creates ‘Smudge On”

Written By: Christina Cherneskey

A long time Riversdale resident and community leader says Indigenous cultural practices are lacking in Saskatoon and David Fineday works hard to ensure people have access to them. Each week, Fineday brings the spiritual practice of smudging to an area of the city and shares his knowledge with those who attend.

The 66-year-old who hails from Sweetgrass First Nations, tells Indigenous Times he was taken from his home when he was five. And little did he know – or understand – his life would be forever changed.

“I’m a product of the sixties school,” Fineday explains. “My two sisters and my one brother and I were picked up one fall day in 1961. I was only five years old at the time. They were old enough to go to residential school, so they got put in there. I was put with Social Services - which was November 21st, 1961.”

Fineday says he stayed in the system until the mid-seventies, going through about seven homes.

“One home I stayed in for six years. It was pretty good. But then they retired. “Fineday said. “Then I went to different homes going through child slave labor, sexual abuse, physical abuse, mental abuse. I was the only little Indian kid in the neighbourhood. I kept running away until I decided to go find my mom and dad.”

Fineday says when he eventually did move back to the reserve, it was a culture shock. And the transition was difficult, but he says he’s grateful he prevailed.

“I never got to learn the prayers and the stories growing up,” Fineday said. “How to do pipe ceremonies, and that kind of stuff.”

Fineday says it was a chance meeting with and Elder who asked him directly who he was and who he was going to be.

And Fineday says it was then that he decided he was going to discover who he truly was. He says he travelled throughout North America from community to community, learning how to work and learning about people.

“Every First Nations that I found, everybody smudged,” Fineday said. “Like, that’s a normal thing on the reserve.”

When he returned back to Sas - katoon, Fineday said his mother and elders then taught him how to smudge. He explains that smudging purifies oneself. It’s achieved by burning the smoke from herbs, like sweetgrass and sage, and pulling the smoke over your face and body.

“And as you’re talking and praying, you’re smudging,” Fineday said. “The prayers go up with the smoke and will be heard by the grandfathers and the grandmothers.”

Eventually, Fineday said, he brought smudging to the community in Saskatoon’s west side. He calls the gathering Smudge On, adding a small group always arrives for the ceremony every week.

“Smudging and praying is one thing that needs to be brought back to our people,” Fineday said. “I’m in my third year of smudging, and I smudge people so they can try to turn their life around. I get very emotional when I talk about this. It’s something we have all lost in our family circles. That’s why I smudge out there. I do a circle out on the ground. I have a fireplace and people just walk in from the street and take part. It calms them down and suddenly, they just start to talk.”

Fineday says every Saturday he makes the trek from his home to a small, treed area near the corner of 20th Street West and Avenue K. He’s been doing it since 2020. And Fineday says he intends to continue Smudge On for as long as he can manage “It’s a spirituality thing.” Fineday explained. “It’s not just me. It’s the whole community helping each other. I want to teach younger people who don’t have the chance that they can be with the Elders and to learn the old ways. They can learn to smudge and pray and to sit inner circle and be spiritual. All to help the community.”