Wow, It's finally just me and my van! This is Day 3 and I am sending this out from
Sault Ste. Marie's "Steamy Bean cafe", While the Commadores blast "Sail On" over the cafe radio. Let me get you up to speed on the last few days and what I've seen.
On Monday I burnt up the Highway from my Dad's house (south of Base Borden) and headed North up over the escarpment and into Thornbury to track down the Thornbury "Mystery mound". A number of locals directed to Robert Bircher, the authority on this mound and the guy who came up with the theory of why this might not be just some ordinary lump of Red Clay. However, he was unreachable so a handfull of inquiry's finnaly led me to the site. Across the valley from Blue mountain the next bluff which rises up along the Thornbury/Meaford Townline, and which was the old shoreline of nippising bay if you can imagine back that far, sits a mound of red clay with a stone atop.
Not unlike Native burial mounds it would be quite unnoticable if you weren't looking for it except that it is the highest spot on the bluff and from this mound you can see across for miles to Blue mountain where coincedentally or not there is another mound. These are not the only two however, many more have been found in a direct line that stretch far and which also line up with the summer solstice. Bizarre eh? There are no Native historical establishments in the area which has led Robert Bircher to assume these may be Celtic mounds like many he has studied overseas.
More on this later when I finnaly get in touch with Mr. Bircher.
I headed up to Cape Croker Indian reserve to camp for the night. Early up the next morning to catch the CHi-Cheemaun ferry from Tobermory to Manitoulin Island (The resting place of the Great Spirit in Native Lore) and Dreamer's Rock.
Dreamer's Rock is just north of Manitoulin Isl. on the Whitefish River Indian reserve. It is considered an extremely sacred place and permission from the Band office in Birch Island must be signed on paper. Down an unmarked road and past the cerimonial pow-wow grounds, is a small path connecting a narrow piece of land over to what is an island when the water was higher. This island is a steep smooth towering mountain 100 feet up of pure white Quartz, camoulflaged by evergreen and brush. This is Dreamer's Rock.
It is used today as it has been for hundreds of years, as a sacred site where young men go to fast and have a Vision Quest. At the end of the trail of red painted arrow's which guide you up the hill lies the final rock. Atop this peice of stone i am confronted by a small but rugged shrub with many ribbons and small pouches attatched tied to it. Offerings to the great spirit. From the top you are actually the highest point around for miles. No words.
To be honest i felt a little undeserved to be there. I had come to see with my own eyes that a place like this from legend and Lore actually existed but I hadn't planned on staying or fasting, or even brought tobacco as a peace offering. I hadn't really prepared to come here for the reasons most people do, I was still in my tourist mode and so I didn't stay too long.
Next stop The Pukaskwa Pits! Stay tuned.
see more photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/garettwalker/
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