Re-printed with permission from Anistara:

“I think most of California central to northern have a bear dance. They’re all pretty much the same, different dancers and songs vary, but the medicine is the same, good and strong. Our family grows smudge for this particular event and so each season it carries new ceremony for healing. I am in the bear mode now and find it in particularly uncanny that we moved to Los Osos recently, which means, The Bear.

More on our annual ceremony/old school way

The origin of the bear dance is told this way. Two brothers were hunting in the mountains and stopped to rest. One of the brothers saw a bear clawing and singing as he danced around a tree. As one brother went on to hunt the other watched the bear, who taught him the dance and the song. The bear told him to teach this to his people as a sign of respect for the bear’s spirit which gives strength.

The Annual Bear Dance was held in the spring at the first sound of thunder; about the middle of March. But preparation was made all winter: around the campfires the story teller told tales of the way of life and the singers practiced songs which had come in dreams.

As the time came near the men prepared the Bear Dance arbor and did other necessary work, while the women made the family’s clothes for the dance. The bands would come and set up camp.

After a long winter the festivities began. The men and women would enter the arbor wearing plumes that signified their worries. At the end of the dance on the fourth day, the plumes would be hung on a cedar tree at the east entrance of the arbor and they would leave their troubles behind.

Cameras are allowed for this social dance.”

The following is an excerpt from an article I recently read about the Lakota tradition of Wopila or as I know it ‘the giveaway”….a common tradition throughout the Indian culture.

Ceremonies and rituals are our way of communicating through the pipe with the spirits and Wakantanka. Wakantanka is often translated from Lakota to English as Great Spirit, but the literal translation of Wakantanka is Sacred Big. Most Lakota only concern themselves with the Earth Spirits and the Grandmothers and Grandfathers; the creator is not knowable, so they really don’t think about it too much. When white missionaries came out to proselytize the Lakota, they used the term Great Spirit because they asserted that they did know the nature of the creator.  Nowadays, the term is used nearly interchangeably with the term God, in the Christian sense.

From the point of view of the Lakota, Mother Earth gives us everything. When we receive a gift, such as a vision or a child or a husband, it is good to say thank you. When hard times come and we lose things we are attached to or people we care about, it is good to give things away to ease the burden of grief by spreading it around a little.

After I held my own Giveaway, I began to see the connection between the virtue of generosity and Mother Earth. She teaches us that generosity is not predicated upon the expectation that someone else will give to us at some later date. Generosity is not doing someone a favor. True generosity gives from the heart and expects nothing in return, just as the Earth gives us everything and asks nothing of us.

David Little Elk, a Lakota teacher and musician, summed up the philosophy behind the Wopila in such a clear way that I will quote him here:

“The foundation of the Lakota ways is the expression Mitokuye Oyas’in, which means all my relations or everything is connected. To keep our connections strong and healthy requires that we communicate as clearly and effectively as possible. Communication is the transfer of medicine (energy) via our thoughts, feelings, actions and words. Thus, we were meant to communicate. The Lakota Natural Law of Generosity states that energy we use to communicate with others will return to us fourfold.”

It is with this in mind that many Lakota are generous. They know that if they are generous with others, the universe will return that generosity fourfold.

To me, it also makes the ceremony or ritual more meaningful when people gather together to eat and share, not just the material gifts given, but the “medicine” of the Wopila. In this way, the power of the ceremony can be shared with all our relations.

According to Native American spirituality, everything is imbued with spirit. Furthermore, there is a constant dialogue between all of these manifestations of creation.. In order to survive, human beings must understand this dialogue, and they must be careful not to insult the spirits of the wind, or the earth. Everything is seen to have its own volition, and spirit. Consciousness is also not just the province of human beings in this world view.

