Historic Niijaansinaanik agency to protect Indigenous children
By Kelly Anne Smith
NIPISSING FIRST NATION—A newly independent Indigenous child and family protection service celebrated with a Spring Forward Ceremony and a new name. The Waabnoong Bemjiwang Child and Family Services will separate from the Tribal Council, become incorporated and will be known as Niijaansinaanik.
The new name means “our children”. Niijaansinaanik will provide child protection services to seven communities in the Sudbury and Nipissing and Parry Sound areas: Dokis, Henvey Inlet, Magnetawan, Nipissing, Wahnapitae, Wasauksing and Shawanaga First Nations.
First Nation Chiefs and Councillors gathered with the Ontario Ministry of Children, Community, and Social Services staff on March 21 at the Nipissing First Nation Complex in Garden Village.
Niijaansinaanik Manager of Cultural Services Perry McLeod Shabogesic carried out the Bundle Ceremony.
“We are trying to move our families to the light. There is a responsibility that comes with it. There is a new circle to begin the process for the helpers.”
Ceremony facilitator, former Anishinabek Nation Grand Chief Patrick Madahbee, called the ceremony “the core of who Anishinaabe People are.”
“The bundle with all the sacred medicines represents our identity and the spiritual dimension of our people.”
Representatives from each First Nation brought forth gifts to be placed on blanket for the bundle.
Nipissing First Nation councillor June Commanda gave an Eagle Wing with a holder to protect it. McLeod Shabogesic said the Eagle Wing is “symbolic of flying high in the circle of our work.”
“It can be used to brush off negativity or suffering.”
Former Chief of Dokis First Nation Denise Restoule gave tobacco—the first gift given to Anishinaabe from the Creator.
Wahnapitae First Nation Chief Larry Roque gifted river rocks and a copper bowl, as well as tobacco and a shell.
Later in a special presentation, Niijaansinaanik Executive Director Joanne Koehler and Waabnoong Bemjiwang Child and Family Services Board President William Diablo gifted Tribal Council board member, Joyce Tabobondung with a blanket for her guidance and life-long dedication to children. Koehler shared Tabobondung’s long-standing history for being involved in projects that strive to make communities better.
“From the beginning of the Tribal Council days, being a board member and more recently as an Elder, she provided guidance as we developed our agency into Niijaansinaanik. She has shared oral histories around child welfare and how it has affected children and communities throughout the years. I hope our agency grows into the vision that Joyce’s mother, Flora Tabobondung had.”
The Niijaansinaanik logo painted by Debbie Johnson from Wasauksing First Nation was developed based on Flora’s vision that was shared by Joyce.
Chief Roque of Wahnapitae First Nation said that “the biggest thing in the world is the happiness of our young people.”
“It takes a village to raise a child. As a kid, I would always look up to my aunts and uncles and honour them. Miigwech to my aunts and uncles and grandparents. I appreciate the job they did with me and I hope to carry that to our youth. The children are our future. We have to help them and guide them.”
Nipissing First Nation Chief Scott McLeod called Niijaansinaanik truth and reconciliation in action.
“Restoring jurisdiction is the truth part. It was taken away from us. Taking care of our children is not ‘new’. We have always done that before there was any Children’s Aid or any government. We had our own government and we took care of our own children. That was eroded through the process of colonization and the Indian Act and Residential Schools –creating a breakdown of our family structure. That’s the truth part. Reconciliation is restoring that back in its rightful place. The jurisdiction of taking care of our own children, back in our hands. Our children are our biggest asset. Having full control over our future is what it’s all about.”
Executive Director Joanne Koehler of Batchewana First Nation is working to diminish the number of First Nations children in care.
“It is about restoring that place for our children to have a safe, happy place to grow in.”
Koehler says the next step is to hire staff and start doing prevention work alongside Nipissing Parry Sound Children’s Aid Society (CAS) to service our members.
“There is a mentorship secondment phase that we go through,” explains Koehler. “Now is the process of establishing safe, alternative care homes for children to be placed in while in their own communities. You will see us in communities. We will be looking for alternative care parents.”
“Our chiefs passed a resolution and it was supported by the Chiefs of Ontario for April 1, 2020. But that is all based on if we get the funding. We are ready to hire. The barrier right now is funding from the province,” adds Koehler.
The Weskutch Drum Group sang an Honour Song, a Giving Away Song and a Travelling Song.