An annual celebration of wild rice and Indigenous food sovereignty returns to Curve Lake First Nation this Saturday (September 24).

The third annual “Mnoominkewin” gathering takes place from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. at Lance Woods Park on the shores of Wshkiigimong (Mud Lake, also known as Chemong Lake), featuring speakers, workshops, artist demonstrations, a concert, and more.

Mnoomin (pronounced mah-noh-min), meaning the good seed or the spirit seed, is the Anishinaabemowin word for wild rice. It is the only grain native to what is now known as North America and has sustained Anishinaabeg peoples for millennia. The practice of planting, tending, gathering, and processing mnoomin into food is called mnoominke, with mnoominkewin describing the way of life, art, and culture that develops as the community practises mnoominke.

The Mnoominkewin gathering is produced by the O’Kaadenigan Wiingashk Collective, a multidisciplinary arts collective dedicated to nurturing Indigenous artists and communities formed in 2004 by Sarah DeCarlo, Sara Roque, and Patti Shaughnessy. The first Mnoominkewin gathering began in September 2020, co-created by Curve Lake First Nation members Patti Shaughnessy and James Whetung.

“With collective spirit and celebration, we wish to inspire generative discourse and illuminate all that is good about our local food source,” reads a media release from organizers. “Its presence inspires ecological attention to our waters, our lands, our mud, the crawlers, the swimmers, the four leggeds and the flyers.”

“As we plant, gather, process, eat, celebrate, and renew familial and community ties we actively un-do the damage done by the colonial government through the William’s Treaty. Together we restore cultural transmission, exercise sovereignty, and practice Mnoominkewin — the art of wild ricing.”

VIDEO: About Mnoominkewin (2020)

The Mnoominkewin gathering begins at 7 a.m. with a sunrise ceremony conducted by Elders Shirley Williams, Wesley Whetung, Leona Stevens, and Liz Ozawamick with Firekeeper Billy Whetung, followed by a mnoomin-themed breakfast catered by Thomas Olszewski of Grandfather’s Kitchen.

At 9 a.m., Curve Lake First Nation Chief Keith Knott will welcome participants to the gathering, with emcee Gerrard Day orienting participants to the gathering and Dorothy Taylor performing an opening mnoomin song.

At 9:30 a.m., there will be a series of concurrent sessions, including Mario Wasageeshig speaking about Anishinaabeg mnoomin, artist demonstrations of beading, quilting, and muskrat fur and leather work, a workshop on planting and gathering mnoomin, and a workshop on processing mnoomin into food. The artist demonstrations and the workshops will continue until 3 p.m., with a break for lunch.

At 10:30 a.m., Janet McCue will lead participants in a open women’s hand drum song circle. All participants are invited to join in to learn and practice songs.

At 11 a.m., Dr. Fred Metallic will share how the Listuguj Mi’gmaq First Nation community in Quebec came together to assert their inherent right to fish salmon on the Listuguj Sipu (river) and reclaim their powers of law-making and enforcement. Also at 11 a.m., Jonathan Taylor will provide an Anishinaabemowin mnoomin-themed language lesson

The gathering will break at noon for a mnoomin-inspired lunch featuring a pickerel fry by Elmer Whetung, Atlantic salmon caught by Dr. Fred Metallic, moose harvested by Ryerson Whetung, and wild rice pudding made by Gary Williams.

At 1 p.m., Chandra Maracle and Rick Hill present “Two Dishes, One Spoon: Sharing O:nenhste (Corn), Mnoomin (Wild Rice), and Stories as Haudenonishinaabe Reconciliation.” At 2 p.m., Tuscarora musician, composer, and vocalist Pura Fé will lead a drumming and singing workshop and share her canoe and paddle songs taught to her from her family.

At 2:30 p.m., a mnoomin practitioner panel will discuss their communities’ efforts to rehabilitate their mnoomin beds. Moderated by Autumn Watson of the Indigenous Diabetes Health Circle, the panel will include Kelsey Trivett of Georgina Island First Nation, Julia Pegahmagabow of Atikmeksheng Anishnawbek, and Amanda Paul and Marc Sams of Bear Island First Nation.

