In celebration of Earth Week 2025, Ecology North, the Tree of Peace Friendship Centre and the Yellowknives Dene First Nation are inviting the public to join the Feeding the Fire Ceremony on Saturday.
Hannah Ascough, who is a public outreach project officer with Ecology North, said the event was originally planned for the end of April, however, it was postponed due to weather conditions.
Ascough told True North FM that the ceremony will be a good way for people to spend time together as a community.
“There will be drummers at the ceremony as well. The event is in partnership with the Tree of Peace Friendship Centre, who we work with a lot, as well as the Yellowknives Dene First Nation,” said Ascough.
The Feeding the Fire ceremony is also a good way to reflect, Ascough pointed out.
“Essentially, what we’re doing is we’re closing off Earth week finally by doing a Feeding the Fire ceremony, just to help us come together and reflect on what it is we learnt and accomplished during Earth week.”
Having the ceremony later in May is “almost a welcome to the summer,” said Ascough, who suggests it’s a way of seeing climate action beyond a given period during a set week or month.
“It’s a way of thinking about climate action as not just ending at the end of Earth week, but rather continuing on, throughout the year, in different ways. And so it’s a nice way for people to come together, Feed the Fire and to think about what climate action means for them during this week. But also well beyond it and other spaces of their lives,” said Ascough.
The ceremony will be followed by a drumming prayer. Attendees will be treated to a homemade stew and bannock made by an Elder. A barbecue with hot dogs and hamburgers provided by Co-op is also scheduled.
The event will take place on Saturday from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in Somba K’e Park. The event is open to the public and is free.
