Obituary of Protheus Goodchild

GOODCHILD, Protheus (Proddy) – “Rising Sun Spiritual Helper” of the Moose Clan – Born on November 25, 1935. As a community and as a family, Biigtigong Nishnaabeg are mourning the loss of a significant foundation of our lives and community - our brother, our uncle, our friend, our elder and spiritual advisor. In our loss, we reach out to each other and celebrate the life of this wonderful man, who gave so freely of himself and shared the knowledge of our collective history, in the hopes of making our lives happier. Proddy’s journey to the spirit world began on August 9, 2017, where he will join his parents, Adele and Dan Goodchild, his brothers Danny Goodchild, Jerome Goodchild, and his sisters Rosie Michano (late Bartel), Mathilda Michano (late Reno), Cecile Michano (late Stan), Adele Goodchild, Pauline Goodchild and Petrolia Goodchild. Proddy is survived by his loving sister Collette Goodchild and many generations of nieces and nephews – who love him dearly. He cherished being an uncle, a great uncle and a great great uncle – they were the light of his life. Proddy made sure each and every one of them knew just how special they were. Proddy worked in various capacities over the course of his life and understood the importance of earning a living, providing for his family, contributing to the community and the bigger world. He embodied a strong work ethic and established high standards for himself. He was not afraid of hard work and taking on new challenges. He was a traditional knowledge holder and embraced his responsibility to share this information. He understood that the knowledge given to him, did not belong to him and he was responsible to pass it on. He accepted every opportunity to share his knowledge. He gave his knowledge freely and did not ask for anything in return. Proddy left us with many teachings, in how to live our lives as better human beings, as better Nishnaabeg. Much of his time was spent out on the traditional territory of Biigtigong Nishnaabeg. Proddy was connected to the land – it was the essence of his being. He understood that the land provides natural order and direction on how to live. The land gave Proddy his sustenance – it was the source of his life. As such, he held every part of creation in reverence and honored his responsibility to live in harmony and balance. Proddy reminded us of the importance of viewing the world from a perspective that everything is inter-dependent and connected. He walked this world knowing his actions will impact every part of the life – this affected the decisions he made. Proddy grew up in a time where there were great pressures on his Nishnaabe world and being. However, Proddy continued to hold on to his traditional ways and became a major advocate for the revitalization of our Nishnaabe culture and language. Proddy led our path to have our ceremonial practices become a significant life force in our community and other neighboring communities. As a true knowledge keeper, he ensured to build capacity and left his teachings with others, to make sure our old ways continued to be practiced. He was a first-speaker of Nishnaabemwin and constantly advocated for the importance of language. Proddy strongly believed that our children needed to be raised in Nishnaabemwin and language needed to find its place back in our homes. Proddy shared his belief that our language is a critical part to our identity and our spiritual relationship to the world. Proddy was actively involved in the revitalization efforts of Biigtigong Nishnaabemwin. His dream was to have our children live more Nishnaabeg lives. As a member of Biigtigong, Proddy ensured he took the time to be aware of the issues and opportunities that faced his community. He kept up to date on the happenings and was very active in the development of Biigtigong. Proddy attended almost every community event and always gave direction and guidance, by always reminding us of those things that truly will make a difference in life. He was always concerned about not only the individual needs of our people but also the collective wellbeing of our community. He modeled how to be a contributing member of a family, a community, a Nation and a world citizen. Proddy has changed the lives of Biigtigong Nishnaabeg and these changes will be felt by generations to come. He was a leading force in the reclamation of our Nishnaabe ways of living. Biigtigong will always be a better place because of his work and we are also better Nishnaabeg. He has left his legacy; his work here is complete. As we celebrate the life of this beautiful and kind man, let us be reminded of our responsibility not only to today’s generations, but also to our ancestors and our future generations. We express our sincere gratitude to this wonderful man and commit to continuing his legacy. A Jiibyi-shkode (sacred fire) has been lit at his home and everyone is welcome to join us, as we help Proddy cross over to the spirit world. A Traditional Ceremony will be held at his home on Friday August 11, 2017 beginning at 7:00 p.m. Friends and relatives can also visit for prayers and songs to be held at St. Francis Xavier Church (Biigtigong Nishnaabeg, formerly Pic River First Nation immediately following the traditional ceremony. A Funeral Mass will be held at St. Francis Xavier Church on Saturday August 12, 2017 at 1:00 p.m. with Reverend Gino Mathias officiating. Interment at the St. Francis Xavier Cemetery. A feast will be held after the burial at the Biigtigong Community Centre. (Arrangements entrusted to the P.M. Gilmartin Funeral Home, Wawa, 1-800-439-4937). www.gilmartinfuneralhome.ca