A year after Daniel Richer had his original talking stick stolen, the Abenaki town crier in Ottawa is ready to rock with his new one.
“I was filming a TV show at Major’s Hill Park in Ottawa and while we were doing a shoot, somebody stole my talking stick.”
The unfortunate loss didn’t stop him and with the help of a friend he designed another one.
Richer remembers the day his talking stick disappeared, “well a year ago exactly, actually.”
Danou Charette a wood carver heard about Richer’s loss and decided to help.
“I know he lost his talking stick. So when I realized that, I called him and said ‘Daniel if you dream of something else, another talking stick just give me a call and we can talk about,’” said Charette.
Richer did exactly that and the two designed a new one.
Richer believes everything happens for a reason and had been dreaming about a new design a couple years prior.
“Well you know when things happen to us we have a choice of stopping and not going forward anymore.”
“Or we take it as a learning process and motivation to go forward,” he said.
The new talking stick made its first appearance to group of summer students Wednesday.
Those who attended the ceremony were able to get a good look at the new talking stick and one student was happy Richer shared the experience with her camp.
“I liked the talking stick and I really enjoyed everything,” said Abigail Collins.
While the new talking stick is already having a positive impact, Richer still awaits the return of his original one.
“I hope one day I’ll find my other talking stick, because it is a part of me. It went all around the world with me,” he said.
Richer tells APTN News, the energy of the original talking stick is close to his heart.
“There’s an energy that’s been there for years, I’ve been doing this for 38 years. The friend who gave it to me has passed away and so his energy is there,” he said.
“My parents were there when I had it, they have now passed on. My wife was with me, she has now passed on.”
Richer has one message for anyone who knows where his stick might be.
“The person who has found it at some point will that it is not his or hers to keep,” he said.
“So hopefully they will return it.”
