Cambridge Memorial Hospital (CMH) is honoured to hold an Eagle Feather as gifted by Clarence Cachagee, a member of Chapleau First Nation and founder of Crow Shield Lodge, a space for reconciliation, land-based teachings, and healing.
On September 4, 2024, Clarence visited with plans to feast the Hawk Feather but instead shared an Eagle Feather with the hospital. The Eagle Feather is one of the most sacred gifts that can be given by an Indigenous person. It symbolizes trust, honour, strength, wisdom, and freedom. "The Hawk is just beneath the Eagle," Clarence said, "and this Eagle Feather represents a new direction in allyship and Reconciliation. Its strength and vision make it fitting for this moment."
Clarence shared how his past summer he laid Assema (tobacco) at the foot of the tree with an eagle's nest, just outside North Bay where family resides. He picked this Feather and waited for its purpose to come to him. It was when he arrived at the hospital that he felt it was meant to be at the hospital in place of the Hawk Feather.
In January 2020, Patrick Gaskin, CEO, received a Hawk Feather from Clarence in ceremony during the opening of Wing A. The Hawk symbolizes focus, guardianship, and observation, qualities he saw reflected in the hospital’s staff, clinicians and volunteers.
The Eagle Feather now hangs in our Main Lobby, offering its spirit and strength to everyone who enters the hospital seeking service. It is a sign of understanding and compassion for Indigenous Peoples entering the hospital and supports those on their ongoing journey toward reconciliation.
