An opportunity to give
Guided by Ceremony and the Elders, Elder Dr Dave Courchene has a vision for building a new Turtle Lodge at the sacred site of Manitou Api. Manitou Api is a place where many Nations across Turtle Island have gathered for tens of thousands of years for spiritual renewal and sharing.
The Elders believe that building a Turtle Lodge at Manitou Api will unite all people and will lead humanity back to understanding our true relationship with Mother Earth.
The National Turtle Lodge Council of Elders invites you to join in making a commitment to continue the legacy of the Turtle Lodge by following the vision Elder Dr Dave Courchene shares with us.
Guided by our ceremonies and endorsed by the Elders at numerous Annual Igniting the Fire Gathering at the Manitou Api sacred site since 2006, we are working towards the construction of a new Turtle Lodge at the Manitou Api Sacred Site, located at the geographical heart and centre of Turtle Island.
The Creation Story of Anishinaabe People tells of the first human being lowered in spirit through Pagonay Giizhik, the hole in the sky, at this Sacred Site.
Throughout the years, the Turtle Lodge has led journeys to Manitou Api to inspire connection with Mother Earth and revitalize spiritual ceremonies that our ancestors performed for tens of thousands of years. The Elders believe that coming together to create this Turtle Lodge at the heart of the continent will help lead humanity back to understanding our true relationship with Mother Earth, a Great Living Being who is the source of our physical life as human beings, a spiritual intelligence who offers guidance directly to our heart, on how to live with values of kindness, taking care of our Mother and the life we are given.
“Rooted in the sacred story of the Red People in our genesis, we are building a new Turtle Lodge in one of our most sacred sites of Manitou Api. This Lodge will be the Peoples’ Lodge, intended to unite all peoples of the world to experience the spiritual connection that we as the First Peoples have with the land, the common bond that ties us all together. We are all children of Mother Earth, and she will be the one to correct and teach us.”
– Elder Dr. Dave Courchene
We believe that building a Turtle Lodge at Manitou Api will unite the Nations and bring our prophecies to fulfilment. Our prophecies share that other races of humankind would arrive on Turtle Island, to learn from the leadership of the Indigenous Peoples how to take care of Mother Earth, and each other. Our work through this Turtle Lodge will be for our collective survival as the human family, based on values. Building this Lodge will require great faith, commitment, and all of us working together from the heart to offer our support and gifts. We invite you to kindly consider ways and means in which you might support this vision.
Donate by sending an etransfer to turtlelodge@mts.net.
You will receive a Canadian charitable tax receipt for your contribution.
Kinanaakomigo – From our hearts we thank you.
