Dark Cloud Steps Up to Help Nathan Moses

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