Rick Garrick

A group of youth and Elders from Ginoogaming recently enjoyed the opportunity to participate in group activities during the community’s Elders and Youth Gathering, held in Thunder Bay.

“It’s good, and we’re having fun too,” says Rayn Fisher, a Grade 6 student from Ginoogaming. “It was interesting to learn about our culture too.”

Fisher appreciated the Breaking the Chain, Steps to Healing from Intergenerational Oppression presentation that Sandi Boucher delivered on the second day of the gathering, which was held at the Best Western Nor’Wester Hotel and Conference Centre.

Three First Nation artists were highlighted with 11 awards at this year’s Lakehead University Annual Student Juried Exhibition at the Thunder Bay Art Gallery.

Couchiching’s Mary McPherson received seven awards during the March 9 Opening Reception and Awards presentation, including multiple awards for her Scene of My Elders Emerging from an Inauthentic Past art piece.

The Nishnawbe Aski Nation To Have Hope Youth Gathering was a success with opportunities for youth to learn about healthy expression, leadership skills and cultural teachings.

“It’s been awesome,” says Ashley Bach, a Mishkeegogamang youth who grew up out west and recently graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science degree from McGill University. “It’s been a really good gathering. I’ve done a few workshops every day. Yesterday I made a drum, on Friday I learned about medicines from Elder Tom Chisel.”

Nibinamik Elder Amelia Wabasse recently celebrated her 100th birthday during Anishnawbe Mushkiki’s Fall Feast at the Ka-Na-Chi-Hih Specialized Solvent Abuse Treatment Centre in Thunder Bay. She was born on Nov. 14, 1917 at Wekwasays, near Benaymotang.

“She’s just happy that she is here with the group,” says Wabasse’s translator. “She was talking about at a very young age that she had seen this way of life, the traditional way of life. She was brought up that way by her late father. One time she was very sick … and her father treated her with this traditional medicine.”

A group of Junior Canadian Rangers from Constance Lake participated in the unveiling of Nishnawbe Aski Nation’s Veterans Eagle Staff on Nov. 11 at the Ka-Na-Chi-Hih Specialized Solvent Abuse Treatment Centre in Thunder Bay.