History

ᑭᒋᔭᐦᐊ ᐯᔑᑲᐧ ᑭᑎᐸᒋᒧᐸᐣ ᐁᒪᐧᔦ ᐊᐧᓂᐡᑫᐧᒋᑲᑌᑭᐣ ᑭᐱᒪᑎᓯᐃᐧᓂᓇᐣᐨ ᑲᑭ ᐅᒥᔓᒥᐨ ᑭᐱᒥᑕᐱᐸᐣ ᑲᑭ ᐅᔑᐦᐊᐨ ᐅᑕᐸᓇᑯᓴᐣ ᐁᑭ ᑯᐱᑕᐱᐨ, ᐅᑐᑕᐸᓇᑯᐣ ᑲᑭ ᐅᒋ ᐱᒪᒋᐦᐅᐊᐧᑫᐨ. ᒥᒋᑦ ᐁᑭ ᐱᒥᐃᐧᑐᐨ, ᐅᑕᐸᒋᒋᑲᓇᐣ ᑲᔦ ᒥᓇ ᐅᑭᔑᑌᐳᐃᐧ ᐊᐸᒋᑕᑲᓇᐣ, ᐊᓴᐱᐣ, ᒥᓇ ᐅᒧᑯᒪᐣ. ᒣᑲᐧᐨ ᑲᔦ ᐁᑭ ᓱᑯᐸᐧᐣᐠ, ᒪᐊᐧᐨ ᑕᐡ ᑭᑭᒋ ᐊᓄᑭᐊᐧᐠ. ᐁᑭ ᐊᓂᒥᐃᐧᑐᐨ ᒋᑭ ᐱᒋᓂᐡᑲᐨ, ᐁᑲᐧ ᑕᐡ ᐱᓂᐡ ᐊᐊᐧᔑᒣ ᐁᑭ ᐊᓂᒥᐃᐧᑐᐨ ᒋᐊᐧᑭᑕᒪᒋᐁᐧᐡᑲᐨ. ᔕᑯᐨ ᐊᒥᐱᑯ ᑲᑭᔑ ᑲᑫᐧ ᑲᐡᑭᑐᐨ, ᑕᐱᓇᑲ ᐅᑭ ᑭᑫᐣᑕᐣ ᓇᐊᐧᐨ ᒋᐁᐧᐣᑕᓂᐠ ᐱᒪᑎᓯᐃᐧᐣ ᐊᐱ ᐃᒪ ᑭᐃᐡᑲᐧ ᐊᐧᑭᑕᒪᒋᐁᐧᐨ.

ᐁᑲᐧ ᑲᐱ ᐊᔭᓂᑯᐱᒪᑎᓯᐊᐧᐨ ᐊᓂᔑᓂᓂᐊᐧᐠ, ᐊᒥᐦᐃ ᐁᐃᔑᓇᑲᐧᐠ ᐁᑯᐸᒪᒋᐁᐧᐡᑲᔭᐣᐠ ᑕᐱᑯᐡᐨ ᐊᐁᐧ ᐅᒥᔓᒥᒪ. ᐁᑲᐧ ᑕᐡ ᐊᐱ ᐁᑲᓇᐊᐧᐸᐣᒋᑲᑌᐠ ᐊᐱ ᑲᑲᐡᑭᑐᔭᐠ ᒋᐊᐧᑭᑕᒪᒋᐁᐧᔭᐣᐠ, ᑭᐱᒪᑎᓯᐃᐧᓂᓇᐣ ᑕᐸᑲᓂᓭ.

ᔕᑯᐨ ᐃᐁᐧ ᑲᐃᓇᑎᓯᔭᐠ ᑭᐊᐧᓇᒋᑲᑌ, ᒥᓇ ᑲᔦ ᐁᑭ ᐃᔑᓇᑲᐧᐠ ᒋᐱᒥᑕᐸᓱᔭᐣᐠ ᐃᒪ ᐅᑕᐸᓇᑯᓯᐣᐠ. ᐊᐸᐣ ᑕᐡ ᑲᔦ ᐁᓂᓴᑕᐦᐁᔭᐣᐠ ᐁᓂᑯᐠ ᒥᑕᐡ ᐊᐸᐣ ᐁᔑ ᐊᐧᓂᑫᐣᑕᒪᐣᐠ ᑫᑯᓇᐣ ᑲᑭ ᓇᑲᑕᒪᐣᐠ.

