Wahkohtowin Development hosted the first annual Indigenous Lands Symposium in Chapleau Ontario in March this year and what a kick off year showcasing the amazing work that is happening within Indigenous Communities on the land stewardship front. Read on!
.....The turnout was larger than anticipated, and I hope the connections made over newly discovered commonalities between communities will be enduring....
The first annual Indigenous Lands Symposium took place in Chapleau Ontario on February 28th to March 1st 2023. With 48 participants representing 14 First Nations communities from across North Eastern Ontario, the event was a powerful gathering of individuals who work on the land and care deeply about it’s treatment. The areas of focus for the event were consultation and legal, cultural revitalization and natural law, emerging conservation technology, and conservation economy and forest certification. A portion of the event was open to our collaborators in local government and forest industry. Alongside presentations and spirited discussion there was a drumming circle, tree-tea teachings, a screening of the documentary The Issue With Tissue: A Boreal Love Story, and a tour of Wahkohtowin’s Innovation Center.
As the coordinator of the event, I was humbled and grateful for the number of participants that braved winter weather to make the journey to Chapleau. The turnout was larger than anticipated, and I hope the connections made over newly discovered commonalities between communities will be enduring. The feedback received from the event was overwhelmingly positive, and there are many topics of conversations focused on our lands still to be had. With so much knowledge held in our territories, I am looking forward to gathering again to learn and connect at next year’s symposium!
Author: Isabelle Allen -