Ontario retrofits two rooms for aboriginal ceremonies

Two rooms at Ontario's Aboriginal Affairs office building were outfitted with a dedicated ventilation system for ceremonies like smudging, the burning of sage or sweet grass before prayer. The rooms are the first of their kind in Ontario.

Called Gathering Rooms, they are said to be similar to prayer rooms for different religions. Aboriginal employees and guests can use the space to conduct meetings using traditional ceremonies.

Humber College's Elder Shelley Charles was brought in to advise on the project. She said the rooms represent a "really big step in terms of respect for Aboriginal people" in the province.

The idea originally was to create a round room to reflect the heritage of the ceremonies.

But at building, at 160 Bloor St. E., the rooms are not easily modifiable. In addition to the specialized ventilation system, crews created a room with rounded corners.

"I suggested we use a turtle design, with an image on the floor," said Charles. "It's really significant to most aboriginal people in Canada." 

The smoke during pipe or smudging ceremonies is meant to purify the space. "It helps to create focus and a balance for everyone that's in the room," said Charles. It is done at the beginning of a prayer. "It also helps to create this place of kindness and positive thinking and sometimes it goes around to each person."

That's important for aboriginal employees, but also for leaders and other members of Ontario's First Nations, Metis and Inuit communities who come to the building to speak with politicians.

"What was really important was to be able to have a place to be able to do ceremonies, have smudging if you needed it, have a place where you could smoke a pipe together, offer tobacco, things that we usually do when we're meeting and discussing matters," said Charles.

"It's important when you're bringing in First Nations leaders and aboriginals into the institution for dialogue, into an urban environment, to have this room."