ᐊᐁᐧ ᑭᒋᔭᐦᐊ ᑭᐃᑭᑐ ᐃᐁᐧ ᑫᑐᑕᒪᐣᐠ ᒋᑭᐁᐧ ᓇᓯᑲᒪᐣᐠ ᑭᑕᓂᔑᓂᓂᐊᐧᑎᓯᐃᐧᓂᓇᐣ, ᒥᔕ ᐁᔑᓇᑲᐧᐠ ᒋᑭᐁᐧᐡᑲᔭᐣᐠ ᒥᓇ ᒋᐅᑕᐱᓇᒪᐣᐠ ᑲᑭ ᓇᑲᑕᒪᐣᐠ. ᑭᓇᐣᑕᐁᐧᐣᑕᑯᓯᒥᐣ ᒋᑭᐁᐧᐡᑲᔭᐠ ᒥᓇ ᒋᒧᔕᑭᓇᒪᐣᐠ ᑲᑭᓇ ᑫᑯᓇᐣ ᑲᑭ ᐊᐧᓂᑐᔭᐣᐠ ᐃᒪ ᑫᐧᑲᒪᑎᐣ. ᔕᑯᐨ ᑲᓇᓇᑯᒧᒥᐣ, ᐁᑲ ᐁᐧᓴ ᐊᐧᓴ ᒋᑭᐁᐧᐡᑲᔭᐣᐠ ᒥᓂᑯᐠ ᑫᐊᓂ ᒥᑲᒪᐠ.

ᐁᒪᐧᔦ ᑕᐡ ᐊᐧᓇᐦᐊᑲᓄᐊᐧᐨ ᑭᑕᓂᔑᓂᓂᒥᓇᐣ, ᒥᑐᓂ ᑭᒥᓯᐁᐧᔭ ᑭᐱᒪᑎᓯᐃᐧᓂᓇᐣ. ᑲᑭᓇ ᑫᑯᓇᐣ ᑭᑭ ᐊᔭᒥᐣ: ᑭᑐᓇᑯᓂᑫᐃᐧᓂᓇᐣ, ᑭᑲᓇᐁᐧᓂᒪᐊᐧᓱᐃᐧᓂᓇᐣ, ᑭᑕᐦᑭᓇᐣ. ᐁᑲᐧ ᑕᐡ ᐊᐱ ᐁᐧᒥᑎᑯᔑ ᑲᑭᐱ ᐊᐧᓇᐦᐃᑯᔭᐠ, ᑭᑭᐊᐧᓂᑐᒥᐣ ᑭᑕᓂᔑᓂᓂᐊᐧᑎᓯᐃᐧᓂᓇᐣ, ᐃᔑᑭᔑᐁᐧᐃᐧᐣ, ᒥᓇ ᐊᓂᔑᓂᓂᐃᐧ ᑐᑕᒧᐃᐧᓇᐣ. ᔕᑯᐨ ᑲᒪᐡᑲᐊᐧᑎᓯᔭᐣᐠ ᒥᓇ ᐁᑲ ᑲᔓᑯᒋ ᐱᓂᐁᐧᐸᐦᐅᑯᔭᐠ, ᑭᑭᑲᐡᑭᑐᒥᐣ ᒥᓇᐊᐧ ᒋᑭᐁᐧ ᐅᑕᐱᓇᒪᐠ ᑲᑭ ᐊᐧᓂᑐᔭᐠ ᒥᓇ ᑲᔦ ᐊᔕ ᐊᐊᐧᔑᒣ ᐊᐱᑕ ᐁᑭᐁᐧᐡᑲᔭᐠ ᐃᒪ ᑭᐱᒪᑎᓯᐃᐧᓂᓇᐣ ᐅᒋ. ᐁᐣᑕᓱᑭᔑᑲ, ᑭᐱᒥ ᑲᑫᐧ ᑲᐡᑭᑐᒥᐣ ᒋᑭ ᒥᓯᐁᐧᓯᔭᑭᐸᐣ. ᐊᐱᑕᐡ ᐃᒪ ᑭᑕᑯᔑᓄᔭᐠ, ᐊᒥᔕ ᒋᑭ ᒥᓂᐡᑲᒪᑲᑭᐸᓂᐣ ᑭᑕᔑᑫᐃᐧᓂᓇᐣ, ᒥᓇ ᒋᒥᓄᔭᒪᑲᑭᐣ ᑭᑎᐯᐣᒋᑫᐃᐧᓇᐣ ᒥᓇ ᐊᐊᐧᔑᔕᐠ.