The panel will be followed at 3 p.m. with a question-and-answer session featuring all of the day’s speakers.

At 3:30 p.m., the day’s activities will come to a close with remarks and a round dance led by Liz Ozawamick with song by Nimkii Ozawamick.

Mnoominkewin concludes at 7:30 p.m. with a concert in the Curve Lake Community Centre featuring Anishinaabe-American singer-songwriter Keith Secola, perhaps best known for his song “NDN Kars” from the film 1994 Canadian drama film Dance Me Outside directed by Bruce McDonald.

Secola will be joined by special guests Pura Fé and Curve Lake First Nation’s own Sarah Lewis and Missy Knott.

VIDEO: “NDN Kars” by Keith Secola

Everyone is welcome to participate in Mnoominkewin. Admission is free or by donation. You can register in advance on Google Docs.

The gathering is sponsored by the Canada Council for the Arts and the Ontario Arts Council and supported by Public Energy Performing Arts, Black Duck Wild Rice, and St. Andrew’s United Church in Beaverton.

For more information about Mnoominkewin and any schedule updates, visit www.mnoominkewin.com. To donate to Mnoominkewin via Public Energy, visit canadahelps.org.

With World Rabies Day coming up on September 28, the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit is teaming up with selected veterinarians to offer reduced-cost rabies vaccination clinics.

Intended for pet owners who face financial challenges, the clinics are being held for the first time since the pandemic began. They will be offered on Saturday, October 1st in the City of Kawarthas Lakes and Northumberland County. No clinics are available in Haliburton County, as a participating veterinarian could not be found there.

The cost for a rabies vaccination at these clinics is $40 cash only per animal (unless otherwise specified). No appointment is needed. Owners should keep dogs on leashes and cats in carriers, and bring proof of their pet’s most recent rabies vaccination if possible. The clinics do not offer examinations of pets, only vaccinations.

“Rabies is fatal, so getting pets vaccinated is an important part of caring for animals and being a responsible pet owner,” says Richard Ovcharovich, the health unit’s manager of health protection, in a media release. “By vaccinating your four-legged friend, you are also protecting the health of your family and loved ones.”

Here is a list of the reduced-cost rabies vaccination clinics on October 1:

• Kawartha Animal Hospital (130 Angeline St. S., Lindsay) from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
• Fenelon Animal Clinic (474 County Rd. 121, Fenelon Falls) from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
• Dale Veterinary Clinic (121 Toronto Rd., Unit 131, Port Hope) from 2 to 5 p.m., with registration starting at 1:30 p.m.
• Ganaraska Animal Clinic (146 Rose Glen Rd. S., Port Hope) from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• English Line Veterinary Services (527 County Rd. 38, Campbellford) from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
• Presqu’ile Animal Hospital (46 Prince Edward St., Brighton) from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. or while supplies last.

Masks will be required to be worn indoors at the clinics. Anyone who is feeling sick is asked to stay home.

Rabies can be transmitted to humans when there is contact with the saliva of an infected animal through a bite, lick, or scratch. In each of the past three years, the health unit has investigated more than 600 animal bite or scratch incidents in Haliburton County, Northumberland County, and the City of Kawartha Lakes.

World Rabies Day on September 28 raises awareness about rabies prevention and highlights the progress made in defeating this horrifying disease. It also marks the 127th anniversary of the death of Louis Pasteur, the French chemist and microbiologist who produced the first rabies vaccine. The vaccine was first used to save the life of nine-year-old Joseph Meister in 1885, after the boy was badly mauled by a rabid dog.

According to the World Health Organization, dogs are the main source of human rabies deaths around the world, contributing up to 99 per cent of all rabies transmissions to humans.

Municipal law enforcement officers in the Town of Cobourg will begin using body-worn cameras as of next Monday (September 26).

On August 16, town council approved a report from the town’s legislative services division outlining the policy for the use of body-worn cameras by municipal law enforcement officers during investigations and within the course of their operations.

Municipal law enforcement officers are responsible for enforcing the town’s by-laws and regulations. Officers with the Cobourg Police Service have already been using body-worn cameras since June.