Winona LaDuke articulates this belief when she writes:

Although within the indigenous cosmology everything is endowed with spirit, it is also recognized that certain landscapes, land formations, and types of matter embody a special quality of sacredness. Native American cultures are full of stories about the particular significance of certain rocks or hills, and these are often used in key rituals and rites of passage. These places, especially mountaintops or isolated areas of wilderness, are where, in indigenous cultures, initiation ceremonies take place, people go to fast and pray, and visionary dreams are revealed. Unfortunately, this kind of sensibility is lost on modern peoples, who consider such beliefs to be nothing more than ‘superstitions’.
Arthur Versluis, in his book, Sacred Earth, challenges us ‘moderns’ to think again, when he tells the story of a huge water tank being built in the Shunganunga Bluff, overlooking Topeka, Kansas,

Which brings us full-circle, back to the basis of Native American spirituality, which is the relationship between human beings, the land, and all of Creation. Weatenatenamy, Young Chief of the Cayuse nation, offers this quote, which seems to encapsulate this feeling which is at the heart of Native American spirituality:

I wonder if the ground has anything to say: I wonder if the ground is listening to what is said…the earth says, God has placed me here. The Earth says, that God tells me to take care of the Indians on the earth; the Earth says to the Indians that stop on the Earth feed them right. God named the roots that he should feed the Indians on; the water speaks the same way…the grass says the same thing… The Earth and water and grass say God has given our names and we are told those names; neither the Indians nor the Whites have a right to change those names, the Earth says, God has placed me here to produce all that grows upon me, the trees, fruit, etc. The same way the Earth says, it was from her man was made. God, on placing them on the Earth, desired them to take good care of the earth do each other no harm. God said.

On August 9th there will be a firewalk seminar to benefit Circles for Peace and the construction of a human sundial inside the (already existing) Earth clock. Info about the Earth clock can be found at: www.circlesforpeace.org.
The firewalk is preceded by a 3 hour prep seminar. Please see attached flyer for registration and contact info. Hope you can make it - please note - attending a firewalk is an incredibly meaningful and transformative experience Regardless of whether or not you walk.

www.circleofallnations.com

GRANDFATHER WILLIAM COMMANDA’S
ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL
CIRCLE OF ALL NATIONS SPIRITUAL GATHERING

AUGUST 1, 2 AND 3, 2008
KITIGAN ZIBI ANISHINABEG

Grandfather William Commanda is pleased to invite you to his annual international spiritual gathering at his home at Bitobi Lake, Kitizan Zibi Reserve, Maniwaki, Quebec.
The key themes that Grandfather advances at the Gathering, through a series of presentations and workshops, are
* Indigenous Wisdom, Respect for Mother Earth and Healing,
* Racial Harmony,
* Social Justice and
* Peace Building.

The Special Focus for 2008 is COMMUNICATIONS!

Come prepared to share your own story about why the gathering is important to you – we really want to document the nature of this transformative experience, and need your help to do this!

The Gathering provides opportunity for community development, networking, individual and communal healing, spiritual growth and creativity. Its key objectives are to
* Share the wisdom, knowledge and sacred teachings of Indigenous Elders, Spiritual leaders and Medicine people
* Promote discussion on a range of topics – justice, poverty, aids, racism, spirituality, peace, leadership, healing
* Raise awareness about our relationship with Mother Earth
* Facilitate individual healing, spiritual growth and creativity
* Foster positive inter personal relationships and harmony
* Celebrate life, and build community

A special priority is the vision for ASINABKA, the Sacred Chaudière Site, including the Healing and Peace Building Centre on Victoria Island.
The daily activity plan is simple and comprehensive:
* Sunrise pipe ceremonies,
* Morning presentations by special guests,
* Afternoon workshops, sweat lodge and other healing ceremonies and creative activities,
* Late afternoon time for personal reflection,
* Evening drumming, dancing and socialization.
On Saturday evening, all participate in a community feast, and on Sunday afternoon, in a traditional Giveaway Ceremony.
Grandfather encourages participants to engage in all the activities; the weekend is an unprecedented blueprint for experiencing the timeless wisdom of the Sacred Medicine Wheel, with extraordinary opportunity for emotional, physical, spiritual and mental development.
The Gathering is a very special event that engenders a spirit of generosity and generates harmony, peace and unity.
ALL ARE WELCOME!
DETAILS:
Date
* 1,2, and 3 August, 2008, commencing at sunrise on Friday, and closing on Sunday afternoon
* Camp set up commences on Thursday

Location
* Grandfather Commanda’s residence, 231 Pitobig Mikan, Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg, Maniwaki, Quebec, J9E 3B1.
* Camping space is available; there are also hotels and motels in town.
* Please bring your own tents, sleeping bags, personal supplies, equipment and food.
* There are outdoor toilet facilities and bathing at the lakeshore shower