ᐃᐁᐧ ᑫᔑ ᐱᒋᓂᐡᑲᓂᐊᐧᐠ ᐊᒥᔕ ᐃᐦᐃᐁᐧ ᑲᐱᒥ ᑭᑭᓇᐊᐧᒋᒋᑲᑌᐠ ᑫᔑ ᐅᐢᑭ ᐱᒥᔭᓂᐊᐧᐠ. ᐃᐁᐧ ᓂᑕᑦ ᒋᓂᑲᓀᐣᑕᒪᐠ ᐊᓂᐣ ᑫᔑ ᒪᒋᑐᔭᐠ. ᒋᑭ ᐅᒋ ᑲᓄᑫᔭᐠ ᐊᓂᐣ ᑭᑭᒋᔭᐦᐊᒥᓇᐣ ᑲᑭᔑ ᑲᓇᐁᐧᓂᒪᐊᐧᓱᐊᐧᐨ ᒥᓇ ᑲᑭᐱᔑ ᑭᑭᓄᐦᐊᒪᑯᔭᐠ ᒣᑲᐧᐨ ᑲᐱᒥ ᐊᐊᐧᔑᔑᐃᐧᔭᐠ.

ᑕᐱᐡᑯᐨ ᐊᐁᐧ ᑭᒋᔭᐦᐊ ᑲᑭ ᓂᓂᓇᒋᑐᐨ ᑲᔑ ᐅᐡᑲᒋ ᐊᑲᐧᑎᐠ ᓴᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ. ᑭᐃᐧᐣᑕᒪᑯᒥᐣ ᐁᑲ ᐯᔓᐣᐨ ᓇᓯᐱᐠ ᒋᐃᔕᔭᐠ ᒥᓇ ᐁᑲ ᐃᒪ ᒋᑕᔑ ᑕᔑᑫᔭᐠ ᐸᓂᒪ ᑲᑭᒋᔭᐦᐊᐃᐧᐨ ᑭᐃᐡᑲᐧ ᓇᓇᑲᒋᑐᐨ ᑭᐡᐱᐣ ᐊᔕ ᒣᐡᑲᐃᐧᓯᑫᐧᐣ ᒥᑲᐧᑦ. ᐊᐱᑕᐢ ᑲᑭ ᐃᐡᑲᐧ ᓇᓇᑲᒋᑐᐨ, ᐊᐁᐧ ᑭᒋᔭᐦᐊ ᑭᓂᑲᓂᐡᑲ ᒥᓇ ᐁᑭ ᐅᒋ ᐁᐧᐣᑎᓯᐊᐧᐨ ᑭᓇᐃᐧᐣᐃ ᑲᐅᐡᑲᑎᓯᔭᐠ ᑲᐃᐧ ᐱᒪᓄᑲᑕᒪᐠ ᐅᐁᐧ.

ᑭᑎᔑ ᐃᐧᐣᑕᒪᑯᒥᐣ ᑭᐡᐱᐣ ᐃᐧᓂᑲᓂ ᑲᐧᔭᐣᒋᑐᔭᐠ ᑫᔑ ᐅᐡᑭ ᐱᒥᔭᓂᐊᐧᐠ, ᑭᓇᐣᑕᐁᐧᐣᑕᑯᓯᒥᐣ ᒋᑭᑭᔭᐠ ᑫᐊᐸᒋᑐᔭᐠ, ᑐᑲᐣ ᒋᒪᐣ, ᐸᐡᑭᓯᑲᐣ, ᒥᓇ ᐊᐦᓴᑊ. ᐊᒥᐦᐅᐁᐧ ᑲᐯ ᑲᑭᐱᑐᑕᒪᐠ, ᒥᓇ ᒥᐦᐅᐁᐧ ᑫᔑ ᐱᒪᒋᐦᐊᐣᑲᐧ ᑭᑎᐯᐣᒋᑫᐃᐧᓂᓇᐣ. ᑭᓇᓇᐣᑕᐁᐧᐣᒋᑫᒥᐣ, ᑭᐸᑭᑕᐧᐦᐁᒥᐣ, ᐊᐦᑭᑲᐣᐠ ᑭᑐᐣᑕᒋᐦᐅᒥᐣ. ᐃᐁᐧᓂᐊᐧᐣ ᑲᐊᑲᓭᐣᑕᑲᐧᑭᐣ ᒥᔕ ᐃᑫᐧᓂᐊᐧᐣ ᑲᑭᒋᓀᐣᑕᑲᐧᑭᐣ: ᑎᐯᐣᒋᑫᐃᐧᐣ, ᑕᔑᑫᐃᐧᐣ, ᐊᓂᔑᓂᓂᐊᐧᑎᓯᐃᐧᐣ.

