When I got the chance to try an indigenous spa treatment at the Inn at the Forks’ Riverstone Spa in Winnipeg, my imagination ran wild with images of sweat lodges from movies like Dancing with Wolves with Kevin Costner. Hesitating, I signed up.
Before European settlers, the “Forks” area of modern-day Winnipeg, where the Assiniboine River and the Red River meet, acted as an important trading post for indigenous and First Nations communities for almost 6,000 years.
Today, The Forks is recognized as an important historic site in downtown Winnipeg and receives approximately 4 million visitors per year. The Inn at the Forks’ offers modern accommodations for visitors in the heart of The Forks – and it’s here at Riverstone Spa that you can experience its Indigenous Hot Stone Massage.
Riverstone Indigenous Hot Stone Massage
The treatment was specially developed with the help of local First Nations communities for Riverstone Spa to honour the history and importance of The Forks’ aboriginal origins. It’s a one-of-a-kind glimpse into the ancient indigenous holistic practices of the First Nations people and is a real local cultural and heritage gem in Winnipeg.
The treatment began with a ceremonial “smudging” – using smoldering sage leaves and an eagle feather to cleanse the room of bad spirits, negative feelings, thoughts, or energy. An authentic eagle feather, a unique and rare gift, was given to the spa by the First Nations to complete this cleansing ritual. Ever since, the rest of the spa’s rooms and hallways are smudged every night before closing.
A special room in the spa has been dedicated and ritually blessed for the treatment. Not your typical sterile spa treatment room, the décor in the room shares of the journey to come – aboriginal artwork, bouquets of special herbs, braided ribbons representing the four colours of the world’s nations, and a handmade woven blanket adorn the room.
Next, I was asked to make a silent intention for the treatment – to be rid of back pain, to unload burdens, to get grounded, and etc. An aromatherapy sweet grass candle was lit while cedar and sage tea was served to cleanse from within. Natural and herbal oil extracts like peppermint were used as the massage began.
The use of elements like sage, sweet grass, and cedar as well as hot basalt, and cold marble stones for massages have been a part of ancient aboriginal healing techniques for centuries. These items are known to help ease tense muscles, stressed emotions, and weary minds and have been used in healing and sweat lodges for thousands of years.
Thankfully, the experience was a lot tamer than I’d first envisioned. If you’re visiting Winnipeg, don’t miss out on this “sweat lodge experience” for beginners at Riverstone Spa. Visit www.riverstonespa.ca for more.
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