Spaces
* Parking – special parking lot across the road
* Camping – north of homes, alongside the road
* Security – entrance and elsewhere
* Communications and Registration – beside Grandfather’s shop
* Vendor for fast food – beside Grandfather’s shop
* Kitchen, Elders’ Eating Space – North of Grandfather’s home
* Sweat Lodge Ceremonies – East of Grandfather’s home
* Sacred Fire, Sunrise Ceremonies, Meditation – Sacred Point
* Morning presentations – Lakeside Arbor
* Children’s activities, Drumming, Giveaway – Round Arbor
* Workshops – Lodge, Lakeside Arbor, grounds

Ceremonies
* Please respect the expectations of the Fire Keeper, Elders, Lodge Keepers, ceremonial leaders and security, with respect to individual protocols – tobacco offerings, dress (especially for the sweat lodges: cotton, long gowns or loose cotton skirts and t-shirts for women, shorts for men), moon cycles, etc.

Considerations
PLEASE: NO DRUGS; NO ALCOHOL; NO PETS.
* This in an indigenous spiritual gathering, rather than a camping outing, and ALL ARE ASKED TO DRESS WITH RESPECT AND DECORUM THROUGHOUT.
* Please take special care with dress, noise and conduct in the area designated for the sacred ceremonies - East of Grandfather’s home
* Children are welcome and some activities are organized for them; however, THERE IS NO BABYSITTING, AND PARENTS ARE FULLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR CHILDREN AT ALL TIMES.
* NO BOATING is permitted.
* NO SWIMMING into the lake is permitted; PARENTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SUPERVISION OF CHILDREN AT THE WATER’S EDGE.
* Donations for the Giveaway and Community Feast are welcomed.
* Please be respectful of the communities at Kitign Zibi and Maniwaki

Volunteers
* Grandfather Commanda hosts this Gathering in its entirety; his friends volunteer to prepare for the Gathering and to clean up afterwards, and to take care of most needs during the Gathering.
* ADDITIONAL VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED THROUGHOUT THE GATHERING to help with security duties, food preparation and cleanup, assisting elders, facilities cleanup etc. Please be generous with your support: sign up on the Volunteer List in the Communications Booth upon registration.

Directions:
From Ottawa and points South:
* Go North to Maniwaki
* As you approach Maniwaki and enter the 50 km per hour zone you will see a flashing traffic light in front of a Freshmart Grocery store on the right.
* There is a “T” shaped intersection there, turn left, go down that road, cross a small bridge and continue past a sharp curve until you come to another “T” shaped intersection located just before a children’s playground equipped with colourful plastic slides and castle like structures.
* There is a stop sign there, make your stop and turn left.
* Stay on that road for approximately 4 kilometres.
* You will see the Gathering grounds on your left as you drive along a lake on your left.

From Montreal and points East:
* It is much shorter to come through Grand Remous.
* Approximatly 20 KM past Mont Laurier, there is a small town called Grand Remous.
* Just past the town bridge, there is a flashing traffic light indicating the intersection to Maniwaki.
* Turn left to go to Maniwaki.
* Drive South through Maniwaki until you get to a flashing trafic light in front of a Freshmart grocery store.
* Turn right at that intersection, go down that road, cross a small bridge and continue past a sharp curve until you come to another “T” shaped intersection located just before a children’s playground equipped with colourful plastic slides and castle like structures.
* There is a stop sign there, make your stop and turn left.
* Stay on that road for approximately 4 kilometres.
* You will see the Gathering grounds on you left as you drive along a lake on your left.

From points West:
* It is shortest to come trough Pembrook and cross the Ottawa River to the Province of Quebec.
* Follow direction to Cambell’s Bay and from there turn North West to Kazabazua.
* From Kazabazua, turn left to Maniwaki.
* As you approach Maniwaki and enter the 50 km per hour zone you will traffic light in front of a Freshmart Grocery store on the right.
* There is a “T” shaped intersection there ,turn left, go down that road, cross a small bridge and continue past a sharp curve until you come to another “T” shaped intersection located just before a children’s playground equipped with colourful plastic slides and castle like structures.
* There is a stop sign there, make your stop and turn left.
* Stay on that road for approximately 4 kilometres. You will see the Gathering grounds on your left as you drive along a lake on your left.
MOST PEOPLE CAMP. POSSIBLE ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS WITH RESTAURANTS IN THE TOWN OF MANIWAKI INCLUDE:
CHATEAU LOGUE - 1-818-449-4848;
AUBERGE DU DRAVEUR – www.aubergedraveur.qc.ca; 1-819-449-7022;
AUBERGE DE LA DESERT – 1-819-449-1213
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE WRITE TO US AT circleofallnations@sympatico.ca or call 819-449-2668 or 613-599-8385

