Miscellaneous
Waabindaazijig – For Those Who Are Not Yet BornGo Leafs Go!!! This week features an eye-opening interview with Quinn Meawasige; Ojibwe from Serpent River First Nation, Indigenous Studies Professor, and #1 Toronto Maple Leafs fan. Rachel, Richard, and Jeff raise questions about Indigenous reconciliation, treaty rights, hunting and fishing rights, and land-based education and language, with Quinn responding to each with a mind-blowing history lesson that leads into an understanding of the issue today.First, we tackle the government’s priority of reconciling its relationship with Canada’s Indigenous peoples. Quinn explains his vision for the path forward, one that is centred on honouring the intention of treaties and creating space for Indigenous peoples so that they can be authors of their own narrative. He elaborates on the factors that perpetuate racism, including actions and words that non-Indigenous Canadians can use to break the cycle.Quinn then teaches us about hunting and fishing rights and how they contribute to both food security and food sovereignty in Indigenous communities through activities such as wild food banks and community hunts. As a way of learning from the current conflict in Nova Scotia, he highlights the importance of Northeastern Ontarians consulting with community members and understanding Indigenous peoples’ inherent rights, as opposed to treaty rights.Quinn describes the responsibilities stemming from these inherent rights, which includes those to the Waabindaazijig or those who are not yet born. He explains Indigenous peoples’ relationship to the land to demonstrate how land-based education creates a process for inter-generational healing, as well as the importance of Indigenous languages. Quinn leaves us with the notion that true reconciliation requires integration and nurturing over time.