By Ashley Lau
Contributing Writer
A steady pounding resonated throughout the three-level Mitchell Museum of the American Indian as Ron Kanutski broke out into a rhythmic chant. Soon after, an assembly of young and old joined in with rattles and drum beating, some closing their eyes to take in the melodic sounds, others swaying to the tempo of Kanutski’s voice.
“Whoa! Let’s get native,” Kanutski said as the room filled with laughter.
On Saturday afternoon, a group of about 30 people gathered around Kanutski in a makeshift Ojibway drumming circle at the small museum, 3001 Central St. During the two hours, Kanutski shared accounts of his life experiences and connected the stories to a series of traditional Ojibway songs. The performance marks Kanutski’s last stop in the Chicago area before he heads back to his home in Canada.
“Many times, people start thinking about Native Americans and Ojibway, and they start to romanticize our life,” Kanutski said. “When I sing, I pray. When I sing, I feel. When I sing, I think.”
Kanutski, a man of large stature with his long hair braided in traditional style, is a member of the Bear Clan of the Red Rock Band Ojibway from northwestern Ontario, Canada. A cultural teacher, group facilitator, consultant and counselor, he said he draws on traditional Ojibway drumming and singing for holistic healing and spiritual rejuvenation.
“Everyone in this room has gifts that I don’t have,” Kanutski said. “Everyone in this room has talents that I’ll never know of. Everyone in this room has an experience that I’m not even aware of. I am no better than anyone else in this room.”
Kanutski’s past performances at the museum drew crowds of around 10 to 15 people, said Penelope Berlet, the museum’s Curator of Education, adding that this year’s audience was one of the larger turnouts.
“Because he’s a medicine man, we often get people from the Native American community, often older men who are drummers,” Berlet said. “They just want to hear what he has to say.”
Using handmade rattles and drums provided by Kanutski, audience members said they enjoyed participating in the session.
“I like his storytelling, his laughter, the drums,” said Shirlee Perlow of San Bruno, Calif., who was visiting a friend in Evanston. “If you feel it, they go through your whole body. It was good for my soul.”
Also in the audience was Betty Waterman, a half-Cherokee, half-Japanese woman who met Kanutski at one of his presentations a few years ago. Seeing an old friend, Kanutski gave Waterman a traditional tobacco offering and asked her to say a prayer.
“I want to thank the great mystery above for bringing us here together today, ” Waterman told the teary-eyed group. “I want to thank the great universe for this beautiful day. I was outside earlier and I saw all the leaves changing red and orange. It was so beautiful.”
Halfway through the performance, Kanutski offered everyone in the group a cup of his homemade tea of rose hip and lavender leaves, another effort to make the event more intimate.
The event had no formal admission charge, though the museum suggested a small contribution. Because Kanutski is a medicine man, donations also came in the form of tobacco contributions, which were placed in a wooden bowl in the center of the circle.
At the end of the performance, Kanutski walked around the circle to shake everyone’s hand, thanking each person for attending.
“My grandfather once told me that someday, I would be surrounded with people from all four corners of the earth. I looked at him and said, ‘You’re loopy,'” Kanutski said. “But here I am today, with all of you.”
Reach Ashley Lau at [email protected].
