MAAN PIINDE' ENG: A DEBWEWIN JOURNEY THROUGH THE ALGONQUIN
LAND CLAIMS AND SELF-GOVERNMENT PROCESS
A Dissertation Submitted to the Committee on Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctorate of Philosophy in the Faculty of Indigenous Studies
TRENT UNIVERSITY
Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
Copyright by Lynn Gehl, Gii-Zhigaate-Mnidoo-Kwe 2010
Indigenous Studies Ph.D. Graduate Program
May 2010
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ABSTRACT
Maan Pii Nde' Eng: A Debwewin Journey Through the Algonquin Land Claims and
Self-Government Process
Lynn Gehl, Gii-Zhigaate-Mnidoo-Kwe
This dissertation endeavour offers a personal truth of the Algonquin Anishinaabe land claims and self-government process in Ontario, Canada. It begins by first articulating Debwewin Journey as a wholistic way of knowing that involves both heart knowledge and mind knowledge working together. Through the Debwewin Journey way of knowing I have relied upon the methods of personal experience, a literature review, and introspection to complete a wholistic understanding of what was once merely heart knowledge. Through Debwewin Journey I have come to know that indeed historically the Algonquin Anishinaabe of the Ottawa River Valley made numerous attempts to resolve the Canadian governments' denial of Algonquin rights, and that presently through government practices and policies the Algonquin are merely negotiating a land claims settlement where their agency is confined to a small box. Through Debwewin Journey I have also come to know that Indigenous Nations must institute structures and processes of good governance prior to establishing jurisdiction; otherwise, our relationships with one another will continue to be undermined, the spirit of the wiindigo will prevail, and we will merely become complicit in our continued domination. Lastly, through Debwewin Journey I made the difficult decision to move away from this abomination.
KEYWORDS
Algonquin, Anishinaabe, Canada, Debwewin, Debwewin Journey, good governance, heart knowledge, Indigenous methodology, land claims, marginal insider analysis, selfgovernment, treaty, wholistic.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Of course, first and foremost, it is my partner Nik where the biggest "Miigwetch" is much deserved. Although not always in the discursive, through my Debwewin Journey I now know it was and is your moral code that interests me. Miigwetch for your interest in my work, in Algonquin Anishinaabe culture, for sharing what you have learned with me, and for explaining things I could not and cannot perceive. While at its core, this endeavour has been a very lonely process, along this journey you have made me feel less alone.
Miigwetch to Dr. Mark Dockstator, Dr. Don McCaskill, and Professor David
Newhouse. Your comments and many critiques have served to make my work better. Miigwetch to Professor Herb Nabigon your suggestions have greatly improved my work. Miigwetch to Elders, language speakers, and traditional knowers Doug Williams, Shirley Williams, and William Commanda for being the kind teachers you are. I could not have completed this work without your guidance and wisdom.
Miigwetch to fellow students; Heather Shpuniarsky, the late Dr. Sandi Warren,
Mara Heiber, and Susan McBroom. Please know that sometimes you made the Ph.D. process a little more bearable. Miigwetch to Hillary Wear for both your kindness and for helping me find Bark Lake - traditional Algonquin territory where for the most part, I completed the writing of this dissertation.
Miigwetch to the current and past Directors of the Doctoral Program in
Indigenous Studies at Trent University: Dr. Paula Sherman and Dr. Lynne Davis. Miigwetch also to Brenda Maracle-O'Toole, Barb Rivet, Joanne Argue, and of course my friend Christine Welter. I would also like to say Miigwetch to Nancy M. Smith of the
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Disabilities Services Office at Trent University. Please know Nancy that I appreciate that you were always there for me through the non-sense of it all. Miigwetch to Melanie Buddie for your proof reading skills and Mary Ann Armstrong for your formatting advice. Miigwetch to Loretta Durst and Erin Davidson of the graduate Studies Office at Trent University. Please know that your kindness was much appreciated.
Miigwetch also to John Bodnar for helping me pick my first university course.
Your kindness and generosity was and is much appreciated! Miigwetch to Georgina Varga for reading earlier versions of my chapters, and for providing me with the perspective of a new Canadian. Miigwetch to the "Keepers of my Proposal" Joyce Clements, Helen Keller, and Collette Scale.
A very big Miigwetch to Heather Majaury, Myrriah Majaury, Bob Majaury,
Maureen Majaury and to all of your dogs for your kindness, generosity, and understanding. I am certain you are all Deer Clan. Know that I feel privileged and honoured to be considered a member of your family.
