Churches open ovens for festival

BRANDON – In a place where the winters can seem unending, the Northern Manitoba Trappers’ Festival brings the communities of The Pas and Opaskwayak Cree Nation together for all things northern: championship dog races, log splitting and flour packing. Visitors can also witness contests of practical skills like bannock making, fish filleting and tea boiling, all done on a fire that competitors must build by axe and match.

Local churches get involved by opening their doors – and ovens – to the festival’s participants, providing homemade meals for hungry competitors and spectators. In The Pas, Christ Church’s Anglican Church Women and Men in Aprons served stew, chili, authentic tourtière, pie, bannock and hot drinks. At Opaskwayak Cree Nation, members of Church of the Messiah hosted breakfasts and lunches; the Anglican Church Women at Church of the Redeemer offered the same, with traditional food donated by community members: fresh-fried pickerel, rabbit stew, moose meat, wild raspberries and saskatoons. Funds raised during the outreach effort will support church programming and community initiatives.

The Mustard Seed