Monday, December 18, 2006
Location: Pincher Creek, Alberta

I’m sitting here, the van rocking in the wind, listening to a CBC tribute to the Last Waltz… man, do I love The Band. This music fills me with the feeling that everything will be allllright.

I’ve fallen into some really amazing people in and around Pincher Creek and I’ve been shooting quite a few interviews. It seems, I’m at an interview stage of my project, as aside from some footage of windmills, mountains, and some traditional Blackfoot sites, all I’ve been shooting is interviews. These will be some of the voices that make up the audio for my project, I’m really excited to sit and ‘listen’ to this footage down the road.

So Christmas is fast approaching, and the world around me seems to be going a little crazy. I feel pretty detached for the whole Xmas experience. From where I’m sitting, I just don’t relate. The whole thing makes me really wonder. What is the driving force of it all? Is it faith or some economically based construct we’ve all agreed to support, or maybe a little of both. Either way, the other day I was in the grocery store listening to two elderly women arguing about the holidays and I made a decision. This Christmas, I will go without.

I’ve been talking with various people over the past few weeks about fasting under the Blackfoot tradition. From what I understand, usually when someone wishes to go fast they will first take part in a Sweat Lodge, where an Elder and the other participants of the Sweat will bless them, and then from there they will go out on the land and fast, usually up to four days.

Now, when the Blackfoot fast, there truly fast, no food, no water, nothing. They usually go to a sacred site, and create a small area in which they will remain for the four days duration. Now, I’m not Blackfoot, but I do hold a tremendous amount of respect for their traditions and spirituality. When speaking with the Blackfoot it seems all of my lifelong beliefs are repeatedly being reinforced. I’ve walked an interesting road to arrive here, and although I’m not perfect, I feel very connected, despite all the disconnection appearing around me. So, in this time when most of the world is consuming, eating, drinking and being merry, I will be sitting, ‘listening’, and hopefully learning. Not from a holier than thou perspective, but as a personal choice, and learning process.

My fast will take place from December 22 – December 26. I plan to spend the winter solstice preparing myself for the experience, and then relax into my location the following day. Moses may join me, or stay with friends here in Pincher, either way he will not be fasting with me ;-) I will be spending some time out on the land with a Blackfoot Elder this Wednesday, and hopefully he will be able to offer some advice regarding my upcoming process.

I don’t know why I’m sharing this planned journey before it even begins, but I think it has something to do with expressing my intentions and working to create a good experience. Maybe I should be keeping my mouth shut, time will tell.

peace,
d