ALL HALLOW'S EVE: HONOURING OUR ANCESTORS - A Year In 8 Seasons - KW

Part 2 in a series of seasonal gatherings that connect, enCourage and mend people + land + tradition.

ALL HALLOW'S EVE: HONOURING OUR ANCESTORS - register by October 25th!

honour, verb.

1) regard with great respect; pay public respect to.

2) fulfill (an obligation) or keep (an agreement)

PHRASES

do the honours - perform a social duty or small ceremony for others

honour bound - under a moral obligation

in honour of - as a celebration of or expression of respect for

From Samhain to All Hallow’s Eve (Halloween) to Dios de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), this weekend is a time when people around the world honour and give thanks to those who have passed on, from the world of the living. Many cultures believe this time of year is an especially sacred opportunity to express appreciation for and fulfill obligations to our ancestors because the veil between this world and the next is especially thin.

Let’s draw on Nature’s intelligence, and ask for her guidance as we reflect on what lessons or gifts our dead and dying offer us. Gather over a seasonal beverage and treat. Take a moment to reflect on and share the insights we receive. Use expressive art to create a personal reflection piece that explores the themes of the season. Tap into the wisdom of late Fall with a 'Jam Ceremony' infused with embodied practices, inspiring reflection, resonant spoken word, and circle singing around the bonfire! Then, stay for some social time over a warm beverage and simple seasonal snack.

Join us as we explore what obligations or debts of gratitude we might have to those who went before us. Some of us may have troubled relationships with our ancestors. Nonetheless, what legacies have they left us with? Whose shoulders do we stand on? How can we celebrate, honour, or make peace with our dead and dying?

To avoid dissappointment, please REGISTER BY OCTOBER 25TH!

Upcoming Gatherings - Save the Dates!

Part 3: Winter Solstice - Dec 20

Part 4: First Light - Jan 31 [LINK to follow]

Part 5: Spring Equinox - Mar 21 [LINK to follow]

Part 6: May Day - May 2nd [LINK to follow]

Part 7: Summer Solstice - June 20 [LINK to follow]

Part 8: August Harvest - Aug 1- venue TBC [LINK to follow]

The Venue:

Camp Ki-Wa-Y Outdoor Centre: Proudly serving the Three Rivers’ community (Guelph-Wellington, Stratford-Perth, and Waterloo Region), this YMCA Camp is a place to seasonally return to again and again. Nestled on 77 acres of breathtaking wilderness along the shores of Paradise Lake, just minutes from Waterloo, Camp Ki-Wa-Y has been providing outdoor recreation experiences for people of all ages since 1924. Encouraging a love and stewardship of the outdoors and nurturing belonging, Camp Ki-Wa-Y offers the perfect space for communities to come together, reconnect with the earth. spark creativity and inspire reflection.

Find out more about Camp Ki-Wa-Y at: https://www.ymcathreerivers.ca/camp-and-outdoor-centre

Your Hosts

Niki Andre is a songstress, poet, and JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) facilitator, trained by the Forum for Intercultural Leadership and Learning, in 2015. Her lay, interfaith, intercultural and intergenerational ministry uses embodied practices to connect people across diverse cultures and spiritual traditions. She designs and facilitates spirituality and nature-based programming, including her signature "A Cappella Jam Ceremonies," infused with embodied practices, resonant spoken word, and interactive circle singing.

Niki is a student of nature, the seasons, and ecology. She’s an ardent advocate for sovereign food, energy, and affordable housing and has collective homesteading aspirations. Niki is a member of the National Farmers Union (NFU) and completed her New Farmer training with The Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario (EFAO) and the Ignatius Jesuit Centre in 2021. She tends a diverse, small-but-mighty plot in the shared backyard of her triplex apartment in Stratford. She practices small-scale seed saving, canning, and fermentation and volunteers at a local three-acre community farm.

A loving cat mom, passionate cook, and "foodie," Niki loves to laugh and spend time with trees.

See/hear more of Niki's work on

YouTube (@NikiAndreMusic) & ReverbNation: (www.reverbnation.com/nikiandre)

New website coming soon! www.sheilluminatesit.com

Megan Brenneman(she/her) is a creative professional with a passion for fostering community and connection through artistic expression. With over 20 years of experience, Megan has worked in both classrooms and community settings, using ensemble singing and fibre art as her primary mediums to inspire creativity and collaboration.

Based in Waterloo, Ontario, Megan focuses on weaving and natural dyeing, emphasizing sustainable, place-based practices. She prioritizes the use of locally sourced materials, often growing, harvesting, and foraging plants to create natural dyes for fibres such as wool, cotton, and linen. Working with simple frame looms, she hand-weaves small, intentional pieces that incorporate locally grown wool, upcycled textiles, and other readily available materials.

As a student of Wholeness in Motion—a gentle somatic movement practice—Megan is exploring the integration of body and mind, in relation to oneself, others, and the surrounding world. Through physical patterns rooted in nature, it invites diverse ways of seeing and experiencing.

Megan believes that all of these slow, deliberate creative processes offer a unique way to explore and strengthen our connections—with one another and with the natural world. Inviting mindfulness and care, Megan is dedicated to co-creating intentional spaces that encourage loving action.

Find out more about Megan's work on her Instagram: @hearthwellcreative and website: https://www.hearthwellcreative.com/about

Sliding scale for registration

If cost is a barrier, Camp Ki-Wa-Y and AYI8S are collaborating to subsidize a limited amount of spaces for

• low income individuals ($33)
• students and individuals on gov benefits (ODSP/OAS/OW) $20

PLEASE REGISTER EARLY TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT!

Also check out other Arts events in St. Jacobs, Business events in St. Jacobs, Workshops in St. Jacobs.