ᒣᑲᐧᐨ ᑲᐊᐊᐧᔑᔑᐃᐧᔭᐠ, ᑭᑲᓄᑫᒥᐣ ᑲᑭ ᐅᑕᑕᒥᔭᐠ ᐁᑭ ᐊᐧᓂᐦᐃᑫᐊᐧᐨ, ᐁᑲᐧ ᑭᓇᐃᐧᐣᐟ ᐁᑭ ᐱᐦᐅᔭᐠ ᑭᑲᐯᔑᐃᐧᓂᓇᐣ, ᐁᐱᑐᔭᐣᐠ ᒋᐊᓂ ᑭᔑᑌᐠ ᐃᐁᐧ ᑭᒥᑎᑯᐊᐧᑲᐦᐃᑲᓂᓇᐣ. ᒪᐊᐧᐨ ᑲᔦ ᐁᑭ ᐱᐦᐊᔭᐠ ᒋᑭᐱᐁᐧ ᑕᑯᔑᐠ. ᐊᐱᑕᐡ ᑲᑕᑯᔑᐠ, ᒪᐊᐧᐨ ᐁᑭᐃᐧ ᑭᑫᐣᑕᒪᐠ ᑫᑯ ᐊᐃᐧᔭᔑᔕᐣ ᑲᑭᐱᓇᐨ. ᐊᐱ ᑕᐡ ᑲᐸᒋᐊᐧᓀᐨ ᒧᐦᒋᓴᐠ, ᑭᑭ ᐃᔑᓂᔕᐦᐅᑎᒥᐣ ᐁᐃᐧ ᐃᓇᐱᔭᐠ ᑫᑯᓀᓂ ᑲᑭᐱᑐᐨ. ᑭᑭᐃᐧᒋᐦᐊᒥᐣ ᐊᒥᑲᐧᐣ ᑲᑭᐱᐣᑎᑲᓇᐨ, ᒧᓱᐃᐧᔭᐡ ᒥᓇ ᐱᑯ ᑫᑯᓇᐣ ᑲᑭ ᐱᑐᐨ ᒣᑲᐧᐨ ᑲᑭ ᐊᐧᓂᐦᐃᑫᐨ. ᑲᐃᐧᓂᓂᑯ ᒋᑭ ᐅᒋ ᒪᒪᐣᑕᐃᐧᓇᑲᐧᓂᐠ, ᔕᑯᐨ ᐊᒥᐱᑯ ᑲᑭᔑ ᓇᐦᐁᐣᑕᒪᐠ ᒥᓇ ᐁᑭ ᑭᑫᐣᑕᒪᐠ ᐁᑲᓇᐁᐧᐣᑕᑯᓯᔭᐠ.

ᐁᑲᐧ ᐁᐊᐸᓇᐱᔭᐠ ᒣᑲᐧᐨ ᑲᑭ ᐊᐊᐧᔑᔑᐃᐧᔭᐠ, ᑭᐊᐧᐸᐣᑕᒥᐣ ᐊᓂᐣ ᑲᑭᔑ ᐃᐧᒋᐦᐃᑯᔭᐠ ᑭᒋᔭᐦᐊᐠ ᐅᑭᑭᓄᐦᐊᒪᑯᐃᐧᓂᐊᐧ. ᑭᒋᓀᐣᑕᑲᐧᓂ ᐅᑭᑭᓄᐦᐊᒪᑫᐃᐧᓂᐊᐧ ᐁᑲ ᒋᐊᐧᓂᑫᔭᐠ ᑭᑕᓂᔑᓂᓂᐃᐧ ᑐᑕᒪᐃᐧᓂᓇᐣ, ᒥᐦᐃᐁᐧ ᑲᔑ ᓇᐣᑕᐁᐧᐣᑕᑯᓯᔭᐠ ᒋᔑ ᐸᒥᓇᒪᐠ ᑭᑎᐯᐣᒋᑫᐃᐧᓂᓇᐣ ᒥᓇ ᒋᐃᐧᒋᑲᐸᐃᐧᑕᒪᐠ ᑭᑕᔑᑫᐃᐧᓂᓇᐣ.

