Midwinter ceremonies usher in the new year

Another New Moon has passed, meaning the time to stir the ash and leave the old year behind for the new one is here again.

It’s an important time of year for Ka’nahsohon Kevin Deer.

“As a faith keeper, Midwinter is the most prominent ceremony to me,” said Deer, who was observing Midwinter this week at the Mohawk Trail Longhouse.

“I mean, they are all important, but Midwinter sets a precedent for the whole year, because the world is starting anew,” said Deer.

“We just passed to the winter solstice, which was the shortest day, and now every day is going to start to get longer and get brighter. So, it is important that right at this particular time we, for a lack of a better word, humble ourselves to all the natural colours of the universe,” said Deer.

“The growing season is going to start, the strawberries, raspberries, the corn, the beans, and the squash, until we get to harvest, when we close the season. Then winter comes, and the cycle of ceremonies will start all over again.”

He serves as uncle in the Longhouse during the seven-day celebration that concludes today (Friday.) The uncles open the ceremonies with the announcement of the forthcoming celebration of their ancestors.

“The belief is that our ancestors are starting a ceremony in the upper world, and we’re aligning ourselves to them,” said Deer.

“The uncles, they are there to remind you that this is important. They are uncles to every person that is sitting in the Longhouse. It does not matter if you are 100 years old or you are a newborn baby.”

Multiple ceremonies take place during the week-long celebration at the Longhouse.

On the second day, for example, the medicine renewals happen, which address sickness and healing.

“It is all about spiritual wellbeing, mental wellbeing, physical wellbeing, and emotional wellbeing,” said Deer. “We call the medicine people, who belong to different medicine societies. The spirits of the animals will come to you with a grief that can cause a sickness or disease that doctors cannot cure. That is how someone that can help you to understand what is happening comes to you, and then you, for lack of a better word, become ordained within those various societies.”

Other ceremonies include the burning of the decorated basket carrying the misdeeds of people, which used to be the sacrifice of the dog, whose unconditional love and loyalty represented the counterbalance to the misdeeds.

There is also the feather dance, the naming of babies, the drum dance, and the bowl game, among others.

Regardless of the length of the ceremony, Deer said that those that come to Midwinter appreciate being able to be there for each one.

“People look forward to Midwinter, because they do not know if they are going to see the next one, so it is important that people make a conscious effort to be here. If you’re going to see it again, well, you are lucky, because it means you made it through the whole year,” said Deer.

Different communities celebrate Midwinter for different durations, with the Onondaga Nation taking 21 days for their Midwinter.

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