Nokiiwin Unity Gathering brings 300 together to share culture, knowledge, and traditions

By Rick Garrick

FORT WILLIAM FIRST NATION — Nokiiwin Tribal Council held its Annual Unity Gathering for sharing knowledge, honouring traditions, and strengthening the spirit of the communities on August 12-13 at Anemki Wajiw in Fort William First Nation.

“It’s to build community, to come together, to learn from each other, to share with each other, and just become united in some of the work that we’re doing in our respective communities together,” says Yolanda Wanakamik, Executive Director at Nokiiwin Tribal Council. “We’ve got birch bark basket making, so we’re doing some of that, we’ve got the ribbon skirt making, we actually have a language tent over here as well, so there’s going to be two days of language immersion. And we have the knowledge sharing tent over there as well. Nokiiwin has a number of Elders that work with us all year round— we do drumming, we do language, we do various teachings, so they’re here as well so [people] can interact with them over the next couple of days as well and sit with them.”

Wanakamik says they had about 40 vendors and community partners in attendance at the gathering, including Roots Community Food Centre and Science North.

“We actually had to close the registration, we were at 300 registrants,” Wanakamik says. “It’s not just our six nations, but other nations as well. We’ve got breakfast, we’ve got lunch, and tonight we’re having the big fish fry.”

Biinjitiwaabik Zaaging Anishinaabek Chief Gladys Thompson says it was important to gather together and make connections and meet with new staff at Nokiiwin and the six First Nations.

“And I’d like to attend a few [workshops], there’s ribbon skirt making,” Thompson says. “I never got a chance to make a ribbon skirt but I’m going to go to that tent and find out how you make one.”

Fort William First Nation Chief Michele Solomon says her community was so lucky and grateful to have the gathering on Anemki Wajiw.

“It’s a great opportunity to be part of some traditional teachings and some traditional practices, and just coming together and getting to know each other [and] further build relationships,” Solomon says, noting that Birch Bark Basket Making with Helen Pelletier was one of the workshops at the gathering. “Helen, of course, has done some amazing work all over the place, but lots of her work happens here on this mountain, so it’s amazing that she’ll be here sharing her knowledge and the collection of birch and roots.”

Pelletier, from Fort William First Nation, says her workshop was about teaching traditional knowledge.

“It’s teaching how we harvest, how we gather, and then how we sew the baskets together,” Pelletier says. “It’s been something that we did for a long time, so that’s why it’s important to continue this tradition.”

Biinjitiwaabik Zaaging Anishinaabek Elder Diane Hardy says it was a beautiful gathering.

“There’s a lot of people I recognize and I’m glad to see,” Hardy says. “It’s just wonderful to see so many people from different places.”

Chris Mushquash, who delivered a keynote presentation on the first day of the gathering, also stressed the importance of the gathering.

“Today is a good day to come together in unity and share in some of the general practices that keep us well from a cultural point of view,” Mushquash says.

Erin Beagle, Executive Director at Roots Community Food Centre, says they work with a number of the First Nations that are part of the Nokiiwin Tribal Council.

“We came today bearing food gifts to share with people so they can try out some of the different food that comes from around this area,” Beagle says. “We’re making wild rice (manomin) pancakes with a blueberry sauce and then we have rhubarb lemonade, and then people can grab a package of seeds if they want and enter a draw for some preserves and just celebrate and gather around food.”

Monica Prodanyk, Stem Specialist at Science North’s Thunder Bay office, says they had a variety of fun activities for people to try at the gathering, including some building kits such as stack cups and K’nex rods and connectors.

“My favourite thing here is the microscopes,” Prodanyk says. “We’ve got some hand microscopes, so these are really interesting to look up real close at things like materials, like the grass on the ground or even your shirt or your skin. So, you can look up real close with the microscope here, which is fun for all ages.”

Thunder Bay—Superior North Member of Provincial Parliament Lise Vaugeois stressed the importance of Fort William First Nation Elder Rita Fenton’s opening comments on how ceremony was forbidden for a very long time.

“I really think about how I have personally benefitted from being welcomed into ceremony, that it’s helped to ground me, and grandfather and grandmother teachings,” Vaugeois says. “Honestly, it’s just such a pleasure to be here, it’s a beautiful day in a beautiful place with people who are really finding ways to connect with each other, and I’m really honoured to be here.”