| 00:00:41 |
00:00:47 |
>> They have to understand
our language or identity. |
| 00:00:49 |
00:00:55 |
They have to understand the many
ceremonies that we do have. |
| 00:00:55 |
00:00:58 |
I know that they are youth council, |
| 00:00:58 |
00:01:00 |
they're leaders right now. |
| 00:01:00 |
00:01:03 |
Into the future, |
| 00:01:03 |
00:01:06 |
we have to be proud of who we are. |
| 00:01:07 |
00:01:10 |
We have to be proud of |
| 00:01:10 |
00:01:16 |
our identity because that's
how we want to survive again. |
| 00:01:25 |
00:01:29 |
>> My elder in training over here, |
| 00:01:29 |
00:01:32 |
I tell him he's not
in training no more. |
| 00:01:32 |
00:01:36 |
But he heard me talk a few times |
| 00:01:36 |
00:01:40 |
already about a governance
structure that we do |
| 00:01:40 |
00:01:43 |
have and why are we trying to |
| 00:01:43 |
00:01:47 |
still adapt to or structure
that doesn't belong to us. |
| 00:01:47 |
00:01:50 |
These foreigners that came here just |
| 00:01:50 |
00:01:53 |
500 years ago was |
| 00:01:53 |
00:01:58 |
still trying to adapt to
their system and we can't. |
| 00:01:58 |
00:02:02 |
Maybe we should turn
the tables around. |
| 00:02:02 |
00:02:07 |
Maybe we should get them to adapt
to our structure of governance. |
| 00:02:08 |
00:02:11 |
We want to be talking about
that governance structure |
| 00:02:11 |
00:02:15 |
tonight that has been |
| 00:02:15 |
00:02:18 |
around for years and years
and years and years. |
| 00:02:19 |
00:02:25 |
>> Ngo Dwe Waangizid Anishinaabe
was a process that came after |
| 00:02:25 |
00:02:28 |
the development of the
Chi Naaknigewin which |
| 00:02:28 |
00:02:31 |
is the constitution of
the Anishinaabe nation. |
| 00:02:31 |
00:02:33 |
What that meant was that we now had |
| 00:02:33 |
00:02:35 |
a document in front of us that was |
| 00:02:35 |
00:02:38 |
essentially very good to start |
| 00:02:38 |
00:02:40 |
to looking at our
lawmaking authority. |
| 00:02:40 |
00:02:43 |
But at that time there was
still something missing. |
| 00:02:43 |
00:02:48 |
And what was missing was this
notion of the spirit of the people. |
| 00:02:48 |
00:02:51 |
The elders went and they did |
| 00:02:51 |
00:02:55 |
everything in the Anishinaabian
language and what came out of that |
| 00:02:55 |
00:02:58 |
was Ngo Dwe Waangizid
Anishinaabe and it's now |
| 00:02:58 |
00:02:59 |
a very important part of |
| 00:02:59 |
00:03:02 |
our restoration of jurisdiction
process going forward. |
| 00:03:02 |
00:03:05 |
>> Once people begin to understand |
| 00:03:05 |
00:03:08 |
what's in the Ngo Dwe
Waangizid Anishinaabe, |
| 00:03:08 |
00:03:11 |
they begin to understand how |
| 00:03:11 |
00:03:15 |
the constitution of the
Anishinaabe is formed. |
| 00:03:15 |
00:03:19 |
The earth, the air, the water, |
| 00:03:19 |
00:03:21 |
and the fire are |
| 00:03:21 |
00:03:25 |
the primary gifts of the creator
to the Anishinaabe people. |
| 00:03:25 |
00:03:28 |
The Anishinaabe
believe that these are |
| 00:03:28 |
00:03:31 |
primary gifts that
must be protected. |
| 00:03:31 |
00:03:37 |
The seven gifts of the
grandfathers describe the ways or |
| 00:03:37 |
00:03:40 |
the laws that the Anishinaabe people |
| 00:03:40 |
00:03:44 |
have to live in order
to live a good life. |
| 00:03:44 |
00:03:45 |
But not only that, |
| 00:03:45 |
00:03:47 |
but for community and |
| 00:03:47 |
00:03:52 |
family order so that they
can live in a good way. |
| 00:03:52 |
00:03:57 |
The creator also gave the
Anishinaabe the right to exist in |
