{"id":17316,"date":"2021-10-25T16:13:39","date_gmt":"2021-10-25T20:13:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/News\/?p=17316"},"modified":"2021-10-25T16:18:23","modified_gmt":"2021-10-25T20:18:23","slug":"the-conversation-native-ceremony-in-the-age-of-covid-19","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2021\/10\/25\/the-conversation-native-ceremony-in-the-age-of-covid-19\/","title":{"rendered":"The Conversation: Native ceremony in the age of COVID-19"},"content":{"rendered":" \"Wendy<\/a>
At the beginning of the 12-day celebration of life ceremony, Ojibwe elder Wendy Phillips performs a smudge. Photo by Josh Lyon, Author provided<\/figcaption>\r\n
Who decides what\u2019s essential? The importance of Indigenous ceremony during\u00a0 COVID-19<\/div>\r\n
Monday, October 25, 2021<\/div>\r\n
\r\n By Jodi John<\/a> (Queen’s University, Ontario<\/a>); Angela Mashford-Pringle<\/a> (University of Toronto<\/a>); Heather Castleden<\/a> (University of Victoria<\/a>); Janice Hill<\/a> (Queen’s University, Ontario<\/a>); Marc Calabretta<\/a> (Queen’s University, Ontario<\/a>); Mark Dockstator<\/a> (Trent University<\/a>), and Wendy Phillips<\/a> (Queen’s University, Ontario<\/a>)<\/div>\r\n
The Conversation<\/div>\r\n
theconversation.com<\/A><\/div>\r\n

<\/p>\r\nDuring the COVID-19 pandemic<\/a> and nationwide lockdown in September 2020, Ojibway Elder Wendy Phillips and her partner, Mark Phillips conducted an in-person 12-day celebration of life ceremony at their home near Havelock, Ontario, despite public health recommendations dictating otherwise.

<\/P>\r\n\r\nIndigenous ceremonies have been central to Indigenous health<\/a> and well-being since time immemorial<\/a>. Despite the genocidal policies<\/a> and practices exercised by Canada<\/a>, these ceremonies continue to be an important part of life and sustaining good health for many.

<\/P>\r\n\r\nIn March 2020, federal and provincial governments announced lockdowns \u2014 provinces began prohibiting communal services and social gatherings and in-person contact was discouraged<\/a>. In September 2020, the Ontario government announced further restrictions to social gatherings as well as ceremonial and religious gatherings. And those found in violation could face up to $10,000 in fines<\/a>.

<\/P>\r\n\r\nWhile COVID-19 exacerbated many of the health disparities Indigenous people face, everyday actions of land-based regenerative resurgence, including some ceremonies, continued<\/a>.

<\/P>\r\n\r\nTeachings that Elder Phillips and her partner received from their elders about the 12-day celebration of life ceremony, was that it had to be performed, every four years, no matter what. No matter the weather, no matter the situation \u2014 with ideally 64 people \u2014 regardless of western conventions of public health and politics.

<\/P>\r\n\r\nWas this determination to continue with the ceremony an act of Indigenous resistance and resurgence<\/a> and did it reflect reassertion of nationhood and self-determination seen elsewhere throughout the pandemic<\/a>?

<\/P>\r\n\r\nThis was a question our research team wanted to explore.

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