DAILY AGENDA
ELDER WILLIAM COMMANDA’S
CIRCLE OF ALL NATIONS
ANNUAL SPIRITUAL GATHERING
AUGUST 1 - 3, 2008
Special Focus - Communications
A special priority is the vision for ASINABKA, the Sacred Chaudière Site, including the Healing and Peace Building Centre on Victoria Island.
5.30 – 7.30 SUNRISE CEREMONY
7.30 – 9.00 BREAKFAST
9.00 – 12.00 DAILY PRESENTATIONS AND TEACHINGS
12.00 - 1.30 LUNCH
1.30 - 4.00 SMALL TALKING CIRCLES – LIST AT COMMUNICATIONS BOOTH*
SWEAT LODGE CEREMONIES COMMENCE
4.00 - 8.00 INDIVIDUAL ACTIVITIES, DINNER
8.00 - 11.00 DRUMMING, DANCING AND SOCIALIZATION

NOTE SATURDAY 6.00 PM – COMMUNITY FEAST
SUNDAY 1.30 PM - CLOSING CEREMONIES, GIVEAWAY
*Circle of All Nations volunteers and other interested parties will be coordinating small talking circles on various topics of interest: Asinabka, The Sacred Chaudière Site, including the Victoria Island Healing Centre Project, Circle of All Nations, Water Stewardship;women’s issues; French talking circle; conflict resolution; nutrition; health, environmental issues etc. Participants are encouraged to participate, share or coordinate circles on topics of interest to themselves and others on the grounds. You are requested to communicate your interest in this regard to volunteers at the communications booth upon registration .
Circle of All Nations volunteers thank Grandfather William Commanda and his family for sharing their home with us and we commit on behalf of all participants to honour and respect this generosity.

The Mi’kmaq

The Mi’kmaq are part of the Algonquian linguistic family. There are 22,295 in the Atlantic Region, of which nearly 16,121 live on-reserve.

When the Mi’kmaq first encountered Europeans in the 16th and 17th centuries, their territory stretched from the southern portions of the Gaspe peninsula eastward to most of modern-day New Brunswick, and all of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.

This area was divided into seven smaller territories loosely united by a common language, kinship and political alliances. Unlike some of their southern neighbours, their society was not based on agriculture; they hunted, fished and gathered their food. This meant their settlement patterns were largely governed by the rhythm of the changing seasons.

The Maliseet

The Maliseet are part of the Algonquin linguistic family. There are 5,269 in the Atlantic Region, of which nearly 3,030 live on-reserve.

The Maliseet are the only other Aboriginal people living in the Maritime provinces today. Their lands once stretched along the banks of the St. John River (in present day New Brunswick and Maine) and extended as far west as the St. Lawrence. The Maliseet, like their Mi’kmaq neighbours, are Algonquin. But while the two nations share a similar natural environment and way of life, their languages and culture are quite distinct. The Maliseet are closer to the neighbouring American Native peoples in Maine, New Hampshire and Quebec than to their Mi’kmaq neighbours to the north and east.

The Innu or Montagnais-Naskapi Indians

The Innu are part of the Algonquin linguistic family. There are 1,235 in the Atlantic Region.

The Innu (or Montagnais-Naskapi people) of Quebec and Labrador Peninsula trace their ancestry to several regional groups. The Naskapi (or Mushuau Innu) - sometimes called the “Barren Land People” - occupied the desolate interior lands of the far north; the Montagnais (or Mountain People) lived in the forests of the south. Both groups belong to an extremely ancient caribou-hunting culture.

The Inuit

The Inuit are part of the Inuktitut linguistic family. There are 2,634 in the Atlantic Region.