| 00:03:57 |
00:04:01 |
this land as a nation
of people and it's |
| 00:04:01 |
00:04:07 |
important for people to understand
that that means sovereignty. |
| 00:04:07 |
00:04:11 |
Currently, we have First
Nations who are directed |
| 00:04:11 |
00:04:13 |
by Indian affairs on how |
| 00:04:13 |
00:04:16 |
they should run their governments
in their communities. |
| 00:04:16 |
00:04:19 |
Under the Anishinaabe
nation government, |
| 00:04:19 |
00:04:21 |
we'll do things our own way. |
| 00:04:21 |
00:04:25 |
In other words, we won't have to
follow the Indian Act process. |
| 00:04:25 |
00:04:29 |
>> We're in a very critical time
and we know that the Indian Act |
| 00:04:29 |
00:04:31 |
does nothing but create problems |
| 00:04:31 |
00:04:33 |
and challenges for our communities. |
| 00:04:33 |
00:04:35 |
Let's work together. |
| 00:04:35 |
00:04:38 |
Let's prove to our children
that we know what's |
| 00:04:38 |
00:04:41 |
in their best interests
because at the end of the day, |
| 00:04:41 |
00:04:45 |
the experts are here in this room. |
| 00:04:45 |
00:04:48 |
The experts are back
in our communities. |
| 00:04:48 |
00:04:50 |
>> Every aspect of our lives |
| 00:04:50 |
00:04:52 |
is impacted by his
outside jurisdiction, |
| 00:04:52 |
00:04:55 |
is trying to occupy
the field and take |
| 00:04:55 |
00:04:58 |
over the running of how things
should happen in our communities. |
| 00:04:58 |
00:05:02 |
Bureaucrats in Ottawa,
bureaucrats at Queen's Park, |
| 00:05:02 |
00:05:04 |
or the politicians
at Queen's Park and |
| 00:05:04 |
00:05:08 |
the politicians in Ottawa do
not know our communities. |
| 00:05:08 |
00:05:10 |
They do not know our people. |
| 00:05:10 |
00:05:13 |
We can't rely on somebody
else's so-called solutions |
| 00:05:13 |
00:05:14 |
when we have the answers. |
| 00:05:14 |
00:05:18 |
>> If we continue
doing the circle here, |
| 00:05:18 |
00:05:21 |
continue talking about
our clan structure |
| 00:05:21 |
00:05:25 |
or clans and what
their functions are, |
| 00:05:25 |
00:05:30 |
the better we will be to
understand our trail in life. |
| 00:05:30 |
00:05:33 |
>> We start to see the
clan system take up |
| 00:05:33 |
00:05:36 |
formal place in our
government process. |
| 00:05:36 |
00:05:38 |
We start to see that
the various roles and |
| 00:05:38 |
00:05:41 |
responsibilities of
administration and we start |
| 00:05:41 |
00:05:43 |
to see the role of the judiciary and |
| 00:05:43 |
00:05:46 |
what clan may be responsible
for those duties. |
| 00:05:46 |
00:05:49 |
But the key element here
is that they're all |
| 00:05:49 |
00:05:52 |
based on some very ancient laws |
| 00:05:52 |
00:05:55 |
and some very inherent
responsibilities |
| 00:05:55 |
00:05:58 |
that we all have as
Anishinaabe people. |
| 00:05:58 |
00:06:01 |
When we're able to take those
things and forward them into |
| 00:06:01 |
00:06:06 |
the modern elements of who we
are as a government today, |
| 00:06:06 |
00:06:08 |
then we can actually say, |
| 00:06:08 |
00:06:10 |
we are a nation based on |
| 00:06:10 |
00:06:13 |
the sovereignty that we went
to the treaty table with. |
| 00:06:13 |
00:06:15 |
>> Under this new arrangement we |
| 00:06:15 |
00:06:17 |
have with the government of Canada, |
| 00:06:17 |
00:06:19 |
we will no longer elect |
| 00:06:19 |
00:06:21 |
our chief and councils
under the Indian Act. |
| 00:06:21 |
00:06:24 |
Our communities will have
the option of enacting |
| 00:06:24 |
00:06:27 |
our own election laws and be able