In addition, I would like to say Miigwetch to my favourite professors Dr.
Elizabeth Graham and Dr. Eva Mackey for their kindness, encouragement, and for being great role models. Miigwetch also to Dr. Michele Lacombe and Dr. John Milloy for your kindness, encouragement, and generosity.
Miigwetch to MaryLouise Bat-Hayim (also BatHayim) of the Academic Writing
Centre at York University. Please know MaryLouise that your kindness too has carried me far! Further, Miigwetch to Maurice Switzer for publishing many of my community articles in Anishinabek News and also for the kindness and generosity given.
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I also have to say Miigwetch to my many financial supporters: The Ontario
Graduate Scholarship Program, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Program, Casino Rama, the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation, the United Steel Workers of America, the Quaker Oats Company of Canada Limited, Trent University's Office of Graduate Studies, Trent University's Indigneous Studies Department, Trent University's Indigenous Studies Graduate Program, the Morton Graduate Scholarship Fund, Patricia and David Morton, and the Helen McClain Whiteside Memorial Fund. Without this generosity I could not have undertaken this heart felt and much-required journey.
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DEDICATION
This work is dedicated to the homeless, poor, disabled, the gifted, and all others who have been denied their place due to inadequate and disenfranchising societal structures, colonial or otherwise.
This work is also dedicated to once political prisoner Bob Lovelace. In February
2008, Bob was imprisoned in the Central East Correctional Centre in Lindsay, Ontario for four months simply for fulfilling his responsibilities to the natural world within the parameters of Algonquin law. I am truly humbled by Bob's dedication to my ancestors and to who I am as an Algonquin person.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE /i ABSTRACT AND KEYWORDS / ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS / iii DEDICATION / vi TABLE OF CONTENTS / vii LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES / x LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS / xi GLOSSARY OF ANISHINAABE TERMS / xiii PROLOGUE / xv THE ANISHINAABE CREATION STORY / xv OPENING QUOTES / xvii
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION / 1
1.1 A Short Story About the Storyteller / 1 1.2 My Question and My Approach / 4 1.3 My Responsibilities / 6 1.4 My Experiential Context / 7 1.5 My Positionality / 9 1.6 Defining Major Concepts / 10 1.7 Chapter Frameworks / 14 1.8 My Gifts and Limitations / 18
CHAPTER 2 DEBWEWIN JOURNEY: A PROCESS AND MODEL OF KNOWING /
25
2.1 Debwewin and the Debwewin Journey Approach to Knowledge / 25 2.2 The First Circle: Heart Knowledge / 27 2.3 The Second Circle: Personal Experience / 29 2.4 The Second Circle: My Review of the Literature / 31 2.5 The Second Circle: Introspection / 33 2.6 Debwewin Journey: Both a Process and a Model of Knowing / 34 2.7 Clarifying Debwewin Journey and Providing an Evaluative Criteria / 36 2.8 The Oral Tradition as Grounding My Debwewin Journey / 40 2.9 Situating Debwewin Journey within Indigenous Methodologies Literature /
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2.10 Experience and Emotions in Other Disciplines / 50 2.11 Ethics that Guide / 53 2.12 My Rhetorical Style and My Organizing Framework / 55 2.13 Chapter Summary / 57
CHAPTER 3 THE ALGONQUIN: AT THE HEART OF CANADA'S HISTORY / 59
3.1 The First Circle: Heart Knowledge - Those Many Long Drives / 59 3.2 An Introduction to the Algonquin Land Claims and Self-Government Process
/ 61
3.3 Debwewin Journey: Completing and Connecting the Second Circle / 66
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3.3.1 Personal Experience / 66 3.3.2 My Review of the Literature / 73
What is the Contact History of the Algonquin? / 73 What is the History of the Algonquin Petitioning for Their Land? / 82 What Land Policies Disenfranchised the Algonquin? / 90 Where are the Algonquin Located Today? / 94
3.3.3 Introspection / 99
CHAPTER 4 THE TREATY AND LAND CLAIMS PROCESS / 104
4.1 The First Circle: Heart Knowledge - Receiving My Spirit Name / 104 4.2 Debwewin Journey: Completing and Connecting the Second Circle / 106
