Tag Archives: Passamaquoddy

Canada’s Catholic ‘Residential Schools’ For Indigenous Kids — & This Latest Story. I am at a LOSS.

Leave a reply

by Anura Guruge
on September 1, 2023

Click to image to ENLARGE. Link to U.K. ‘Daily Mail’ article from Aug. 31, 2023.

I am at a loss. This is the ONLY story I have read of this — so far. Saw it yesterday & wanted to bring it to your attention. Earlier in the month, when I was fortunate enough to attend ‘Passamaquoddy Days‘, in Pleasant Point, Maine, I heard a lot of very personal accounts about the abuse & crimes of Canadian Residential Schools — just across the water! The stories were very personal, vivid & painful.

Then I see this.

It is but the results from ONE DIG. That they found NOTHING is confusing.

I think we all agree, intrinsically, that ABUSE OCCURRED. There were those that LUCKILY SURVIVE & were able to tell the world as to what transpired.

I will keep my eyes & ears open. I will, time permitting, do some Gooling.

I just wanted YOU to be AWARE of this latest story. OK? PAX.

12 Beautiful Faces (From Many) From 2023 ‘Passamaquoddy Days’, ‘Pleasant Point’, Maine.

Leave a reply

by Anura Guruge
on August 17, 2022

Click images to ENLARGE.

Many, many MORE. This is basically a RANDOM, first cut of those that caught my eye as I scanned through the 309 photos I downloaded from my new ‘Fuji X-S20‘.

They were ALL BEAUTIFUL. Lovely people.

YouTube Video Of Traditional Passamaquoddy Wedding Of ‘John & Holly Perry’.

Leave a reply

by Anura Guruge
on August 16, 2022

Click to ENLARGE. Link to YouTube video (+ embed below).

I lucked out. This was on Friday. Amazing.

‘Passamaquoddy’ Wedding of Holly Perry & John ‘Thunderbird’ Perry, Friday, August 11, 2023, at ‘Split Rock’, Pleasant Point, Maine. Photo montage. About 100 photos stitched together to create video with dubbed music from YouTube. Enjoy.

One Of My Photos From ‘Passamaquoddy Days’ Is On The Front Page Of ‘The Calais Advertiser’ — Properly Attributed To Me.

Leave a reply

by Anura Guruge
on August 16, 2022

Click to ENLARGE. Links to ‘The Calais Advertiser’ (online) & Facebook.
Click to ENLARGE. My original.

This was nice. The lady in the picture, one of my NEW FRIENDS, sent me a message on Facebook saying how thrilled she was to see THE picture. Said it made her feel like Passamaquoddy Royalty. I was thrilled for them. Made my day too.

The newspaper had contacted me Monday asking for permission. I am GLAD that they properly attributed it. All good.

We have LOTs of pictures & videos from 2023 ‘Passamaquoddy Days‘. More to come. Enjoy.

‘Navajos’ Weren’t The ONLY WW II ‘Code Talkers’ — There Were Other Tribes Too.

Leave a reply

by Anura Guruge
on September 15, 2023

Click to ENLARGE. Picture is mine. I took it during my last visit.
Click to ENLARGE. From ‘Amazon‘.

I am fairly sure that I have ONLY knew of the ‘Navajo’ ‘Code Talkers‘. I have read ‘the book’ (leftmost in above picture) & I have been to the ‘Code Talker’ Memorial at ‘Window Rock‘, New Mexico. I am sure THE book, THE movie or something else MUST have talked about others but it had never registered with I till this weekend.

On Sunday, at ‘Split Rock‘, at ‘Passamaquoddy Days‘, an elder, a Harvard-trained nurse told me that there have been Passamaquoddy Code Talkers during WWII. That blew me away. I started investigating as soon as I got back, i.e., yesterday.

The Wikipedia ‘Code Talker’ entry was quite insightful. They talk about multiple languages, in addition to Navajo. Interesting.

Passamaquoddy, however, is NOT mentioned.

I have learnt that Passamaquoddy served, with distinction, in WWI & WWII.

I have also seen, fleetingly, that Passamaquoddy may have served ALONGSIDE Navajo. Not sure whether they spoke Navajo. But, the Code Talkers needed helpers to carry the equipment & run messages. So Passamaquoddy could have done that.

But, I will now keep on checking — if & when I have the time. SMILE.

Passamaquoddy Traditional Song (With Hand Drum) By ‘Blawej’ Of ‘Bridgewater’, Maine.

Leave a reply

by Anura Guruge
on August 14, 2022

Click to ENLARGE.
Click to ENLARGE.

I LUCKED OUT. Serendipity at its best.

‘Split Rock‘, ‘Pleasant Point‘, Maine, Thursday, August 10, 2023, just ahead of 2023 ‘Passamaquoddy Days‘.

I had not been to Split Rock before, so went there, around 5.30pm, on my way to ‘Eastport‘, to check it out.

Saw a thin pair of legs poking from underneath a bright yellow (see above) ‘Indian Taco’ trailer. I casually inquired ‘do you need any help?‘.

Voice from underneath the trailer said: “grab that metal leg by you and pull it down“. That was the start … I was there for nearly 2 hours helping him get set up.

He then did this song for ME as a THANK YOU. WOW.

He performed a shorter version, on Saturday evening, for the crowds, under the tent. But, this is the FULL version.

WOW. I am so fortunate.

Blawej & I had fun together. My kind of man. We are roughly the same age. Much I can learn from him.