to determine things for self, |
| 00:06:27 |
00:06:32 |
such as, what will the qualifications
before to serve as a chief? |
| 00:06:32 |
00:06:34 |
What are the qualifications
that we'll set |
| 00:06:34 |
00:06:36 |
for ourselves to
serve as a counselor? |
| 00:06:36 |
00:06:39 |
How long will those councils serve? |
| 00:06:39 |
00:06:43 |
>> All those things that right now
are settled in the Indian Act. |
| 00:06:43 |
00:06:45 |
But there are other
powers that are going to |
| 00:06:45 |
00:06:46 |
be recognized in the agreement |
| 00:06:46 |
00:06:49 |
with Canada such as
language and culture. |
| 00:06:49 |
00:06:53 |
It's important to us to
be able to think about |
| 00:06:53 |
00:06:58 |
and institute ways to use
more of our own language, |
| 00:06:58 |
00:07:02 |
to practice more of our own culture
and spirituality, for example, |
| 00:07:02 |
00:07:04 |
in the way we conduct meetings such |
| 00:07:04 |
00:07:08 |
as opening our meetings with prayer, |
| 00:07:08 |
00:07:12 |
having our spiritual ceremonies
be part of our meetings. |
| 00:07:12 |
00:07:14 |
We'll have the language and culture |
| 00:07:14 |
00:07:16 |
law making power
recognizing the agreement, |
| 00:07:16 |
00:07:20 |
as well as powers that we need to
and that most governments need, |
| 00:07:20 |
00:07:24 |
such as the power
to implement a law, |
| 00:07:24 |
00:07:27 |
such as a Financial
Administration Act and some of |
| 00:07:27 |
00:07:30 |
the other law making powers that
are recognized in the agreement, |
| 00:07:30 |
00:07:34 |
our citizenship, so
our first nations can |
| 00:07:34 |
00:07:38 |
determine who the citizens
will be of the first station. |
| 00:07:38 |
00:07:42 |
>> We have that
authority, that right, |
| 00:07:42 |
00:07:47 |
that responsibility to say who
our memories are, it's up to us. |
| 00:07:47 |
00:07:50 |
Even if they've never
been recognized legally, |
| 00:07:50 |
00:07:53 |
it doesn't matter, we will
have that right to say yes. |
| 00:07:53 |
00:07:56 |
Its not just for us
that we're doing this. |
| 00:07:56 |
00:07:58 |
We're here for the young people, |
| 00:07:58 |
00:08:01 |
but we're thinking about
the future generations, |
| 00:08:01 |
00:08:03 |
the generations to come. |
| 00:08:03 |
00:08:06 |
>> He finally said it's
time for us to take charge |
| 00:08:06 |
00:08:10 |
and to reinstate our
incurrent rights, |
| 00:08:10 |
00:08:14 |
to make laws, to run our own
communities in our own way, |
| 00:08:14 |
00:08:17 |
that is to restore
the jurisdictions. |
| 00:08:17 |
00:08:20 |
>> I had no idea about like self
governing and how sufficient |
| 00:08:20 |
00:08:22 |
that we could potentially be |
| 00:08:22 |
00:08:24 |
like first it seemed
a little grahamed. |
| 00:08:24 |
00:08:25 |
I didn't think that we could
actually get our feet off |
| 00:08:25 |
00:08:28 |
the ground after everything
that happened in history. |
| 00:08:28 |
00:08:30 |
Now I have a lot of
confidence moving forward |
| 00:08:30 |
00:08:33 |
and being one of |
| 00:08:33 |
00:08:36 |
the people to initiate self
governing in my community. |
| 00:08:36 |
00:08:38 |
>> I knew there was a clan system |
| 00:08:38 |
00:08:41 |
like a governor of a clan system, |
| 00:08:41 |
00:08:46 |
but I never knew the responsibilities
of each and every clan. |
| 00:08:47 |
00:08:55 |
Now that I know it and we're
trying to make that a reality. |
| 00:08:55 |
00:08:56 |
Well, it is a reality, |
| 00:08:56 |
00:09:00 |
but we are trying to input
