ISN Maskwa would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge, in solidarity, all our relations across Turtle Island: National Indigenous Peoples Day sometimes referred to as Solidarity Day.
We would like to remind everyone that being proud of who you are is not restricted to one day out of the year but is encouraged every day throughout the year. We have endured generations of genocidal policies and laws that restricted who we could be in the hopes that we would become “Canadians”. Yet, today we still stand strong as sovereign nations and are taking many steps to reclaim our inherent rights, responsibilities, and jurisdiction; in Anishinaabe, we call this “Miinigowiziwin” (Sacred Gifts Given by the Creator).
One of those steps was when Missanabie Cree First Nation created Canada’s first Indigenous Emergency Operations Centre (IEOC) which has been operating 24/7 since April 2022. During this time, our ISN Maskwa teams have had the opportunity to help many First Nations in times of crisis. All of our lives have been touched in many positive ways by connecting with our relations in these communities. ISN Maskwa has also spent time building capacity within these Nations with the goal that they will be able to manage crises when they strike, in an Indigenous-led approach.
ISN Maskwa has a wide network of former police officers, first responders, and military personnel. While Indigenous people know what today is all about, we encourage our non-Indigenous relations to ask themselves what this day means to them. It is always important to remind Canadians that when they first arrived they had a hard time adjusting and almost didn’t survive. In the first instance of crisis intervention, the First Nations reached out their hands to help those who would eventually become Canadians survive. This peaceful beginning led to a tumultuous recent history; it is important to ask what your role will be as we try to return to a place of friendship and peace.
It is important for young Indigenous people to participate in the celebrations that are taking place from coast to coast to coast. Indigenous people have existed on this land since time immemorial with recorded history in Treaty #3 dating back 10,000 years. As the writer of this blog, I can only write from my Anishinaabe perspective, but 70 years from now, when I am 100 years old; I hope to be able to continue seeing these celebrations. Despite the crisis, despite hardships, and despite genocide; we still sing, dance, and do ceremonies. So long as even a single drum sounds on Turtle Island the Indigenous people will continue to endure an indefinite future.
Author Bio
Will Landon (Waabishkigaabo) is a nationally recognized mental health advocate and leader, a freelance writer, and he holds a Bachelor of Arts. He takes time when he can to enter deployments as a Community Support Personnel and Supervisor with ISN Maskwa, providing his expertise in mental health and relationship building where he can. His goal while on deployment is to provide compassionate support for the Nations and their people when in need.
