'Star lodge' will help people get sober through Indigenous medicine, ceremony, says Sault man

Justin Lewis wants to bring Indigenous medicine and teachings to the streets of downtown Sault Ste. Marie in an effort to help those who are struggling with mental health and addiction issues. 

The Sault-born member of Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory plans on accomplishing this by erecting a ceremonial lodge known as a ‘star lodge’ at the corner of Bay Street and Brock Street sometime in the near future.

It’s hoped the lodge will eventually be staffed with people who practise Indigenous medicine and ceremony, in addition to volunteer firekeepers for the sacred fire inside of the lodge itself.    

“We’ve been working on the star lodge, we’ve been having sacred fires in here and getting the medicine people from around the area that work with spirit to just come - get on the same page, same teachings - so when we do put these lodges up downtown, we have all the answers there for the people that are struggling and homeless,” said Lewis, speaking with SooToday Monday. “We want to let them know that they’re not alone, and we’re here to help, you know? Help them get a grasp on life and reality, and just let them know that we care.”

Lewis is looking for help in securing garbage cans, portable washrooms and canvas tarps that can be used to cover the lodge. He also wants to find people willing to help him harvest trees that can be used for lodge building.  

“We’re just bringing the healing there, and then we’ll expect the community to step in after,” said Lewis. “I’ll get the people straightened out - clean, sober and on the right track.”

Lewis believes he can utilize his own lived experience with addiction - which included stints in and out of jail - and combine it with Indigenous ceremony in order to help those who need it. 

“It’s just my way of giving back. There’s nothing else I can do, this is what I’m here to do,” said Lewis. “I could go back to work. I could do all that, but it’ll never work because this is what I’m here to do.” 

Lewis erected a teepee at Ronald A. Irwin Centre in the fall of last year with a similar vision, but admits the “unorganized” effort turned into “chaos” as others showed up to protest a lack of solutions to address homelessness in the city. 

A homeless encampment was established in the vicinity of Lewis’ teepee, prompting social services to relocate the folks living in tents to the Bel Air Motel in early November. 

But this time around, Lewis says, he’ll be overseeing the project “from start to finish.”

“We’re not protesting, we’re not knocking on anybody’s door. We’re just there to bring medicine, healing,” Lewis said. 

Lewis eventually wants to erect up to three additional lodges in order to provide temporary shelter for those in need. 

“I have a feeling we’ll be putting up more lodges to take some people in, because there is no place to go,” said Lewis. “They’re going to drug houses, they’re going to their same old routine. So all we’re trying to do is just switch up the routine and give them a safe place to come, to heal, to be a part of something beautiful.”

An official homelessness count conducted in October 2021 found a minimum of 244 homeless individuals in Sault Ste. Marie.

People looking to assist with the star lodge project can contact Lewis at (705) 542-6679.