it in our lives today. |
| 00:09:00 |
00:09:04 |
That seems like just
an amazing idea, |
| 00:09:04 |
00:09:08 |
I think we'll go so
much further that way. |
| 00:09:08 |
00:09:10 |
>> The government has replace all of |
| 00:09:10 |
00:09:14 |
our systems that we already
had existing prior to contact. |
| 00:09:14 |
00:09:16 |
The amount of friction
we're getting in |
| 00:09:16 |
00:09:18 |
our fight to restore
our jurisdiction, |
| 00:09:18 |
00:09:21 |
which is rightfully
ours, it's inherent. |
| 00:09:21 |
00:09:26 |
We've never given it up that's
what aggravates me the most. |
| 00:09:26 |
00:09:29 |
>> There's no excuse for us
to not know these things. |
| 00:09:29 |
00:09:31 |
You can't see where you're going |
| 00:09:31 |
00:09:33 |
unless you know where you've been. |
| 00:09:33 |
00:09:36 |
For us to know our histories
is very important and I'm sure |
| 00:09:36 |
00:09:39 |
that it isn't something that's
well known around here. |
| 00:09:39 |
00:09:41 |
We know that we've come |
| 00:09:41 |
00:09:43 |
up against opposition and
come out ahead before, |
| 00:09:43 |
00:09:45 |
so there's no reason
we can't do it again. |
| 00:09:45 |
00:09:48 |
>> I'm interested
in any knowledge or |
| 00:09:48 |
00:09:52 |
information or skills that
will give me the ability |
| 00:09:52 |
00:09:55 |
to grow as a person and to also then |
| 00:09:55 |
00:09:57 |
later on maybe have positive effect |
| 00:09:57 |
00:09:59 |
on family, community and nation. |
| 00:09:59 |
00:10:03 |
>> Once you inspire someone, |
| 00:10:03 |
00:10:06 |
that's when you realize how
much you have to offer and |
| 00:10:06 |
00:10:10 |
the gifts you have to offer
that you were given in them. |
| 00:10:10 |
00:10:12 |
I keep hearing about
this fire within us. |
| 00:10:12 |
00:10:13 |
[MUSIC] |
| 00:10:13 |
00:10:16 |
>> The really important
reason why I think we're |
| 00:10:16 |
00:10:19 |
embarking on Self Government
Agreement and enacting |
| 00:10:19 |
00:10:21 |
constitutions are ready to take |
| 00:10:21 |
00:10:24 |
some steps and measures that
are going to help turn things |
| 00:10:24 |
00:10:26 |
around for our
communities and so having |
| 00:10:26 |
00:10:30 |
our own constitutions is
our people's way of saying, |
| 00:10:30 |
00:10:32 |
here's what our
communities are about. |
| 00:10:32 |
00:10:33 |
Here's the values and the beliefs |
| 00:10:33 |
00:10:35 |
and the principles that
are important to us. |
| 00:10:35 |
00:10:38 |
Here's the law making powers
that we're going to say |
| 00:10:38 |
00:10:42 |
council can exercise on
behalf of the people. |
| 00:10:42 |
00:10:46 |
When we build those things
like the constitutions and |
| 00:10:46 |
00:10:49 |
we build our appeal and
redress our mechanisms, |
| 00:10:49 |
00:10:51 |
we build them in a way that match |
| 00:10:51 |
00:10:54 |
our own unique Anishinaabe culture. |
| 00:10:54 |
00:10:57 |
There are a reflection
of our values, |
| 00:10:57 |
00:11:00 |
our way of doing things
and when we do that, |
| 00:11:00 |
00:11:02 |
they have more
legitimacy in the eyes |
| 00:11:02 |
00:11:04 |
of our people that
they were designed to |
| 00:11:04 |
00:11:06 |
serve because they were built |
| 00:11:06 |
00:11:09 |
by our people and
build for our people. |
| 00:11:09 |
00:11:13 |
It's important to have a cultural
match when you reflect back on |
| 00:11:13 |
00:11:17 |
the look and the content of the
Anishinaabe nation Niisaachewan. |
| 00:11:17 |
00:11:19 |
When you'll see the first
