Dark Cloud Steps Up to Help Nathan Moses

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Drumming at Fort William First Nation Pow Wow
Drumming at Fort William First Nation Pow Wow - Photo James Murray
Drumming at Fort William First Nation Pow Wow
Drumming at Fort William First Nation Pow Wow – Photo James Murray

THUNDER BAY – On Saturday, July 20 2013, while attending the Lake Helen First Nation Powwow, Nathan Moses and his family received the news that their home in Thunder Bay had been hit by a fire and that there was extensive damage to the family’s home and belongings — such that the dwelling was no longer habitable and 95% of the family’s posessions were destroyed by smoke damage or fire.

Ron Kanutski, the Pow Wow Master of Ceremonies, and very good friend, immediately held a blanket dance to raise some funds for Nathan and his family. Miikwech to Ron, the Lake Helen First Nation Pow Wow committee, and to everyone who was there that day to support Nathan and his family. 

We now need to provide some more assistance to Nathan in the way of support.

It has been a terrible event to have happened to this family, and we, the Dark Cloud Singers (Nathan and his son Nodin’s drum group) would like to do as much as we can to support our leader.

Nathan is an amazing man. So many people in the Thunder Bay community, and in the outlying region, know of him and the amazing work he has done for many years, primarily with children and youths in the schools, and for people on the powwow trail. 

He has changed so many peoples’ lives. He certainly changed my life more than once, when I was in my darkest of times. He has never stopped offering support. He has offered so much to so many people in the way of his sharing of cultural teachings, values, spirituality, caring, and community. Anyone who knows Nathan, or the work that he does, knows this about him.

Now, it is time for the community to offer and provide some support to him.

We are interested in holding a benefit event for Nathan Moses and his family.

The date and time will be posted soon. 

We would like to encourage people to join the Facebook group; please add as many people as you can to inform them and to spread awareness of what has befallen Nathan. Most important, we need to offer positive energy for him and his family as they will rebuild in the coming months. 

Please show your support by keeping in touch with everyone regarding this benefit event that will occur in the near future.

Please show your support by disseminating the information regarding the crisis that Nathan and his family currently face. They have no home or belongings really, except what they had at our powwow camp site. Most important, they have one another and everyone is safe and sound, but they are enduring the most difficult of times and we would like to show them an outpouring of community support from people who know them and care. That is what our traditional Anishnawbe culture is all about. 

Thank you/ Miikwech!
Peter Rasevych

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Peter Rasevych is a Ginoogaming First Nation band member who also has family roots in Long Lake #58 First Nation, as well as Fort William First Nation. He is an avid trapper, fisherman, and hunter on his family’s traditional territory near Longlac, in northwestern Ontario. He is also a fully licensed children’s hockey, soccer, and lacrosse coach. He was born in Toronto, Ontario and was raised there as well as in Montreal, Quebec. As a youth, Peter attended high school in the Town of Pickering (near Toronto) as well as at Riverdale High School (in Montreal). He graduated from John Abbott College (a CEGEP in Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec) with a DEC (Diploma D’Etudes Collegiales) in Social Sciences after studying there from 1989-91. He attained Honour Roll status for three of his four semesters there. He was then awarded with a Bachelor of Arts Degree (BA in English) from McGill University (Montreal) in 1994, after three years of study there. After travelling across Canada and living and working in the bush, he later attended Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, where he graduated with an Honours Bachelor of Arts (HBA in English) in 1998, as well as a Master’s Degree (MA in English) in 2001, where he completed a thesis which was published by the National Library of Canada. Peter’s research focus on traditional First Nations spiritual values, beliefs and culture led him to pursue a PhD in Natural Resources Management at Lakehead University from 2009-12. His research was centred on traditional Anishnawbe spiritual knowledge as it relates to the land, water, and animals. He has also worked for many years in First Nations community development, education, and human and social development at the local band office level on Ginoogaming First Nation, as well as at the tribal council level (Matawa First Nations), and also at the provincial territorial level (OSHKI, for Nishnawbe-Aski Nation). He has taught post-secondary courses for Confederation College (Negahneewin College) in Thunder Bay, in addition to instructing for courses at Lakehead University (Indigenous Learning, English, and Social Work). In addition to articles, his writing interests include research reports, essays, and creative outlets such as short stories, poetry, songs, and short novels. His interests include traditional Anishnawbe spirituality, and camping/living out in the bush as he has done with family since the age of 4.