Our Mission
Ki’eshgitabaaning Cultural & Healing Lodge
Mide Ki’Wenzie (Peter Alo White) and Niigaabii-onokwe (Carla Whitefeather) Ki’eshgitabaaning Cultural and Healing Lodge.
Anishinaabe Elder Mide’Kiwenzie, 7th degree Midewiin, Lynx Clan, (Peter ‘Alo’ White), lives on Naotkamegwanning First Nation, Ki’eshgitabaaning, with the love of his life and his helper of ceremonies, Niigaabii-onokwe, (Carla Whitefeather), Midekwe.
Alo and Carla began this website in January, 2021 as a way of preserving and sharing traditional Anishinaabe culture and traditions.
“Alo” as he prefers his friends to call him, is a Traditional Healer. His first Language is Anishinaabemowin.
He grew up immersed in traditional ceremonies, stories, songs, history and traditional medicine from his late father, Alphonse White, and his late uncles and aunties from the White family.
Alo is founder and conductor of the Ki’eshgitabaaning sacred Midewiin Lodge and ceremony, situated on Lake of the Woods, Ontario, Canada. He is the spiritual guide and conductor of sacred ceremonies such as the Cheeskaan (shaking tent), sweat lodge, and teaching lodge.
Rooted in ancient Anishinaabe Teachings, Alo is gifted in the sacred right of Conductor of Traditional Midewiin Funeral, traditional healing, traditional naming ceremonies, traditional marriage ceremonies and traditional fasting.
Alo has shared his traditional knowledge with people in both Canada and the United States, facilitating and conducting traditional workshops for over 30 years.
He is an original member of the renowned Whitefish Bay Singers, a grass dancer, and Master of Ceremonies “MC” for numerous Pow-Wows, in both Canada and the USA.
Alo started a traditional drum group named “LYNX CLAN,” and is drum keeper. He is also a drum keeper of Ki’eshgitabaaning Midewiin Lodge Traditional drum and Eagle staff.
Though he keeps a busy schedule, he still finds time to relax. Alo is a proud member of Beauty Bay Senior Golf and enjoys spending time with his ole golfing buddies/brothers: Marvin, Beamer, Wolf and Russ.
As the owner and operator of Native American Adventures Guide Service, located on Lake of the Woods, Ontario, Canada, Alo loves sharing his culture and history with people from all walks of life.
As owner of “Alo White Recording Studio,” Alo records and produces Elder Traditional Songs and has recorded three of his own albums, along with 15 albums from Elders. Alo’s music was featured in the 2012 film ‘Path of Souls’. In addition to song recordings, Alo produces Elder preservation videos with English subtitles.
As lead Elder of Ki’eshgitabaaning Cultural and Healing Lodge, Alo is pleased to present:
ANIKOWAAJIMOWINAN
“Sharing generations of Traditional Anishinaabe Knowledge “
Ki’eshgitabaaning Cultural and Healing Lodge is comprised of Elders who are knowledge keepers in Anishinaabe language, culture and traditions from Treaty 3, Lake of the Woods, Northwestern Ontario, Canada.
The Elders have come together to share ancestral Anishinaabe stories and traditional teachings and songs that were taught to them and passed down by their family.
“It is my hope that these teachings and songs we are preserving today will be here for future generations.”
– Elder Alo White
Chi Miigwetch for visiting our website.
In memory of my late son Edward Nathan White.
Why we do this
Edward Nathan White
My son Nathan helped me build a small cabin here at Ki’eshgitabaaning starting in 2000. It was a time of bonding as father and son.
Nathan was eager to learn about our Anishinaabe culture and history. He was initiated in the Midewiin Lodge and enjoyed helping at ceremonies. He was a young man who volunteered in his home community as well. He was the Arena Director at his home community pow-wow. In 2012, I lost my son Nathan, aged 23, to suicide. With his passing I lost my hopes and dreams to see my son grow and mature in his life and culture. He had a wonderful life ahead of him that will never be realized.
Nathan, we love and miss you every day.
Darren White
Darren was a product of the 60’s scoop. He was taken away as a newborn and adopted by a non-native family out East. It took my family many years to find him through social media.
When we did connect, we learned Darren was in the Canadian Army and had done several tours overseas. Darren was disconnected from his ancestral background.
I started teaching him when he would come to visit. The “mind shift” from the White culture to the traditional way of living and thinking was a struggle for Darren. He questioned everything traditional. But we made a lot of progress to the point that when Darren retired, he planned to move back to his homeland and build a house, live, and learn the traditional ways.
We lost Darren in a motorcycle accident in the fall of 2019.
I now have total understanding of our people that went through the 60’s scoop, the feelings of dislocation, loss of language, culture, and spirituality of who they are.
Darren was proud to learn and take ownership of the sacred items that had been denied to him. He used to say, “I have a lot of catching up to do.”
***
In honor of my late sons Nathan and Darren, I started reaching out to the youth to help them learn about Anishinaabe cultural and to take ownership of Anishinaabe ceremonies.
I teach them, “WE WILL RISE UP AND MOVE MOUNTAINS TOGETHER.”
My dreams for this website grew out of these losses, and the need to preserve Elder Traditional Knowledge and songs. It is my hope that this website will help people understand who we are and where we come from.
MIDE KI’WENZIE 2021
Preserving Anishinaabe Elders stories through video and podcasts for future generations.
Please contact us for more information.
Miigwetch.