“The use of body-worn cameras aims to enhance trust between town staff and the community as well as improve enforcement reporting and accountability,” reads a media release from the Town of Cobourg.

“Body-worn cameras are intended to capture specific interactions with the public and are not intended for full-shift recordings. The body-worn cameras allow for accurate documentation of officer-public contacts and enhance the accuracy of officer reports and testimony in court.”

“Audio and video recordings also enhance the town’s ability to review enforcement proceedings and may also be useful in documenting infractions, violations, and accident scenes or other events that include the confiscation, removal of equipment, personal items, and vehicles from town or private property.”

A municipal law enforcement officer will wear the cameras in full sight, with lights on the camera indicating it has been activated.

At a private place or residence, an officer must obtain the fully informed consent of the owner or occupant before they can activate their body-worn camera. The owner or occupant can request that an interaction not be recorded at any time during the officer’s attendance at the private place or residence.

The minimum retention period for recordings from body-worn cameras is 60 days, with recordings of evidence captured during an investigation retained for a minimum of two-and-a-half years.

More information about the town’s policy on body-worn cameras is available at www.cobourg.ca/bwc.

A non-profit organization in Kawartha Lakes will be heading to Mexico on Saturday (September 24) on a mission to help homeless animals.

The Kibble Project was founded by Mexico native Gladys Orozco, who is married to Canadian champion figure skater Elvis Stojko. Stojko lived in Mexico for 12 years and met Orozco, who is also a professional figure skater, in 2009. They married in 2010, and the couple now own property in Pontypool.

Currently pursuing a career in modelling and acting, Orozco — along with her husband — is also an animal lover. She and Stojko have three rescued Australian cattle dogs named Sunna, Bestla, and Isis.

Orozco founded The Kibble Project as a small pet food bank to help animal foster parents and shelters with everyday food and supplies. They support a long list of animal shelters, rescue organizations, and human and pet food banks all over Ontario.

Recently, they sent food to Manitoba as well as toys and other supplies to Regina, Goose Bay, Newfoundland, Mexico, Guyana, Trinidad, and Tobago.

On September 24, The Kibble Project is teaming up with southern Ontario’s Full Circle Rescue and Mexico’s The Dog Go Project to set up a spay-and-neuter campaign in Puebla, Mexico and visiting the Funkytown Puebla animal shelter to donating food and pet supplies for more than 300 animals in the shelter.

As well as setting up the clinic and delivering supplies, they will also be returning to Canada with 10 dogs from the shelter.

Also on September 24, The Kibble Project will have a booth at the “Market in the Barn” vendor event at Hollowbrook Highlands, which runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 1020 Gray Road in Pontypool. Donations are welcomed.

For more information about The Kibble Project, visit facebook.com/TheKibbleProject.

Police have confirmed the body of a deceased person found on Sunday (September 18) is that of missing 22-year-old Travis Nickerson of Northumberland County.

The village of Hastings resident was last seen on September 8 and police issued a missing person report on September 12, describing Nickerson and the vehicle he was driving.

On Sunday, the Northumberland OPP received information about Nickerson’s vehicle being seen in the area of County Road 18 in Alnwick-Haldimand Township.

Officers responded to the scene and found the body of a deceased person.

After the discovery of the body, police said an investigation into the identity of the deceased person was ongoing and a post-mortem examination would be conducted at the Ontario Forensic Pathology Service in Toronto.

On Thursday (September 22), police said the post-mortem examination was conducted on Monday and confirmed the body to be that of Nickerson.

The cause of Nickerson’s death remains under investigation pending further forensic analysis.

The investigation continues into the circumstances surrounding the death by members of the Northumberland OPP Crime Unit, under the direction of the Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB), with the assistance of OPP Forensic Identification Services and in conjunction with the Office of the Chief Coroner for Ontario and the Ontario Forensic Pathology Service.

Police are asking anyone with information regarding this incident to immediately contact the Northumberland OPP at 1-888-310-1122.

If you prefer to remain anonymous, you can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or submit a tip online at stopcrimehere.ca.