The Labrador Inuit live in the northern reaches of Labrador peninsula. They are kindred to a much larger nation, with traditional homelands that stretch from Soviet Siberia to the northern Canadian Arctic, from Alaska in the west to Greenland in the east. While they speak a dialect of the shared language, their technology, culture and organization set them apart.The present day Labrador Inuit are descendants of the prehistoric Thule, hunters who were drawn to Labrador by its abundance of whales and other wildlife, Labrador Inuit are one of the founding peoples of Canada; a maritime people, deeply connected to the environment. In Inuit culture, they speak of “the land” as encompassing the land, sky, watersheds and ocean areas on which the Inuit has depended for thousands of years.

*Population statistics for the provinces are taken from the Indian Register Population by Sex and Residence - 2003.

*Population statistics for the Inuit communities in Labrador are taken from the Statistics Canada 2002 Census.

Elder’s Meditation of the Day - July 11

“Do not grieve. Misfortunes will happen to the wisest and best of men. Death will come, always out of season. It is the command of the Great Spirit, and all nations and people must obey. What is past and what cannot be prevented should not be grieved for…”
–Big Elk, OMAHA Chief

Our earth continues to Grow by cycles and seasons: The cycles of growth - spring, summer, fall, winter. The cycles of the human being - baby, youth, adult, elder. It is through these cycles that we will experience the changes. I will not always necessarily agree with these changes but I need to trust the Grandfathers are in charge. Things will come and things will go. Really, I own nothing, the Creator owns all. Too often I label things as mine. I say this belongs to me, but it really belongs to the Creator. He gives me things to take care of. I need to do the best I can with what I have, with what I know at the time. And when the Creator changes things, I need to let go for His planning is the best

*Pictured here is Rapure Pie and Baked Apple

The first Acadians to settle in Canada were mostly farmers, soldiers and craftspeople. Many came from rural areas of mid-west France and brought with them the agrarian and culinary traditions of their native France. Their diet resolved around the agricultural products that they brought with them from France and those introduced to them by the Amerindians such as, seasonal fruits of nature, fishing and hunting. During the Spring and Summer months, wild game and fish provided settlers with a steady source of protein, while the family gardens provided peas and a large variety of other vegetables.

Among the agricultural products that the Acadians adopted from the Amerindians were corn, beans, and squash, known to the Amerindians as “The Three Sisters”. These products were the result of the companion-planting of corn, beans and squash each beneficial to the other. The sturdy corn stalk gave the beans vine support; the beans produced nitrogen for the corn and the squash nines; shaded the grounds, keeping down weeds and conserving moisture in the soil. Not only did the Amerindians plant the Three Sisters crop together, but they believed that these vegetables were supposed to be eaten together. One dish that resulted in this concept was SUCCOTASH.

The Acadian farmers found the land in Acadia, protected by mountain ridges and suitable for growing wheat, buckwheat, corn, turnips, cabbage, potatoes and beans. They grew fruit such as pears, apples, plums, and cherries. They supplemented their diet with wild game such as moose, bear, rabbit, partridge, geese, ducks, teal, plover, pigeons and marsh birds and they fished for cod, salmon, shad, bass, eel, smelt and a variety of shell fish. Staples of the Acadian diet included herring, cod, potatoes, pork (mostly in the form of salt pork) and local grains made into pancakes (plogues), biscuits and bread.

During the months of August, the Acadians harvested wheat, barley and rye… and transported their grain to local mills for grinding. Although the Acadians raised a lot of cattle, sheep and pigs, they did not eat a lot of meat, especially veal or any other young animal. In Autumn, the most surplus livestock were allocated for trade, or sold outright. They slaughtered their animals only when they were no longer fit to use as work animals or able to provide them with milk, eggs, wool etc.. When they did, the choicer cuts of meat were sold, Some beef and pork was consumed immediately, but most of the meat salted for use during the approaching Winter

The Acadians had an affinity for salt pork. Turnips and cabbages were staple of their Winter diet. The cabbages were allowed to remain in the snow-covered field until they were gathered in small amounts for immediate consumption. The turnips were harvested and stored in cellars.

A portion of the apple crop was made into cider. Alcohol was available (both imported and smuggled rum) and home-made wine and cider however, the beverage preferred by the Acadians, was spruce-sprout beer.

