Indigenous Peoples from across Canada are in Sault Ste. Marie this week for the Indigenous Lands Symposium, a five-day gathering that has brought together nearly 300 land practitioners, government representatives and funders under one roof.
The symposium, organized by Wahkohtowin Development — a social enterprise launched by Chapleau Cree First Nation, Missanabie Cree First Nation and Brunswick House First Nation — consists of a series of panel discussions, networking opportunities and culture-based gatherings that are taking place at Delta Hotels Sault Ste. Marie Waterfront throughout the week.
Wahkohtowin general manager David Flood says the lands symposium, now in its third year, is “not your average conference,” given the various vendors, discussion rooms and a sacred fire housed inside of a teepee outside of the venue.
“We operate under a strategy, and a key part of that strategy is building that kinship and rekindling the relationship across territories and our sister nations, and we are in a time of nation building in Canada,” Flood told SooToday.
Wednesday’s events featured a cultural revitalization panel in the morning and presentations on nature-based solutions, Indigenous indicators of forestry health and Indigenous worldviews on sustainable development, among others.
“We need to know what’s coming, or have a sense of what’s coming, to be able to take action,” Flood said.
A presentation on the First Nations National Guardians Network, a funding mechanism launched by Canada for Indigenous-led conservation efforts, was also a part of Wednesday’s itinerary.
“For the First Nations, what I understand is we have over 250 programs after four years of funding into the communities, so the demand is high, the growth is fast,” said Flood.
“It kind of tells you the time is now — we’re ready now more than ever.”
Flood says that “climate change is very much real, and we are being called to action.”
“I mean, the Paris accord agreement talked about First Nations helping lead the solutions of taking climate change action, and we are at the forefront of its impacts,” he told SooToday.
“If you go to where our communities are, we are more rural and remote, and more susceptible to the impact of climate change — and it’s our stewardship and our responsibility to take that active role in our traditional territories.”
Economies that could potentially exist around climate change action are also being highlighted as a topic of discussion during the symposium.
“As Indigenous people, it is our inherent responsibility. You’re born with that — it’s your job to look after Mother Earth,” Flood said.
Wahkohtowin Development GP Inc. was established in 2016, following a decade of geo-political conversation centred on forestry within the Northeast Superior Regional Chiefs Forum.
“Forestry has the biggest impact across the territory, because it occurs everywhere — across many forests in the commercial-industrial forest landscape — and we felt that with the spraying of herbicide, the downward cycle of the moose habitat over the decade, it’s time to take action and really try to raise the alarm bells,” Flood said.
The Indigenous Lands Symposium started out with 70 attendees in Chapleau in 2023. The event has been doubling in attendance each year, according to Flood.
“We’re hearing nothing but positive feedback. The Delta Hotel is structured in such a way that we can do it all here,” he said.
“We’ve expanded to other unique opportunities where we’ve got integration between vendors as well as some of our sponsors that want to host booths.”
Wahkohtowin’s general manager emphasized the culture, spirituality and ceremony that has been built into many of the activities that are taking place throughout the week.
“Given the election cycles, the wars, I think that’s something that every individual should ground themselves in and think about what can you do, because everything that you can do as an individual will matter.
"Even though it feels like it’s not going to matter, it matters,” Flood said.
The Indigenous Lands Symposium concludes with a tour of Shingwauk Kinoomaage Gamig on Friday.