ᐊᐱ ᑭᐁᐧᓇᓯᑲᒪᐠ ᐅᐁᐧ ᐃᓇᑎᓯᐃᐧᐣ ᑲᐃᐧᐣ ᐊᐧᐦᓴ ᐅᑕᓇᐣᐠ ᑲᐃᔑ ᑭᐁᐧᐡᑲᓯᒥᐣ, ᐁᑲᐧ ᑕᐡ ᓂᓇᐃᐧᐣᐟ ᐅᑭᒪᑲᓇᐠ ᑲᐊᐱᑕᒪᑫᔭᐣᐠ, ᑲᐃᐧᐣ ᓂᔕᑫᐧᓂᒧᓯᒥᐣ ᒋᑭ ᑭᐁᐧ ᐅᑕᐱᓇᒪᐠ ᑲᑭ ᑲᑫᐧ ᓂᑲᑌᓂᒪᑯᔭᐠ ᐃᐁᐧ ᑕᐡ ᐅᐡᑭ ᒥᐦᑲᓇ ᒋᐅᔑᑐᔭᐠ. ᓂᐃᐧ ᓂᑲᓂᐡᑲᒥᐣ ᒋᐅᒋ ᒥᓄᓭᐊᐧᐨ ᓂᑲᐣ ᑫᐊᓂ ᐱᒪᑎᓯᐊᐧᐨ. ᓂᓇᐃᐧᐣᐟ ᑲᐅᑭᒪᑲᓂᐃᐧᔭᐣᐠ, ᐊᒥ ᐁᔑ ᐸᑯᓭᐣᑕᒪᐣᐠ ᒋᑭ ᐊᔭᑲᐧᐸᐣ ᐊᐊᐧᔑᐡ ᒥᓇ ᑎᐯᐣᒋᑫᐃᐧ ᐱᒧᒋᑫᐃᐧᓇᐣ ᑭᑕᔑᑫᐃᐧᓂᓇᐣ ᒋᑭ ᐅᒋ ᐃᐧᒋᐦᐊᑲᓄᐊᐧᐸᐣ ᐊᓂᔑᓂᓂᐊᐧᐠ ᑫᒥᓄᓭᐦᐃᑯᐊᐧᐨ ᐊᓂᔑᓂᓂ ᑲᔑ ᐱᒥᑐᐨ ᑲᐃᓇᑲᓀᓯᐊᐧᐨ.  

ᑕᔑᑫᐃᐧᐣ ᒋᐸᐸᒥᓯᑲᑕᐣᐠ ᐊᐊᐧᔑᔑᐃᐧ ᑲᓇᐁᐧᐣᒋᑫᐃᐧᐣ ᒪᐊᐧᐨ ᓂᑲᓂᓀᐣᑕᑲᐧᐣ ᐃᒪ ᐊᓂᔑᓂᓂ ᑲᑎᐯᐣᑕᒪᓱᐨ ᐅᑐᑭᒪᐃᐧᓂᐊᐧ, ᒥᑕᐡ ᐃᐁᐧ ᑲᓂᑲᓀᐣᑕᑲᐧᐠ ᐃᒪ ᑎᑭᓇᑲᐣ ᐊᐊᐧᔑᐡ & ᑎᐯᐣᒋᑫᐃᐧᐣ ᐱᒧᒋᑫᐃᐧᐣ ᒪᒪᐤ ᐅᐱᑭᐦᐊᐊᐧᓱᐃᐧᐣ ᐱᒧᒋᑫᐃᐧ ᒪᓯᓇᐦᐃᑲᐣ ᑲᐱᒥᓂᔕᐦᐃᑲᑌᐠ, ᑲᐃᑭᑐᒪᑲᐠ “ᑲᑭᓇ ᐁᐃᐧᑕᓄᑭᒥᑎᔭᐠ ᒋᐅᑦᐱᑭᐦᐊᔭᐠ ᑭᓂᒐᓂᔑᓇᐣ.” ᓄᑯᑦ ᑲᑭᔑᑲᐠ, ᓂᐱᒥ ᐃᐧᑕᓄᑭᒪᒥᐣ ᑎᑭᓇᑲᐣ ᒋᐸᒋᒋᑐᔭᐠ ᑭᒪᓂᑐᐃᐧ ᒥᓂᑯᐃᐧᓂᓇᐣ ᑲᐅᓀᐣᒋᑲᑌᑭᐣ ᐸᒥᐦᐃᐁᐧᐃᐧᓇᐣ ᒥᓇ ᐊᓂᐣ ᑫᐃᓇᑌᐠ ᐅᐃᐧᒋᐦᐃᑯᐃᐧᓂᐊᐧ ᑎᐯᐣᒋᑫᐃᐧᓇᐣ ᒥᓇ ᐊᐊᐧᔑᐡ ᑫᔑ ᒥᓄᔭᓂᐠ ᐅᐱᒪᑎᓯᐃᐧᓂᐠ ᐃᒪ 30 ᐃᐡᑯᓂᑲᓇᐣ ᑲᔑᔭᒪᑲᑭᐣ.

