Language needed in diversity and as tie to homeland

By Kelly Anne Smith

NORTH BAY- The 2025 Anishinabek Nation Lands and Resources Forum featured the Anishinabek Nation Councils Panel to start the second day of the three-day Forum from February 11-13.

Anishinabek Nation Councils Panel included Eshki-niigijig Southwest member from Munsee Delaware Nation Katelyn Peters; Kwe-Wuk-Southwest member from Chippewas of the Thames First Nation Betsy Kechego; 2SLGBTQQIA+ member Heidi Whetung of Curve Lake First Nation; Kwe-Wuk Northern Superior member from Michipocoten First Nation Evelyn Stone; Getzidjig Southwest member Leroy Dolson from Munsee Delaware Nation; and Eshki-niigijig Southeast member Terra Roy from Beausoleil and Nipissing First Nations.

Heidi Whetung urged that the language be included to talk about diversity. Whetung says she does not like the term 2SLGBTQQIA+, “Because a lot of our youth and adults don’t identify with any of those terms. It would be really nice to get back to the language. Put the language in there.”

Whetung says more education is needed in our communities.

“Acceptance, inclusive policies and practices, inclusive ceremony. So many of our youth and adults want to come to ceremony but aren’t accepted. Inclusive language. I don’t know if any of you have looked at the 2SLGBTQQIA+ action plan? It needs to be revisited…”

She says work needs to be done on stigma and discrimination in some communities and calls for culture, community, and community acceptance.

“If you look at this action plan, you don’t really see our youth, our people included in that action plan. It says, today, us 2SLGBTQQIA+ individuals continue to express stigma, discrimination, which are at the root of multiple inequities in areas such as health, safety, housing, and climate.”

In a Wampum Belt Teaching later in the day, Dr. Alan Ojiig Corbiere of M’Chigeeng First Nation gave a presentation he titled with words he hopes his audience all leave with: Our Language Ties us to Our Homelands in Sacred Ways.

Corbiere occasionally prompted laughter during his fascinating talk on Indigenous histories. He offers many culturally significant moments, explaining in both Anishinaabemowin and English. Corbiere commented on the significance of giving his talk in the language.

“It’s got to be heard, the language. Sometimes I’m in a place, let’s say down in Toronto or let’s say a First Nation that doesn’t have any speakers anymore. I say, I still feel compelled to talk in Anishinaabemowin because our ancestors are all around and they still understand that. You’re still talking to somebody even though somebody physically here doesn’t understand it. Either the spirit Mnidoo or an ancestor will understand what’s been said and hopefully appreciate it.”

Corbiere explains the importance of continuing to give Wampum Belt Teachings.

“So, those wampum belts, they didn’t actually sign them. They would run their hand along them to show they are actually going to abide by it. And then, of course, they would smoke a pipe, too,” he expresses. “Sometimes, I would think, ‘Oh, I don’t feel like doing this’, and then I would find something new. Last year, Richard (Anishinabek Nation Head Getzit Assinewai) talked about the bone in the beaver tail being used to comb hair when their people are grieving. Then, I talk about that Feast of the Dead, so now you have another connection to our cultural understandings. They talk about this Dish with One Spoon. But you actually have to try and think of, well, why is it a beaver’s tail that’s in that bowl? They said back then, that was the delicacy. That was the best part. So, why are the Haudensaunee giving us the best part of the beaver in that bowl?…It has to keep going because you learn a bit more and then somebody comes along and tells you another bit. Then you learn another bit and you add it.”

The Anishinabek Nation Chief’s Committee on the Environment heard from Dr. Jeannette Corbiere-Lavell. She says the environment and the work that this committee does is so important to our people.

“Realizing that in looking at our own governance and sovereign rights, our inherent rights especially, to recognize that we are the Original People of this land. Having said that, we need to start practising and asserting our rights as an Anishnaabe Nation.”

North Superior Regional Chief Melvin Hardy read the committee’s mission statement.

“To protect the historical, present, and future rights of all nations and uphold our responsibility as caretakers of the land, air, water, and fire and the ways of our ancestors since time immemorial…”

Lake Huron Regional Chief Scott McLeod of Nipissing First Nation stepped in for Munsee Delaware Nation Chief Roger Thomas. Regional Chief McLeod says that nature doesn’t have to be managed, people do.

“One of the biggest takeaways that I came out with in working in that field for over 20 years, there is no such thing as fisheries management or moose management. What we are actually talking about but we never say because we never want to look in the mirror, is that it’s human activity. It’s managing ourselves. The fish don’t need to be managed. The moose don’t need to be managed. The environment doesn’t need to be managed. We have to manage ourselves. And when we don’t openly say that, we’re not really striving to fix the problems that we’re facing. We’re trying to mitigate. We’re trying to do everything we can without saying, ‘We’re to blame’ when it comes to environmental issues…”

Alderville First Nation Chief Taynar Simpson talked about what his Nation has been achieving, noting that First Nations are seen as the stewards of the land.

“It should be everybody’s role on earth to look after our planet,” Chief Simpson says. “In Alderville, we’ve taken a number of steps to reduce our impact on the environment and to help restore the environment. The most obvious thing that we’ve done in Alderville is the creation of the Black Oak Savanna, which is southern Ontario’s largest tall grass prairie remnant in the area. Southern Ontario used to be all grasslands, all tall grass prairie; because of that, it was also really good farmland. It was the first land to be used for farming. You wouldn’t have to clear any trees out.”

There are six full-time staff gathering seeds and who are willing to share knowledge such as the benefits of burning properly, added Chief Simpson.

Chief Simpson then explained the goals of the Chief’s Committee on the Environment. Short-term goals include requesting scientific data on the water around the Great Lakes, climate crisis, and building capacity and advocacy for positive environmental action. Long-term goals concerned with water are pollution, overfishing, industry, protection of Nibi, and the rehabilitation of wetlands.

In the Forum’s afternoon portion, Alyssa Ray led a break-out session on the Traditional Structure Framework. Ray explained it was created in partnership with the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) services and Anishinabek Nation.

“It’s a tool that communities can use to develop their own processes and identify where community members have traditional structures and where they would like to put a structure in the future.”

Ray says the framework lays out a communications strategy to develop relationships with local MNR and individual communities. She says there are many examples of a traditional structure.

“Lots of times they are cabins. A four-walled structure but they don’t have to be limited to that. People can set up a lean-to if they needed to, or a teepee if that was relevant to them. In the past, we probably built more wigwam style dwellings. It’s called a traditional structure framework so it’s not limiting our First Nations members to a four walled cabin.”

Ontario Geological Survey and Incorporating Land Bases Ventures and Environmental Stewardship Principles were other break-out sessions at the 9th Annual Anishinabek Nation Lands and Resources Forum.