thing you're going to see, |
| 00:11:19 |
00:11:23 |
there's the reciting of the goody
on because it Anishinaabe a, |
| 00:11:23 |
00:11:25 |
which is what I spoke of earlier, |
| 00:11:25 |
00:11:28 |
the reflection of our
traditional values, |
| 00:11:28 |
00:11:30 |
our beliefs, our seven
Grandfather Teachings. |
| 00:11:30 |
00:11:34 |
That's an example of the cultural
match I was talking about, |
| 00:11:34 |
00:11:36 |
whereby we built a constitution, |
| 00:11:36 |
00:11:39 |
we built a Anishinaabe
nation Niisaachewan and we, |
| 00:11:39 |
00:11:41 |
it's completely reflective of |
| 00:11:41 |
00:11:43 |
who we are as an
Niisaachewan people. |
| 00:11:43 |
00:11:46 |
Having our own
jurisdiction is really |
| 00:11:46 |
00:11:48 |
important and that's
why we're engaged in |
| 00:11:48 |
00:11:52 |
negotiations with Canada to get |
| 00:11:52 |
00:11:54 |
Canada's recognition for our law |
| 00:11:54 |
00:11:57 |
making powers in the area of
governance and education. |
| 00:11:57 |
00:12:00 |
It really is no more
complicated than that. |
| 00:12:00 |
00:12:03 |
Its taking control of our destiny. |
| 00:12:03 |
00:12:05 |
It's about enacting our own laws and |
| 00:12:05 |
00:12:06 |
really putting in place |
| 00:12:06 |
00:12:09 |
the things that have been shown
to work through the research. |
| 00:12:09 |
00:12:12 |
It's no more complicated than that. |
| 00:12:12 |
00:12:15 |
>> When is this going to happen? |
| 00:12:15 |
00:12:17 |
We're doing it today. |
| 00:12:17 |
00:12:19 |
We're actually asserting, |
| 00:12:19 |
00:12:22 |
we're exercising those
rights and we're |
| 00:12:22 |
00:12:25 |
now putting pieces in
place that demonstrate, |
| 00:12:25 |
00:12:30 |
we have been taking our responsibility
despite the Indian Act, |
| 00:12:30 |
00:12:33 |
despite other policies that are
being imposed on our people, |
| 00:12:33 |
00:12:36 |
we are still seeking
direction from our elders. |
| 00:12:36 |
00:12:38 |
We still have our ceremonies intact, |
| 00:12:38 |
00:12:41 |
that the language, even though
it's an a meager state right now, |
| 00:12:41 |
00:12:45 |
we're reclaiming that language
and those very things give |
| 00:12:45 |
00:12:49 |
us the assurance that we have
always practice our jurisdiction, |
| 00:12:49 |
00:12:51 |
that we have always upheld |
| 00:12:51 |
00:12:54 |
the principle of who we
are as sovereign people. |
| 00:12:54 |
00:12:57 |
Its now just having
governments recognize that. |
| 00:12:57 |
00:12:58 |
It's now just having industry |
| 00:12:58 |
00:13:01 |
recognize that when they want
to develop on our lands. |
| 00:13:01 |
00:13:04 |
I think what's happening
is as governments are |
| 00:13:04 |
00:13:06 |
now being forced to look at |
| 00:13:06 |
00:13:10 |
the option and to look at the
processes that we're putting place |
| 00:13:10 |
00:13:14 |
in our negotiations for
education, for self government. |
| 00:13:14 |
00:13:15 |
What people are clearly |
| 00:13:15 |
00:13:18 |
recognizing is that those
laws have already existed. |
| 00:13:18 |
00:13:20 |
We don't have to make these laws up. |
| 00:13:20 |
00:13:24 |
We don't have to try
to grasp at straws. |
| 00:13:24 |
00:13:27 |
We go through our
protocols, our ceremonies, |
| 00:13:27 |
00:13:28 |
we speak to our elders, |
| 00:13:28 |
00:13:29 |
we talked to our knowledge keepers. |
| 00:13:29 |
00:13:32 |
We get that direction
and we will find |
| 00:13:32 |
00:13:36 |
that our jurisdiction has always
been there in our communities. |