An Elder once told a story of pre-contact, a time before our lives were disrupted. His grandfather was pulling a handmade sleigh uphill, and that sleigh was his lifeline. On it was food, supplies for shelter and cooking, a fishing net, and his knife. The snow had just fallen, so the work was strenuous. He was struggling to move forward, and things became more difficult as he climbed the hill. But he was determined, because he knew life would be better at the top.

For generations as Indigenous peoples, we have been climbing this hill much like this grandfather. When envisioned once we got to the top of the hill, our lives would change.

But our way of living was interfered, and we were forced to get back on the sleigh. We started sliding down the hill so fast that we forgot everything we left behind.

The Elder explained that in order for us to return to our traditional ways, we need to turn around and pick up what we left behind. We need to go back and gather everything we lost on that other side of the hill. Thankfully, we don’t need to go too far to find it.

Prior to contact with our peoples, our lives were like a complete circle. We had everything: our laws, our child care, our land. Through contact and assimilation, we lost parts of culture, language, and traditional ways. Yet as a strong, resilient people, we fought our way back and now we have completed three-quarters of the circle once again. Every day, we are trying to get back to the full circle. When we are there, it will mean thriving communities, and healthy families and children.

The way forward is breaking trail on new paths. It begins with prioritizing our setting out. It makes us think of all the ways our Elders would care for and teach us as children.

It’s like the Elder who would check the frozen lake in the early morning to help us get the water out. We had boundaries, especially when water was freezing up. We were told not to go near the lake and play around there until the Elder went out onto the lake to make sure it was safe. By going ahead, the Elder led the way and made it a little easier for us young people who had to do this work.

We were taught if you want break new trails, you need to make sure you have your items, such as a boat, rifle, and a net. This is what we’ve done our whole lives, and this is how we can provide for our families. We hunt, we fish, we live off the land. It’s the simple things that matter most: family, community, culture.

As children, we remember our fathers would be out trapping, while we stayed at home, warm. in our log structures with wood heating. Our homes were filled with anticipated excitement at the thought of his return. When he arrived, we would be anxious to see what animals he would bring back. As soon as he dropped his sack onto the floor, we raced to see what was inside. We would help him bring in the beaver, moose meat or whatever else he got while out on the trapline. It wasn’t fancy, but were happy and felt protected.

As we look back on our childhood, we see the influence through the teachings of our Elders. They both play an important role in ensuring we remain rooted in our traditional ways, which is how we want to care for our families and support our communities.

Our return to fully embracing this way of living is only a few steps behind us, and as a Chiefs Committee, we are determined to go back to reclaim what we was removed from us by carving out a new path. We want to walk ahead for the benefit of our future generations. As Chiefs, we have dreamt of having child and family services in our communities that would deliver services respectful of the culture and customs of the Indigenous people. Community responsibility for child protection is an essential aspect of Indigenous self-government, which is key aspect of Tikinagan Child & Family Services’ Mamow Obiki-ahwahsoowin service model, which means “everyone working together to raise our children.” Today, we continue to work alongside Tikinagan to practise our inherent rights in making key decisions around care and provision of services to families in child wellbeing.