NATIONAL INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY | 11
SATURDAY, JUNE 17, 2023
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Ray Stevenson (nicknamed “Coco” by his sister when they were very young) received the name Walking Wolf over 35 years ago in ceremony. It was here he was shown his path — and it has proven to be straight and true. “That’s when life changed for me. I grew up in the North End, and when it came to drugs and alcohol, that was my lifestyle,” he says. “But because of ceremony over 35 years ago, I changed and I’ve been drug- and alcohol-free.” Powwow and ceremony were something Stevenson never knew as a child. But as a troubled youth, he was given an opportunity to go to a sweat lodge. “I went to the sweat lodge for the first time just out of curiosity,” he says, “and the drum and the ceremony kind of did something to me.” Stevenson says it’s about having faith in a higher power. He says the drum touched his spirit and his soul. “I was able to sit at that drum and have respect for the spirit that belongs to that drum — and it’s the spirit that you talk to when you offer tobacco — and you ask that spirit to help you. Whether you’re having a
really bad day or when you need any help to overcome any major obstacle in life, you pray to that drum,” he says. “We call that drum a Grandfather — and a Grandfather Spirit is one that helps you when you have a hard time.” Stevenson’s path has taken him to work with the bands Eagle & Hawk and Indian City. It’s led him to world travel. “I’ve collaborated with different musicians including the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra,” he says. “We’ve performed together a few times already and I’m getting some of my songs scored so I can perform with them in October.” The drum also led Stevenson to start the Walking Wolf Singers and Dancers more than 25 years ago. The group features anywhere from 12 to 20 members, with the youngest at five years old as well as Elders who are residential school survivors. “I like to call it an educational performance because I talk about the songs. I talk about the dance, and after I do that, we actually sing for them and showcase each style of dance that we have in our troupe,” he says.
CPA Manitoba honours the Indigenous peoples of Canada on National Indigenous Peoples Day.
Learn more at: CPAmb.ca/Indigenous-news
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Today we celebrate the valuable contribution Indigenous Peoples make to the fabric of our community.
Johnston Group proudly partners with Winnipeg Poverty Reduction Council, Amik and Aboriginal Chamber of Commerce, to help Indigenous communities thrive. And our employee benefit products, CINUP and Aboriginal Chamber of Commerce Group Benefits Plan, are designed with the guidance of Indigenous organizations. For over three decades, we've built relationships with Indigenous businesses, bringing them together as one collective force to achieve marketplace power and enhance stability. We put together unique plans for traditional and non- traditional organizations to protect employees and their families. At Johnston Group, we believe in putting people first. johnstongroup.ca
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