New Dokis First Nation website preserves and protects its history
By Kelly Anne Smith
DOKIS FIRST NATION—A comprehensive website on Dokis First Nation offers the Nation’s history for citizen’s at home and away.
“Our band members are all over the world. This is welcome home for everybody,” says community historian Norm Dokis Jr.
It all started with the defence of the true history of Dokis First Nation on social media. After correcting an individual that there is one chimney standing at Dokis Point that is associated with the Dokis fur trading post, Norm received positive feedback.
“There is only one (chimney) at Dokis Point at Nipissing First Nation. I’m always careful how I engage people on the internet. I do it in a very polite fashion. I corrected him and said no it’s not, in fact. The good part about his post about the chimneys is that it got a lot of interest, especially from Laura Dokis. She liked the answer I gave him. When history isn’t written by our people, it’s dangerous for our people.”
After that fateful post, Norm and Laura collaborated to form a non-profit corporation, the Ganawandaagwad Institute, to offer factual cultural history on Dokis First Nation. Then they launched the new Ganawandaagwad website, which went live November 18, 2024.
Norm shared the story of the website from a favourite Twiggs Coffee Roasters table where many of the Ganawandaagwad ideas were sparked. He talked about his gratefulness for meeting Laura and having her support while commending her administerial and coordinating skills.
“Then we brought in my cousin Lynn Leavens. She’s out in Ottawa. She was able to go to the archives. And the Board of Directors is comprised of people from Dokis First Nation. None of us are politically motivated.”
Norm informs that the Dokis First Nation foundation is really interesting.
“Our history is very inclusive. There’s a lot of other First Nations that have a similar story. We’re well documented though because of Micheal Eagle Dokis (Life Chief Michel D’Aigle Migisi Dokis), this galvanizing figure on the landscape who was rivalling the Hudson’s Bay Company in a huge way. He was larger-than-life. He was negotiating with the government and we weren’t so easily tempted by money. Dokis thought more about preserving for future generations…We have to pay tribute and the first one you are going to see is Louise Obtagashio Laronde. Yes, we talk about Micheal Eagle Dokis. We talk about Michelle Restoule. We talk about the patriarchal society all the time. She’s the real hero of the story. Our First Nation is really founded on her shoulders.”
Under the website’s ‘Projects’ tab are the activities of the Ganawandaagwad Institute. The first project involved the Heritage Barn, which he moved behind the museum.
“We put funding in to restore this old barn to the way it looked like. I just did this as a volunteer. I stripped down all the logs, put it all in a trailer and erected behind the museum. With our first funding, we had a carpenter and his son in Dokis to put a roof on there.”
Norm proudly points out his grandfather, Frank W. Dokis, in a 1925 photo.
“There’s my grandfather and his brother Sandy. We like to say it’s restoring the oldest building in Dokis. We put a roof on it and I did a first teaching there with veterans who were suffering trauma. I bring them out in the bush. I’ve done some work with them on the trails and in the bush and we carve stuff. Their minds get into something else.”
Norm clicks to the home page to explain the importance of the rock that people see going to Dokis via Wendigo Ziibii or French River.
“There’s a natural staining on the rock here of our Manitous. We always called that the Manitou Greeting Rock. As I pass by in my boat, I always see them there and they’re always welcoming me.”
Norm suggests to take the guided tour of the website; there are videos based on his research and he says more are coming.
“It’s just a base for now. We want to hear your voices. People are doing that and have gone to Elder family members and are writing down their stories. And I’m going to add them on to here (ganawandaagwad.ca).”
Norm says that you have to know the history of Dokis First Nation to properly speak and translate the language of the area.
“We are doing a little bit more research on what was traditionally called the French River, Wendigo Ziibi.”
More important projects continue, says Norm, who is working with PhDs and documentary filmmakers.
“With the PhDs, they’re developing educational modules. So, I bring them out onto the land, we talk to and interview Elders. We did one about fishing and then we did one about moose harvesting. The important part of that is the integrity of that project will belong to Dokis First Nation via this website.”
Norm explains there is also a CBC documentary filmmaker working to narrate Norm’s story in a culturally safe way.
“I see Norm and his wife Tammy (Cayer-Dokis) incorporate cultural teachings. I see how they respect the land, respect the animals. These are good moral messages.”
The Ganawandaagwad volunteers receive financial support of the Okikendawt Hydro Revenue & Dokis Community Trust Fund. Their passionate commitment will continue to focus on the Nation’s history and heritage.
“We try to be factual as possible but I understand a good story as well,” Norm informs. “Preserve those stories. Preserve the history.”