THUNDER BAY — Nokiiwin Tribal Council held their first Oshki-Nochmoowin Conference, a three-day event focused on gathering stories and sharing information from First Nation youth, adults and elders about policing, justice, and addictions and mental health.
The event was held this week at the Italian Cultural Centre in Thunder Bay and wrapped up on Wednesday.
“What we've done is we've gathered different stakeholders from the communities. So, elders and young people who have been suffering from social challenges themselves come and share their knowledge and share their stories,” said Joe Moses, the chief executive officer of Netmizaaggamig Nishnaabeg First Nation and Board Member with the Nokiiwin Trible Council.
Nokiiwin Tribal Council consists of five First Nation communities: Animbiigoo Zaagi'igan Anishinaabek (Lake Nipigon Ojibway), Biinjitiwaabik Zaaging Anishinaabek (Rocky Bay First Nation), Bingwi Neyaashi Anishinaabek (Sandpoint First Nation), Netmizaaggamig Nishnaabeg (Pic Mobert First Nation) and Animkii Wajiw (Fort William First Nation).
However, the experiences within these First Nations communities are common across the country.
“The issues are not regional in nature. It's not one community that goes without these social challenges that we're talking about. I think that resources are scarce both in the community and across the region. So, by bringing the five communities together, we're able to share that resource that we have. We're able to share the knowledge, we're able to share solutions,” said Moses.
“More importantly, we could work together towards creating solutions that are from the communities by the communities and for the communities. Over time we'll hopefully reach out to our regional partners and stakeholders that we have because the issues that we're facing are not going to be tackled by one community alone."
Speakers from all five First Nations spoke about the changes they have seen within their communities which ranged from the loss of their language, the growing number of suicides, and substance abuse issues.
Moses said that “through that shared understanding of the knowledge and the wisdom that our knowledge keepers have, we're looking at creative ways that we can develop solutions to tackle these issues on either a regional or local level within our communities.”
“I think that a lot of the solutions lie within the traditional teachings that our communities. Through either our knowledge keepers or our elders. A lot of those solutions involve renewed relationships with the land and with each other. A lot of the culture is rooted in the land. A lot of what we're hearing from our elders and our youth are innovative ways that we can get back to creating land-based programming. So, it’s taking Western concepts and methodology, but applying them in a more traditional setting,” Moses said.
The conference has been productive over the last three days. The Oshki-Nochmoowin Conference hosted an expert panel on Justice and Harm Reduction and speakers from service providers. But, the heavy conversation from survivors, youths, adults, and elders sharing their lived experiences with intergenerational trauma in a safe environment lays a foundation for a pathway to healing.
“We've got the trans-generational impacts of things like colonization, residential and Indian Day school systems that have really resulted in some of these symptoms that are manifesting themselves. Our job is to try to understand what those are and put the required programs and solutions in place. Then we'll have to take a look at what resources are required to help meet those solutions,” Moses said.
“It's real conversation that we have. And so, there are instances where people are perhaps triggered. But we do have helpers on hand to be able to assist with that. More than anything, it's an open, honest dialogue and conversation, and of course, with our culture, there's a little bit of laughter and humour sprinkled throughout. We do our best to sort of work within the social context. There was a gathering last night with some music and some sharing of food. So we try to have a healthy balance.”