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I knew about The Shawanaga Healing Centre(north of Parry Sound, off highway 69) in 2005, when my late husband and I pulled up with a trailer full of his examining room equipment.(retiring from his formal medical practice). The woman, as I recall, was very polite but cited that this centre was not interested in traditional western medicine. However, the centre did take the examining room table, and after having a dialogue of shared information, we decided to return to experience the Sweat Lodge and other teachings. (this never came to pass, because of life circumstances).
In the recent past, I was alerted to the fact that Aboriginal Day is June 21st, 2013, and being in the area, decided to explore the Sweat Lodge at the Shawanaga Centre north of Parry Sound.
This complex, unfortunately to date, did not have a facility that rendered such a practice, and I began looking around.
After, a few failed attempts, I finally found someone who would help me understand what a Sweat Lodge was all about.
The pictures you witness are a story telling event held at the Straw House in McKellar. The stories, however were not of the Ojibway 1st Nation, very entertaining, but not revealing the specific information that I wanted to know about. I ended up talking to Bert Weir, noted Artist who resides in this Straw House/Art Gallery, where these events take place.
The next blog will shed some light on my findings.
Best Wishes from Susan
2012thislandisyourlandseatosea 
