When you look down on the fire, the wood looks like tipi poles crossed on the ground. Our fire for the dance is referred to as a “tipi fire”, always kept relatively small. It is a shallow depression with an outer rim of smoothed earth in the form of a crescent. This renewal of the sacred fire in Native American tradition is very much like the early traditions in other parts of the world, an example being the rekindling of the fires in early Britain at Yuletide.Īt an outdoor dance the fire pit is always in the west. All the lodge fires were again lit from this central fire. Once a year all the fires of the band were allowed to expire and a new sacred fire was created with much ceremony. The women would then get coals from that fire to kindle their own lodge fires. When a new camp site was reached the fire keeper would kindle a new fire from the coals he carried. Whether outdoors or in, the responsibilities and subtle work required are crucial to a safe dance.Īccording to our late elders Reginald and Gladys Laubin, Plains and Plateau tribal bands traveling in yearly migration appointed a fire keeper to carry the fire from camp to camp in a special horn or bundle of sage bark. Here, medicines burned by the keeper are in a separate vessel in front of the fire. At an indoor dance, where a small oil lamp or candle is used as the Sacred Fire, the responsibilities and duties with the fire do not change. Whether storming, snowy, or brutally hot, the fire keepers take care of the “living bundle”, the fire. This is in keeping with the traditional way fire was kept. At some of our outdoor dances the fire is manned by the Fire Keeper and assistants continually from start to finish, 24 hours a day. Some of our dances are outside and others are inside. To hold these Powers is a weighty responsibility in the old days, the People had the right to kill a fire keeper who was neglectful and allowed a ceremonial fire to die… The Fire Keeper holds the Powers called in for the people as part of their “bundle” until he/she thanks them for coming and sends them back home at the end of ceremony.
The fire keeper holds the energy of fire for ALL that are in ceremony- elders, working circle, and dancers alike, and is attentive at all times to what is happening in the circle as well as tending to the appetite and needs of the fire. The Fire Keeper quietly calls in the powers of the directions as well as the fire powers when the Sacred Fire is first lit. The afternoon will feature ceremonies and conversations with Indigenous leaders.The fire is generally started during the first part of opening ceremony after sacred space has been set. The walk will begin at Hidden Gardens, where the sacred flame will be burning, followed by Letters to the Earth, a space for leaders across sectors to share their responses to the climate emergency. On November 7th, we invite those in Glasgow to join a Walk of Solidarity with Indigenous leaders and youth from 9am to 10am GMT. In partnership and solidarity with Indigenous communities around the world who cannot attend COP26, these allies will be lighting sacred fires within their local communities on November 7 th starting at 9am from their respective time zones.
Given the importance of Indigenous representation in these conversations, we are proud to partner with our friends at Grounded to place Indigenous leadership and guardianship front and center through several events culminating on November 7 th at the House of Original Nations, hosted within the ICE Hub.Ī sacred flame will be lit by Minga Indigena today, November 3 rd and it will stay lit until November 12 th to honor these communities.
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