Chief Joe pours a glass of steeped balsam fir buds, alder leaves, Labrador tea leaves, tea berries, blueberry leaves, juniper and dogwood tree bark. Participants were encouraged to try the drink, one of many traditional aboriginal medicines.Pam Snow photo

The afternoon portion of the Boyd's Cove Beothuk Interpretation Center's first Healing Conference, included two powerful ceremonies.

"The healing ceremony is basically built around communication, respect, courtesy, understanding the differences between all people and certainly the difference between non-aboriginal organizations and aboriginal organizations," said Chief Misel Joe, who directed the healing conference on Oct. 7.

After a brief lunch, the 17 participants got to know one another by introducing themselves, telling everyone where they lived and describing their various occupations.

Chief Joe then invited them all into the video theater at the center for a brief viewing of a videotaped skit entitled Wild Baloney. Chief Joe reiterated that laughter is the best medicine.

After the video presentation, participants were in-structed to sit around in a circle for The Circle Ceremony.

"The circle explains itself," said Chief Joe. "When you look at the circle and see how it begins, it begins going clockwise and it continues to learn and understand and appreciate all the things you have.

"So in the circle you can look across and you can see everybody from your position, so there is no one left out and the circle is strong and it stays strong because it is a circle."

Chief Joe began the ceremony with a smudging, which is intended to purify the hearts and minds of those in the circle. Chief Joe lit sweet grass, while participants cleansed their bodies with the smoke.

Once the smudging ceremony was completed, Chief Joe began the circle ceremony with a different question, for each of the four rounds - representing the North, East, South and West.

Questions varied from what magic the participant believed they held within, to describing for others what their most humbling experience in life has been.

Matthew Brake of Gander, who also sits on the board of the Beothuk Institute, said there were many good aspects of the conference.

"When we walked out to the site of the Beothuks and all along the trail we saw these traditional healing medicines, it was almost validating that those people walked along the same route and perhaps they picked the same herbs to use," he said. "Then sitting around in the circle was a powerful experience and a powerful ceremony. It was very interesting."

Ending the evening was the Giveaway Ceremony. Participants were encouraged to bring an item, or two, that was given to them and had some sentimental value. People brought along things such as necklaces, ornaments, pendants and jams.

"The giveaway ceremony is to demonstrate that we must not hold on to material things," said Chief Joe. "It does good to give it away sometimes. Material things aren't everything and there's much more important things in life to concentrate on."

Anyone interested in attending a future healing conference at the Boyd's Cove Interpretation Center can contact site supervisor Karen LeDrew-Day at (709) 656-3114.

Part two