Anishinabek Nation youth come together to use their gifts
By Kelsey Anger
ANISHINABEK NATION TERRITORY –Youth from across the Anishinabek Nation joined together from May 20-21 via Zoom to take part in Koganaawsawin’s inaugural Share Your Gifts – Maada’ookiin g’miingwewzinan- Youth Gathering on Well-Being.
“For those who don’t know, Koganaawsawin has been working on developing and supporting the implementation of the Anishinabek Nation Child Well-Being Law and the Anishinabek Nation Child Well-Being System. The need to engage youth on their own well-being is imperative to implementing this law and the subsequent system,” stated the Koganaawsawin team. “We’ve been asking Anishinabek Nation youth: What does well-being feel like? What does well-being look like? What programs do you need? What resources do you want? What do you think of the available programs in your community? The Koganaawsawin team received many different responses, and as we looked closer, two key points became clear. First, was that many young people don’t really know about the well-being services and programs available to them or how to access them, nor do they have any idea about the decisions being made on their behalf. The second point was that they don’t always feel heard. They want to be asked about what they need and see those recommendations turn into reality. These two factors were the motivation behind the Share Your Gifts – Maada’ookiin g’miingwewzinan – Youth Gathering on Well-Being, education and amplification.”
Prior to the event, each participant received a carefully curated registration box intended to provide a sense of comradery: no matter where they were in the Anishinabek Nation, they all opened the same box, had the same shirt to wear, and joined the same presentations. Over the two days, some 39 youth were entertained by emcee Earl Lambert, and listened to the wisdom of former Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief Glen Hare, Anishinabek Nation Children’s Commissioner Ogimaa Duke Peltier, Nora Sawyer of the Kwe-Wuk Advisory Council, and Anishinabek Nation Head Getzit Nmishomis Gordon Waindubence of the Getzidjig Advisory Council, and were serenaded by a talented youth’s hand drumming song.
The days consisted of presentations by the Koganaawsawin team; Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services; Kinoomaadziwin Education Body/Anishinabek Education System; Anishinabek Nation Restoration of Jurisdiction Department; a motivational speech by Earl Lambert, Association of Native Child and Family Services Agencies of Ontario; and the Anishinabek Nation Jordan’s Principle Navigator. Other activities included comedy, scavenger hunts, prizes, and music along the way.
More important than the presentations; however, were the discussions. During the two days, the youth took part in large and small group discussions about their well-being, their concerns, their needs, and their recommendations. Each youth holds a different gift and sees the world through a different lens, so the suggestions reflected that diversity and uniqueness.
Some of the suggestions included: more youth supports and resources on and off-reserve; more jobs for youth; local treatment programs; learning to cook traditional food; how to change policies that impact youth; a youth center in each community; more youth gatherings, fun workshops; youth on Council; accessing Elder’s knowledge; age-specific language courses; information about drugs and preventing overdoses; learning to bead and make moccasins; ways to learn from the land; and more ways to help their communities and to get volunteer hours.
Although all of the incredible and thoughtful suggestions by the youth could not be included above, the Koganaawsawin team will be taking each and every suggestion to heart as they walk together on this path towards inherent jurisdiction and youth well-being.