Revealing of the Birch Bark Scrolls
On January 26, 2013, over 125 people converged at Turtle Lodge on the day of the Full Moon (Manito Debikikiisis – Spirit Moon), to answer an international call made by Elders earlier in the month to have a Feast to show gratitude to the spirit of Mother Earth and ask for blessing and direction.
Special instructions from the Grandmothers were shared about a Birch Bark Scroll, received through ceremony.
Two Grandmothers from Treaty 3 territory came forward to share a vision and instructions they had received from the Spirit about a sacred Birch Bark Scroll.
The Grandmothers shared that a ceremony in their area had recently been done in which they were asked by the Spirit to tell the story of the First People on a sacred Birch Bark Scroll, and share it with the world.
They were told that the Scroll would likely need to be shared with the British royal family.
The Grandmothers were told to find the person they believed would best be able and willing to take on and carry the responsibility of both writing the story of the people, and sharing it with the world. They were told by the Spirit to find a man of the heart, and that this man would unite the people.
The Grandmothers chose Elder Dave Courchene to write the Scroll and carry the story of the people. They shared that the story needed to be written using red ochre, and they talked about a special ceremony that had recently been done to pass the Birch Bark Scrolls to Elder Dave Courchene.
The Grandmothers also shared that the Spirit asked them to choose former Grand Chief of Treaty 3 Territory, Leon Jordain, to help support the message of the Scroll, and filmmaker Jeremy Torrie to chronicle and document the story of the writing and sharing of the Scroll. All three men were present at the ceremony when the Birch Bark Scrolls were passed by the Grandmothers to Elder Dave Courchene.
This story was shared with the people at the Turtle Lodge Gathering, and documented on film by Jeremy Torrie. The Treaty 3 Drum did an Honour Song for the vision received.
On October 18, 2013 the Birch Bark Scrolls was revealed at the Turtle Lodge, on the first night of the Chii By ceremony (Ghost Dance). Many were present for this historic event.
