NATIONAL INDIGENOUS HISTORY MONTH OFFERS OPPORTUNITY

MAKE ONE COMMITMENT, ASKS CHIEF TED WILLIAMS

Rama First Nation joined with Anishinabek Nation on June 6 in celebrating the first-annual Anishinaabe Giizhigad.

It is a special day, set aside to remember and acknowledge the assertion of our sovereignty and responsibilities, guided by our Seven Grandfather Teachings (honesty, love, courage, truth, wisdom, humility and respect).

Anishinabek Nations throughout Ontario found unique ways to honour our heritage and the resiliency of our people, who have survived decades of assimilation and racism.

In Rama, we celebrated Anishinaabe Giizhigad in a number of ways.

Members assembled at Hub's Rock to build a teaching lodge, many hands coming together to work collaboratively on this project.

This lodge will be a gathering place for years to come and is a meaningful way for members to share and learn about our heritage. Others gathered at the at the John Snake Memorial Multipurpose Grounds to learn about our history, culture, arts and more.

We look forward to this annual celebration and establishing new traditions around this event.

June is National Indigenous History Month, an opportunity to better understand and appreciate the history and culture of Indigenous peoples in Canada. I ask everyone to make one commitment during National Indigenous History Month.

Read the Truth and Reconciliation report and implement one of the 94 calls to action. That would certainly make a huge difference in your education and your understanding of the challenges that the First Nation community have faced over the last 150 years or more.

In building toward our future, many Indigenous communities across the country, like ours, are beginning with a look backwards. Rama First Nation has worked for years to encourage members to speak Ojibwe, the language of our ancestors, a practice weakened by the years when speaking it was restricted.

Our education division provides language instruction from daycare through to secondary school to inspire learning in our young people. For adults, both in person and online instruction are inspiring more usage in daily life ... in signage, staff correspondence and governance.

Our language is integral to our culture, so this renewal is important to our future.

Miigwech, thank you, to our local partners, including municipalities and businesses, as we continue to grow together.

We are all treaty people.