Elders' picnic attracts hundreds

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Between 400 and 500 people, mostly Elders, attended what was at least the tenth and possibly the fifteenth annual Elders Picnic, which was hosted this year by the Dokis First Nation on the shores of the French River July 25. The picnic was sponsored by the Dokis Health Centre.

"Christmas in July" was the theme for this year's picnic.

Bernadette Restoule, one of this year's organizers, said no one has kept a record of the number of picnics. "There isn't an overall picnic committee. On Bear Island last year we asked to host this year's event, and the list of the participating communities were passed on to me. Then we here in Dokis became the picnic organizing committee. There are definitely certain communities that have been involved from day one, but this year we were contacted by several who have not participated before, some of which I regret that we had to turn away.

"We (Dokis) deal a lot with the communities in the Highway 69 corridor so those communities sent Elders this year, and also for the first time this year Elders from Temiskaming First Nation in Quebec came to the picnic. One thing people are sure of, though, is that this was the biggest turnout to date for this event," she stated.

Nineteen communities, two friendship centres (Sudbury and North Bay) and one nursing home were represented.

"What is really nice is to see all our Elders gathered like this. For many it is the only time they can see friends and relatives living in other communities. It means so much to them to be able to gather for an afternoon where their needs are taken care of and they can just catch up with old friends. I've noticed at some of the picnics that people were seated by community. We decided not to put community name tags on the tables but to just let people sit with whoever they wanted.

Mary Dokis, a traditional singer and Ojibway language instructor, was pleased to see a revival among the Dokis community's youth who want to know more about their culture and heritage. Several of the volunteers were Dokis young people.

However, 14-year-old Jesse Paul made the five-and-a-half-hour trip from Temagami First Nation to help his Elders.

"I came because I'm an Elder's helper and I wanted to help. This is a lot of fun and it is good to be able to do stuff like this. It's better than sitting at home doing nothing."

Honourable mention is given at each year's picnic to the oldest woman and oldest man at the event. This year both were members of Dokis: Laurena Restoule born in 1904 was the oldest woman, and Walter Dokis who is in his late eighties was the oldest man.

"I don't know how I got here but it is good to be here. I woke up this morning and I ended up here," stated Laurena Restoule, laughing as many family and friends came to visit with her. Laurena is a resident of a nursing home in Trout Creek and had been brought to the community by relatives the night before.

Joe Katt, an almost-elder and driver of the Temagami First Nation medical van, said, "We hosted this event last year and this year there are 19 communities here, by the time they get around to us hosting the picnic again I'll be a really old Elder."

The picnic theme of "Christmas in July" meant that Santa made a surprise visit. He came into the community centre, interrupted the band and asked everyone to sing Jingle Bells with him.

The biggest hit of the picnic besides the socializing side of things was the music provided by a band including fiddler George Dokis. Picnickers enjoyed a hearty round of step dancing and country music.

Judging the annual crazy hat contest was not easy with more than 100 hats to choose from. Third place went to George Dokis, second place to Josette Debassige from M'Chigeeng First Nation, and first place to Dorothy Preston from the N'Swakamok Friendship Centre in Sudbury.

Also part of the day's events was the official naming of the new Dokis First Nation Community Complex (where the picnic was held) and the presentation of a ne 7.5 metre clan totem pole carved by Frank Polson that stands in front of the centre. The centre is named after the first Dokis First Nation chief, Michael (Eagle) Dokis.

"Everyone left with a big smile on their face, we heard a lot of comments about what a good time the Elders had, and we had a great time too," said Bernadette Restoule.