This elder wants you to come to her sweat lodge — just as you are

CBC

23-02-2025

CBC News | Posted: February 23, 2025 2:00 PM | Last Updated: Just now
Ramona Nicholas, elder and sweat lodge keeper for Neqotkuk First Nation, wants ceremony to be inclusive
This is part of a series called Ann's Eye, featuring the work of Ann Paul, a Wolastoqey content creator. You can see more Ann's Eye pieces by clicking here.
For Ramona Nicholas, a sweat lodge ceremony is about healing.
Nicholas, an elder and sweat lodge keeper for Neqotkuk (Tobique) First Nation, knows there can be fear associated with the sweat lodge, but she wants to send a message: come as you are.
"I want to break down that barrier that people have, the fear of the lodge, and thinking that they have to be a certain way to come into that space," she said.
A sweat lodge ceremony involves using fire to heat the stones that are placed inside the lodge building. Water is then used to create steam.
Ann Paul, who recently went to one of Nicholas's sweat lodge ceremonies, said there are no rules governing when a person goes or how many times. It's all about where someone is in their healing journey.
"A sweat lodge is where you go and cleanse yourself. It's almost like a rebirth," said Paul.
Scroll through the photos and watch the video to see more of Nicholas's ceremony.
Image | Ann's Eye February 23 2025
Caption: It can take a couple of hours to heat up the stones, done using the fire, for the sweat lodge. (Ann Paul/CBC)
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Image | Ann's Eye February 23 2025
Caption: Smudging is part of every ceremony, said Ann Paul. 'Smudge your ears so you can listen to good things, your eyes so you can see good things, your mouth so you say good things.' (Ann Paul/CBC)
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Image | Ann's Eye February 23 2025
Caption: 'If you're the one putting the logs on the fire, you're part of the ceremony. If you're the one getting the water, you're part of the ceremony. There's so much that goes into that process,' said Ann Paul. (Ann Paul/CBC)
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Image | Ann's Eye February 23 2025
Caption: While waiting for the sweat lodge to be ready, the group headed out to the frozen Tobique River. (Ann Paul/CBC)
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Ann's Eye
Photographer Ann Paul brings an Indigenous lens to stories from First Nations communities across New Brunswick. Click here or on the image below to see more of her work.