News Room
July, 2008
Looking for Traditional Governance at Kiashke Zaaging Anishinabek
ONTARIO REGION - The Kiashke Zaaging Anishinabek is looking for a way to combine traditional ways of governing with contemporary governance. Their challenge is in finding a model used by the Lake Nipigon Ojibways that suits current needs. Kiashke Zaaging Anishinaabek is the Anishinaabek name for Gull Bay First Nation, an Ojibway nation situated on the western shore of Lake Nipigon in Northwestern Ontario. Like most First Nations, they have a generation of experience electing their leadership under the Indian Act.
In 2007, the First Nation’s Chief Wilfred N. King drafted a letter of intent seeking assistance from NCFNG to provide research in the area of “Traditional Governance of the Lake Nipigon Ojibways.” The community also hired a recent graduate of Confederation College’s Aboriginal Law and Advocacy Program to coordinate the research. Ontario Region staff responded by providing options for traditional governance models and, with the research coordinator, met with Lakehead University to discuss research and review existing traditional forms of governance.
The project offers a unique opportunity to develop new research methods for reconstructing traditional models of governance and can provide a case study for other First Nations. NCFNG will be working with the research coordinator to draft a terms of reference and develop a communication strategy. Next steps will be to establish and coordinate a project steering committee that will guide the project and work with the Kiaske Zaaging Anishinabek members to determine which traditional governance models suit the best interest of their community.
Ontario Region staff anticipates utilizing an Open Space dialogue to engage the community in their ground-breaking efforts.
