Ojigkwanong; thus the larger universe figured in his personal story from the very beginning.  Today, he is seen by many as the symbol of light emerging from the darkness of the first World War, illuminating a path to a new world with his vision for a Circle of All Nations, A Culture of Peace.

He is a respected spokesman and spiritual leader at many conferences, participates in United Nations peace and spiritual vigils, and his work is acknowledged nationally and internationally. Fully trilingual, he shares his words and prayers in Algonquin, and translates them into English and French. Central to Elder Commanda’s teachings are the concepts of equality, balance, respect and responsibility for Mother Earth, for all life forms and for people of all racial and cultural backgrounds, and he works ceaselessly, alone and entirely without an organization, staff, structure, formal or financial support to animate the Circle of All Nations.

A most senior representative of the Algonquins of the Ottawa River Watershed, he is the great, great grandson of the legendry Pakinawatik, the Algonquin chief who in the mid eighteen hundreds, led his people from their lands at Oka on the Lake of Two Mountains to their traditional hunting and trapping grounds at the confluence of the Desert and Gatineau.  He is the carrier of three sacred Wampum Belts of historic and spiritual importance: the ancient Seven Fires Prophecy Belt about choice; the 1700s Welcoming Belt about sharing the grand natural resources and values of the original peoples with the newcomers; and the Jay Treaty Border Crossing Belt which recognized Turtle Island as a coherent entity.  His ancestors inscribed their legends, prophecies and agreements in these carefully crafted items over many centuries. He is seen by many as the carrier of the Seven Fires Prophecy at the time of the unfolding of its final message, and the messages of all these ancient artifacts are as deeply relevant today, as they were in the past.

He was acclaimed chief of the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg for over nineteen years, though he himself never participated in the elections. He also worked as a guide, trapper and woodsman for much of his life.  He is a birch bark canoe maker and craftsman of international renown, and there is a special display dedicated to his work at the Canadian Canoe Museum of Peterborough.  He built a canoe for Queen Margrethe of Denmark, and he helped Pierre Trudeau repair his famous birch bark canoe.  At the age of 90, he shared his canoe making skills and philosophy in Valerie Pouyanne’s documentary, Good Enough for Two.

He has promoted environmental stewardship and respect for Mother Earth passionately for many decades.  He conducted pipe ceremonies for the Pre-Rio Earth Summit Conference hosted by President Mitterand of France in 1991, and his prayers lie behind Agenda 21.  He participated in the United Nations first Indigenous Cry of the Earth conference. He served as spiritual guide to the 1995 seven and a half month Sunbow Five Walk from the Atlantic Coast to the Pacific, to raise awareness of the growing environmental crisis; received the Bill Mason River Conservation Award in 2004; hosted workshops on water stewardship in 2004 and 2006, and 2009; is honorary chair of the Ottawa Heritage River Designation Committee; and offers interventions on current environmental issues such as the identification of the American Eel as a Species at Risk, the building of a mega dump on Danford Lake and the Navigable Waters Act. 

He is the recipient of numerous awards and acknowledgements of his works and talent: the Wolf Project and Harmony Awards for his efforts to foster racial harmony and peace building through the creation of a Circle of All Nations (one very well received example of this commitment is the annual international gathering he hosts at his home during the first weekend of August – the 2001 Gathering is presented in the Circle of All Nations documentary); a Justice Award from the University of Ottawa and a Peace Award from Friends for Peace. He promotes restorative justice, forgiveness and his outreach to prisoners is captured in Lucie Ouimet’s National Film Board Documentary, Encounter with an Algonquin Seer.

Recently, his efforts were acknowledged in Ottawa with two special recognitions: in 2005, with an Honorary Doctorate Degree from the University of Ottawa, shortly after his book, Learning from a Kindergarten Dropout, was published; and in 2006, with the Key to the City of Ottawa, a singular honour for an Aborignal person from a reserve in Quebec.  This was presented on Victoria Island, where the tireless ninety five year old continues working on his vision for a National Indigenous Centre, for the restoration and development of the Sacred Chaudière Site as a special national historic centre, and as a think tank for environmental stewardship and peace building of national and global relevance.  Two other books, Learning from a Kindergarten Dropout Book Two, and Passionate Waters–Butterfly Kisses include further reflections on his work and ideology.

In December 2008, he was appointed Officer of the Order of Canada, for his leadership as an elder who has promoted intercultural understanding and has raised awareness of the traditions and legacies of Canada’s Aboriginal people. Elder Commanda says he is deeply honoured to witness this recognition of the relevance of Indigenous Wisdom to this country at this time.

In November 2009, the National Aboriginal Achievement Awards Foundation announced his selection as 2010 Lifetime Achievement Award recipient.  In January, 2010 Willis College announced the Dr. William Commanda Scholarship!   

circleofallnations@sympatico.ca

www.circleofallnations.ca (General Information)

www.asinabka.com (Indigenous Centre Information)

http://web.mac.com/circleofallnations  (Elder Commanda’s Recent Activities)

Mailing Address

506 Stratas Court, Kanata, Ontario, K2L3K7 613-599-8385

Home Address

231 Pitobig Mikan, Maniwaki, Quebec J9E 3B1 819-449-2668

The letter below, dated January 6th, 2011, was sent to the Premier of Ontario, the Mayor for the City of Ottawa, Ottawa City Councillors, MPP’s and others.  This letter is from the Late Grandfather William Commanda who passed away later in the year of 2011.  I would like to point out that the Mayor of Ottawa, Jim Watson, and all the others ignored this letter - even though it is from one of the most respected Elders and Aboriginal Leaders in the world. 

The Duty of the Crown to consult with ALL Algonquins (established by laws and customs) has been completely tarnished by this act...and we hope that justice will prevail and that steps will be taken to protect this sacred region.  A Sacred Fire has been burning at the Beaver Pond and continues to burn.

View this Video hear Grandfather’s own words about why this forest must be saved.  Then read this incredible letter below and pray that our Political Leaders come to our senses.  We have some supporters in the political circle now, but we need your support.  Visit our contact page and send your own message.

Ottawa’s Great Forest - A Stewardship Plan