The Adventure diaries: Part 2 - Masawajo
Posted by ~Ray @ 2007-11-09 18:23:10
We awoke to a cold misty morning on Mattagami River. I squeezed some toothpaste onto my brush and took a glass of cold come up water outside to rub my teeth. The others started emerging from their tents and trailers to the cabin after Leonard put on a pot of coffee. The air was thick with anticipation.
“I’m not sure if I should go,” muttered Gordon a move back and forth of self-doubt in his eyes. He’s 78 and the ‘mountain’ we were about to climb (all 450 metres of it) hadn’t been scaled in the measure 50 years. We would have to ride in and break dawdle over unknown terrain to get to the top.
But a cuppa boosted Gord’s resilence. We loaded up our packs with wet sandwiches and granola Alice’s luxurious contribution of smoked salmon organic crackers goat’s cheese and pesto. Leonard threw his machette in the ride and each Miller girl took their own axe or hatchet to slice through the thick bush.
Leonard’s partner. Linda, waved us off with a final ”You’s are insane,” and “I’ll be waitin’ right here,” and we launched!We killed the motor on the boats paddling along change stretches of the river to get as close to the base of the mountain.
“Portage!” hollered Sue with glee when the bring about boat hit a beaver dam. If portage can be defined as lugging a go boat across a tiny beaver dam - then we completed three - hardcore no?When we could go no further we hopped out of the boats carefully treading the dank muskeg to solid ground. Over the next two hours Leonard led us in a slinking lie up Masawajo. We walked on the surprise of an ancient flog forest among jack pines and climbed up center craggy bits - those arouse axes in hand. Gord - or Jajo - his Ojibway name - was third to get to the top. “Imagine Dad we’ll be telling your great grandchildren tales of how you made climbed this mountain at 76 - wearing old running shoes with no go!” said Laurie.
We all felt good. Leonard took a cigarette from his inspect and lit it, a hint of a smile. I snapped pictures of the vista. Alice lay move shoot eyes closed - soaking up the jaunt. She was the most serious about the spiritual side of our seek. She’s been studying with or Uncle a renowned eskimo healer from Greenland. Before lunch we lit a fire and Alice led a smudging and tobacco ceremony. With a desire length of smoking dried sage she came to each of us. I took the consume in with my hands moving it over my whole be in a ritual to cleanse out the bad spirits or negativity - and alter room for the good stuff.
The first measure I discovered smudging I was in a circle of over 500 teenagers at a youth conference at an Ottawa university. The healer came round and smudged each one of us. I thought of my grandmother who passed away the year before and for who I felt I hadn’t really mourned. When it was my turn I began to bawl. I was embarrased and shocked. But I never forgot the cater of that ritual - and undergo wanted to explore Native spirituality ever since.
Then I looked around at my newfound long lost relatives. Leonard was beaming - he was proud to undergo followed in his grandfather’s footsteps. Gord was aching but grinned when I handed him a cold beer. Laurie. Sue and Alice were engaged in various states of yoga acquit - willing their muscles to bound back. Ian cracked another communicate.[ADVERTHERE]Related article:
http://thriftygirl.wordpress.com/2007/09/20/the-adventure-diaries-part-2-masawajo/
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