Bemaadizijig Ganoonindwaa: Talking to People

Marsha Smoke, Anishinabek Nation Southeast Regional Chief, explains how the Anishinabek Nation is asserting the inherent right to decide who our citizens are. To move this forward, the Anishinabek Nation created a Draft Declaration on E'Dbendaagzijig in 2025, and our own citizenship law, the E-Dbendaagzijig Naaknigewin in 2009. "E'Dbendaagzijig" is an Anishinaabemowin word that means "Those who belong," or "Citizenship."

Since 1876...

Anishinabek families that are involved or at-risk of becoming involved in child protection matters can access support through the Anishinabek Nation Circle Process, a culturally-based, voluntary, child-centered, confidential circle, providing Anishinabek First Nation families with the support needed to create a plan that addresses child and youth well-being issues. This service is coordinated through Koganaawsawin, the central coor...

In 2024, Beausoleil First Nation opened their very own dialysis unit, named Anwaatin Nbi (Calming Waters).  Since Beausoleil is only accessible by ferry, having dialysis available in the community reduces travel and treatment time for each visit from up to eight hours, to just three hours. Deborah Laramey, Director of the Beausoleil Family Health Centre, says that obtaining an important service such as dialysis is possible for oth...

Curtis Avery, Manager of the Nipissing First Nation Environment Department, describes the Moose research in their territory. Also: hear the Moose Calling Competition held at the Moose Symposium in September 2024!

Curtis shares how the NFN Environment Department is using data collected through satellite imagery, remote sensors, a weather station and trail cameras, as well as on-the-ground surveys, water sampling and fecal pellet cou...

In this episode, we’ll meet Duke Peltier, the Anishinabek Nation’s Children’s Commissioner (Abinoojiinyan Onji-E-Bimiikang). Duke Peltier was appointed to this role in 2019. He is an independent voice for Anishinabek children and youth advocating for their best interests, rights and well-being. He provides high-level oversight over the implementation, compliance, and enforcement of the Anishinabek Nation Child Well-Being Law and th...

NaWalka Geeshy Meegwun and Aaron Bowerman share some of the assumptions and challenges Two-Spirit people may encounter when accessing health care, and reflect on the importance of healthy, supportive communities.

This is the fourth of four podcasts that Bemaadizijig Ganoonindwaa has created in collaboration with members of the Anishinabek Nation’s Two-Spirit, Two-Heart, Indigenous Queer Nation Advisory Council exploring Two-Spirit ...

NaWalka Geeshy Meegwun and Aaron Bowerman share ways to address homophobia through the use of inclusive language and policies, by ensuring that Two Spirit people are welcome at ceremony, and by supporting Two-Spirit youth.

This is the third of four podcasts that Bemaadizijig Ganoonindwaa has created in collaboration with members of the Anishinabek Nation’s Two-Spirit, Two-Heart, Indigenous Queer Nation Advisory Council exploring Tw...

NaWalka Geeshy Meegwun and Aaron Bowerman, members of the Anishinabek Nation’s Two-Spirit, Two-Heart, Indigenous Queer Nation Advisory Council, talk about their understandings of Two Spirit histories, and how Two-Spirit people traditionally had highly respected community roles and responsibilities.  Today, Two Spirit people are reclaiming their rightful place within our communities, with the help of Anishinaabe who have held on t...

NaWalka Geeshy Meegwun and Aaron Bowerman, members of the Anishinabek Nation’s Two-Spirit, Two-Heart, Indigenous Queer Nation Advisory Council, talk about reclaiming Two-Spirit terminology that is embedded in Anishinaabe language and ceremony. Bemaadizijig Ganoonindwaa has collaborated with the Anishinabek Nation’s Two-Spirit, Two-Heart, Indigenous Queer Nation Advisory Council to create a series of four podcasts exploring Two-Sp...

Mike Restoule, Chair of the Robinson Huron Treaty Litigation Fund, shares why the Anishinabek asserted the need for a treaty in the 1840s, how the Anishinabek First Nations came together to create the present-day Robinson Huron Treaty Litigation Fund, and why our Treaty relationship will continue to be important in the future. In 1850, Anishinaabeg entered into two treaties with the British Crown: the Robinson Huron Treaty and the...

Perry McLeod-Shabogesic, Dale Benoit-Zohr, and John Paul Kohoko share their knowledge of mooz harvesting and how climate change is impacting the mooz. Perry, Dale and John Paul attended the Anishinabek Nation's first Mooz Maawanjiding, a Moose Symposium, in Ketegaunseebee, Garden River First Nation.  The goal of this gathering, hosted by our Lands and Resources Department, was to create connections amongst mooz advocates, better ...

Ookomis Donna Debassige shares her experiences as a survivor of the Spanish Indian Residential School for Girls. We talk about the effects that residential schools, government policies and religion had on her community, and her advocacy work. Ookomis Donna also shares her hopes and expectations for the September 30th National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, for both her fellow survivors and for the community at large.

Ookomis Don...

Stan Cloud, Director of the Anishinabek Nation Social Development and Koganaawsawin, shares how this organization is dedicated to reasserting Anishinabek ways of caring for our families and communities.     

Launched in 2019, Koganaawsawin is a collective body established by Anishinabek First Nations and Indigenous child well-being agencies to support and further enhance the delivery of child, youth and family well-being programs a...

Barbara Ann Nolan is the Anishinabek Nation’s Language Commissioner, our Anishinaabemowin E-niigaanwidood. We talked about her extensive involvement in Anishinaabemowin revitalization, starting in the 1970s, to the community efforts she's seeing across Anishinabek territory today. As a vibrant first speaker of Nishnaabemowin, Barbara advocates for an uplifting approach to language learning, through immersion experiences, in-person ...

Anishinaabemowin champion Isadore Toulouse talks about the state of Anishinaabemowin in 2024:  Are there enough fluent Anishinaabemowin speakers today to carry the language on? Is it important to know how to speak the language, and should we know how to write it too?  What are best ways to learn the language? 

Isadore Toulouse Bebamikawe has been involved in Anishinaabemowin promotion for over 40 years.  A member of the Turtle clan...

The Biinaagami Initiative is creating multimedia resources rooted in Indigenous knowledges to educate, connect, and promote action for the protection of the Great Lakes, which are under threat from pollution, climate change, and invasive species. 

Biinaagami is a collaboration between the Royal Canadian Geographic Society, and Canadian water advocacy charity Swim Drink Fish.  Our guests, Meredith Brown, Director of Special Projects...