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Casino Rama donated funds
to help defray expenses associated with the meal, which consisted
of corn soup, fried scone, a choice of venison sausage or chicken
breast or a beef burger on a bun, bean salad, wild rice pudding, tea
or coffee. Entertainment during the BBQ luncheon was provided by the
Orillia Folk Society. The Lieutenant Governor was relaxed and clearly
enjoying himself as he chatted with many in the crowd.
The Chief and Council of
the Mnjikaning First Nation supplied the community's large school
bus that, throughout the day, transported groups about two kilometres
east to the site at the Narrows, where tour guides gave detailed explanations.
First the bus parked under the bridge where a temporary site has been
prepared for visitors and for spiritual ceremonies. The Grandfather
Rock was recently placed there as a focal point (Figure 5). Then the
bus journeyed a short distance to where an historical plaque has been
placed and where some stakes are still visible near the old iron railway
bridge (Figure 6). Tour guides for the day were Mark Douglas, Jay
Cody - a former curator of the Stephen Leacock Museum - and Mary Lou
Kirby, president of the MFFC. The final bus shuttle of the day took
people to the new hotel at the Casino, to view the multi-media show
in the lobby that tells the story of the Mnjikaning First Nation and
the people of the fish weirs in an excitingly creative way. It is presented
every hour on the hour: a show not to be missed. Bill Shilling, a
Director of the MFFC who in his youth filmed for the National Film
Board (eg. “The Loon's Necklace”), played a consultative
role in this project.
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Figure 5: Paved walkway and ceremonial space under bridge, Atherley Narrows, with Grandfather Rock at right background (Photo courtesy MFFC). |
Figure 6: View east past old railway bridge towards undisturbed channel and area of weir stake concentrations (Photo courtesy MFFC). |
