By Bryn Levy

Ceremony recognizes aboriginal kids in Sask. foster homes

Jun 30, 2015 | 7:16 AM

A busy stretch of a Saskatoon street went briefly quiet as people held a ceremony to pray for aboriginal children in foster care.

Elder Walter Linklater led a traditional pipe ceremony for about 50 people in front of the White Buffalo Youth Lodge.

He called for strength for children still in care and healing for families of children who have died in foster homes.

Linklater said pipe ceremonies are normally held in more secluded surroundings, but he felt it was important to do this one publicly, as a way of encouraging aboriginal people to return to their spiritual roots.

“For so long we were condemned. Our spirituality was condemned and our people were lost,” he said.

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Chris Martell was among those who took part in the ceremony. He’s the father of Evander Daniels, a 22-month-old boy who died in an over-crowded foster home in 2010.

“It brings everybody together in a peaceful ceremony, for everybody to come and get some healing and prayers. We all need this,” he said of the ceremony.

Martell said he’s still struggling with post-traumatic stress from the events surrounding his son’s death. He said re-connecting with his culture helps him to cope. He said he’s also looking for one more thing as he tries to heal.

“In the future, I hope to meet the paramdeics who tried to save my son. If I could meet them, if they could find me on Facebook, if I could talk to them, it would help me out great to speak to the paramedics that were there,” he said.

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