Taking to the stage to address about 300 people yesterday, Batchewana First Nation Chief Dean Sayers took the opportunity speak about his ceremonial headdress and make a request.
“This hat is very powerful and spiritual and it is not meant to be a halloween costume,” said Sayers.
He made the address during the opening ceremonies for the new St. Mary’s College, where about two-thirds of the crowd were high school students.
The school includes a First Nation Cultural Room which will be used, in part, with the aboriginal youth entrepreneurial program.
“This hat was presented to me by elders in our community. This hat has 10 of our ancestors, 10 of our spirits. Each of those feathers represents one of those ancestors who walk with me and guides me and helps me do the work I do for the people,” he said.
Sayers believes those feathers on the headdress to be a vessel to communicate between our world and the spirit world.
The feathers are held to the headdress by a wrapping of sweetgrass, which is considered to be a sacred plant.
“It’s primary focus is to teach us about kindness and how we can be kind to one another,” said Sayers.
He added, “When you’re driving and you smell sweet grass — someone has just freshly cut their lawn — it’s a reminder for us to be kind.”
The porcupine quills and icons of the crane and blue heron on the headdress represent the leadership clan.
“That’s a reminder to me that I have to speak in a way that reflects the aspirations of my people,” said Sayers.
He said the headdress is much more than just a hat to his people.
“It is a teaching tool for us — much like our lodges and our other medicines and our way of life — we are a beautiful people, like every culture across the world.”
“Please don’t appropriate, don’t take advantage and reduce and minimize the value, power and enormity of its value to our people,” said Sayers.
(PHOTO: Chief Dean Sayers speaks to the crowd as St. Mary's College principal Cindy Sawyer looks on. Kenneth Armstrong/SooToday)