NW Coast Medicine Teachings in Honor of Earth Day

By Che Blaine

On Earth Day, April 22nd, Paul Che oke ten Wagner will be offering, by donation, Northwest Coast Medicine Teachings at the Odd Fellows Hall beginning at 5 p.m.

Paul is a member of the Red Cedar Circle, has studied with Johnny Moses, Whis tem men knee, for many years and will be sharing northwest coast medicine teachings, stories, songs and music as a ceremony for “Healing for our Mother Earth.”  He is master Native American flute player and also a master mbira player. His mother, Mary Sasayitha Wagner, a West Saanich elder may also be coming to the ceremony.

Following the teachings Paul and other musicians will offer musical prayers, traditional medicine dancing and prayer dancing into the late evening.  Children are welcome and please bring round drums, flutes, mbiras and rattles.

We will be having a potluck dinner so please bring what you would like to share.  It is traditional to have food during the teachings, then we can eat when we wish to.

Che oke ten was to be on a concert tour in Japan at this time, however the earthquake interrupted his travel there. The healing words he sent to be read at the concerts that nevertheless occurred there are below and there is also a link to one of his newest songs that he sent to those concerts to be shared as a prayer for the encouragement of the Japanese people.

“My Dear beloved relations of Japan, you are blessed with the love of many people throughout the world, we send you goodness from our hearts, wellness from our souls to your souls, a sharing of our strength to mingle with your strength, Great Spirits light has no boundaries or limitations, the love that you have for eachother is the same love that all things are made of, we share this ever present love with all of you knowing that this will help all of us. Our dear late Aunt Vi Taqshablu Hilbert had said to me once “when we help one another in turn we help ourselves” so simple yet so profound. So during this time I feel it is important to remember that we are all brothers & sisters, that no one walks alone or is isolated, the physical and spiritual threads that tie us together are like the roots of a forest that have grown together which share the same nourishment and strength. I feel that one of the greatest things that we can all relearn is to give thanks everyday for all the gifts that our Mother Earth brings to us, acknowledge her love for us, to never feel that we are separate from her, remember to listen and learn from her, she is truly alive and loves us dearly for she did birth us all.  Dear late Aunt Vi Taqshablu Hilbert always told us that “Mother Earth is our first teacher” My mom (Mary Sasayitha Wagner) always tells us to “always thank nature, thank the trees for the air that we breath, thank water for the cleansing of our body & spirit.

Always remember that we love you all, for you are our brothers & sisters, we walk with you hand in hand visualizing Spirits light & love surrounding us all.” Paul Che oke ten Wagner.

Here is the link so one could hear and see the flute music and video Paul recently sent to Japan. It is very beautiful, inspiring and the images are from Saanich BC, Vancouver Island, and Kyushu, Japan. https://vimeo.com/22279358