by Margery Frisch
M’CHIGEENG—Temperatures more in keeping with the dogdays of summer settled in on the 4th of October as the Kenjgewin Teg Fall Harvest in M’Chigeeng got underway. School bus after school bus poured into the powwow grounds and children of all ages spilled out and spread out among the many booths circling the centre pavilion.
Debbie Debassige gave a welcome to all visitors with an explanation of what could be found where. There were booths with information about the agencies and organizations that partnered with Kenjgewin Teg in putting the event together. There were stations for making bracelets, cornhusk dolls, botanical printing, shakers, fried scone and yogurt; there were potato sack races, drumming and hoop dancing, and the students flocked to each one. Especially popular were the booths offering delectable treats of the harvest: squash soup, pretzels dipped in pumpkin butter, apple sauce and apple crisp.
Lakeview School, one of the partners of the Fall Harvest, displayed photos of the children from their Eagles’ Nest Program, picking apples and preparing them to make the apple sauce and the apple crisp that was served at their booth that day.
“The kids did everything,” said Lorraine Corbiere Debassige, proudly. She, Ashley Debassige and Nicole Fox were busy serving up the products of an exceptional apple harvest. “I’m thinking we might make hawberry jelly next.” Lorraine said, “the hawthorn berries are so plentiful this year.”
Though food was popular, the activities equally drew crowds. Kenjgewin Teg offered the opportunity to tests one’s skills with tools, supervised by Wayne Trudeau, Anishinaabe Aadiziwin Facilitator and Jade Peltier, Trades Apprenticeship and Skills Program Coordinator. Perry Bebamash patiently instructed children in the art of creating cornhusk dolls at Binoojiinh Gamgoonhs Day Care’s booth and bracelet making was skillfully demonstrated by Darlene Bebonang, with the Ojibwe Cultural Foundation.
“This is our first harvest after COVID,” said Beverly Roy, president of Kenjgewin Teg. “We’re excited to host it again. We weren’t sure how many people would come out. In past years we’ve had over a thousand people come, so this is sort of a re-introduction. You’ll see all our community partners have booths all around. We asked them all to pitch in and help out and have a booth.”
The most popular booth of all, especially around the lunch hour, was the UCCM Police booth where they had fresh fish they were preparing on the spot and frying up nice and crisp. The kids were all focused on Special Constable Matthew Bebonang, who pulled fish from the cooler, their eyes staring up at the students. Later, he had crowds of children lined up around the police car, with its lights flashing, all wanting to sit in the backseat and peer out through the barred windows.
Though there were a sea of children and their teachers everywhere throughout the grounds, “The numbers have been far greater than this in past years,” Janice Cada, of UCCMM Justice Program, remarked. “But it’s the first one we’ve had since COVID, the numbers should be back to normal next year.”
“Again, it’s all about community,” Beverly Roy said, “it’s not just about harvesting, but education and learning as well. It’s a hands-on experiential learning opportunity for kids.” And the kids were soaking it up on the M’Chigeeng powwow grounds at this year’s Fall Harvest.