Like in other areas of French Canada, some of the recipes brought to Acadia from France generations ago, are still made exactly as they were in Europe. Others were adapted to the foods and the way of life in Acadia, resulting in a combination of true French cuisine, Acadian-French alterations and many dishes that were born in Acadia and had never been served in any other country.

Traditional recipes evolved mainly from the use of foods that could be stored for the long cold Winters and every home maintained a supply of dried salt codfish, potatoes and salted pork fat and, a favourite dish was a combination of these ingredients. Some other favourites were GROSSE SOUPE (a hearty soup of beef shank, onions, herbs, beans, peas, green beans, cabbage, turnips, corn, carrots and potatoes; RAPURE (a baked casserole of a mixture of salt pork, pork fat, onions, grated and mashed potatoes); and MIOCHE AU NAVEAU (mashed potatoes and turnips). Buttered bread spread with molasses often served as dessert. Pastries and cakes were reserved for Sundays, but dishes such as pancakes (plogues) and poutines (dumplings) would be considered ’special’ desserts today. Potatoes provided the staple of the Acadian diet and, boiled in meat or fish stock, made a wholesome and satisfying dish called FRICOT.

They supplemented their diets with wild game such as black bear, moose, snowshoe hare (rabbits) and partridges, Canada goose, ducks, plover marsh birds and the now extinct passenger pigeon. They also fished for salt water cod, salmon, shad, stripped bass, eel, smelt and a variety of shell fish.

Following the expulsion of the Acadians, those who escaped the deportation and those who returned and resettled mostly along the coastal areas, found themselves in a completely different environment that they had been accustomed… isolated culturally, the Acadians had to respond to new and different circumstances, forcing them to make the most of what they had. Unlike their forebears who had continued agrarian traditions brought from France, the resettled Acadians living by the sea, lost their agricultural and culinary traditions and put new ones in their place. By necessity, they learned to tap the rich resources of the sea. Over time, the struggle to put food on the table developed into a unique culinary tradition and imaginative response to the land and the sea.

Unlike the staples of the Acadian diet, the gaspereau and shad which served as important secondary sources of protein, required less cooking but higher temperatures. Hence, fish were usually fried in oil… probably bear oil (much to the chagrin of French travelers) because butter was practically unknown in Acadia.

On the whole, Acadian cooking was uncomplicated, keeping the number of ingredients to a minimum and the method of preparation simple. In fact, many dishes were a one-pot meal, such as FRICOTS and CHOWDERS. If there is one dish that could be called “typically Acadian”, it would be FRICOT, which is a soup containing potatoes and meat (usually chicken), fish and/or seafood. Although a fricot may vary from one region to another, to this day the dish will always have the same basic ingredients… meat and potatoes in a hearty broth, with dumplings called poutines or grand-pères. Fricots are rich in calories and, with fresh bread… “a meal in themselves”! Fricots and poutine rapées continue to be a central part of today’s Acadian cuisine, together with meat pies and paté à la rapures… followed by poutines a trous.

Ordinary meals did not usually include a dessert and the main meal was often followed by bread and molasses, or included pancakes and dumplings (called POUTINES).

The morning meal (breakfast) was usually the heartiest and was served after they had worked-up an appetite from the morning chores and would BOUDIN (blood pudding), CRETONS, GRILLADES and TOURTIERES (meat pies) as well as leftovers from the previous day’s meals. The three meals of the day were called déjeuner (breakfast), dîner (dinner) and souper (supper).

Age-old Acadian cooking techniques remained fundamentally unaltered throughout the late eighteenth century, despite radical changes in their diet. The Acadians utilized two main cooking techniques; boiling or frying in chaudrons (black cast-iron pots). Turnips and cabbages were cooked by boiling together into a “soupe de la Toussaint”, an extremely popular pre-expulsion delicacy during Winter months.

In general, cooking techniques for fish were quite simple… salted herbs, a combination of onions, chives and green onions cut into 1/2 inch cubes and layered with coarse sea salt and pepper in a glass crock, and boiled until a brine formed. The fresh fish (caught daily) were then simmered in this seasoned water and then fried.

Except for a few dishes, frying was restricted to fish and baking was restricted to bread. Whole wheat or mixed grain bread was served at major meals, according to eighteenth century observers, and loaves were inevitably consumed with molasses and locally produced maple syrup.