4.2.1 Personal Experience / 106 4.2.2 My Review of the Literature/ 119
What Treaties Involved Algonquin Land? / 119 What Role Does The Royal Proclamation and The Treaty at Niagara Have? / 127 Is the Current Land Claims Process Any Better? / 134 Is Extinguishment Still an Issue? / 141 What Can I Learn From the British Columbia Treaty Process? / 144 What Does Fourth World Theory Teach Me? / 149
4.2.3 Introspection / 150
CHAPTER 5 THE ANR ELECTION AND TURNING TO THE LAND / 158
5.1 The First Circle: Heart Knowledge - The CNE and the Big Canoe / 158 5.2 Debwewin Journey: Completing and Connecting the Second Circle / 160
5.2.1 Personal Experience / 160 5.2.2 My Review of the Literature / 176
Sacred Algonquin Places / 176 Natural and Human Made Features / 180 The Industries / 185 Resources Extracted / 187
5.2.3 Introspection / 191
CHAPTER 6 SELF-GOVERNMENT AND GOOD GOVERNANCE / 194
6.1 The First Circle: Heart Knowledge - Moccasins Kokomis Gave Me / 194 6.2 Debwewin Journey: Completing and Connecting the Second Circle / 196 6.2.1 Personal Experience / 196
6.2.2 My Review of the Literature / 207
What is Self-Government? / 207 What are Traditional Forms of Algonquin Governance? / 209 What Happened to Indigenous Forms of Governance? / 215 What are the Parameters of The Inherent Right Policy? / 218 What Do Other Scholars Have to Say? / 221 What is the Role of Economic Development? / 226
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What is the Role of Good Governance? / 229
6.2.3 Introspection / 233
CHAPTER 7 REFLECTIONS ON DEBWEWIN JOURNEY AND MY DEBWEWIN /
241
7.1 Organizing My Ending / 241 7.2 My Reflections on the Debwewin Journey Approach to Knowledge / 241 7.3 My Debwewin on the Treaty, Land Claims, and Self-Government Process /
244 Lessons Learned / 245 My Letter / 251
APPENDIX A Administration of Indian Affairs / 256 APPENDIX B Algonquin Anishinaabe Time Line / 257 APPENDIX C What is a Contemporary Treaty? / 260 APPENDIX D First Nations not sharing in wealth / 261 APPENDIX E Questions for Algonquin candidates / 262 APPENDIX F Women must be equal participants in all self-government processes /
263
WORKS CITED / 264
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LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES CHAPTER 2 Fig. 1. Debwewin Journey, a Model and a Process / 35 CHAPTER 3 Fig. 1. Algonquin Land Claimed in Ontario / 65 Fig. 2. Cities and Towns in Algonquin Territory / 67 Fig. 3. Bands of The Ottawa River Valley / 76 Fig. 4. Algonkin Crane Dodem Signature / 80
CHAPTER 4
Table 1. Aboriginal People Who Self Identified in 2001 / 114 Fig. 1. Justice, Accountability, and Transparency / 116 Fig. 2. Two-Row Treaty Belt / 121 Fig. 3. The Upper Canada Treaties, Area 1/123 Fig. 4. The 1923 Williams Treaty / 125 Fig. 5. Overlapping Claims / 126 Fig. 6. The Royal Proclamation of 1763 / 129 Fig. 7. Twenty-Four Nations Belt; British and Western Great Lakes Covenant Chain
Confederacy Nations Belt / 132
CHAPTER 5 Fig. 1. Mathew and Michael Bernard's Gitchie Chee-man / 158 Fig. 2. MazinawRock / 179 Fig. 3. OisseauRock / 179 Fig. 4. Canada's Parliament on Algonquin Land / 182 Fig. 5. Champlain's Astrolabe / 184
CHAPTER 6 Fig. 1. The Anishinaabe Clan System of Governance / 211 Fig. 2. The Welcoming Belt / 214
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LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS
Ardoch Algonquin First Nation and Allies Aboriginal Legal Services of Toronto Algonquin Forestry Authority
AAFNA ALST AFA
- AFN
- Antoine First Nation
AMC ANND ANR
Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs Algonquin Nation Negotiations Directorate Algonquin Negotiation Representative Algonquin Nation Tribal Council Bonnechere Algonquin First Nation British Columbia
ANTC BAFN BC
British Columbia Treaty Commission Bonnechere Metis Association Canadian National Exhibition
BCTC BMA CNE
Department of Justice
DOJ
Indian Claims Commission
ICC
Indian and Northern Affairs Canada James Bay Northern Quebec Agreement Ministry of Northern Development and Mines Ministry of Natural Resources
INAC JBNQA MNDM MNR NCC
National Capital Commission Ontario Native Affairs Secretariat Omamiwinini Pimwadjwowin
ONAS OP
- OPP
- Ontario Provincial Police
OSAA RCAP SCC
Ontario Secretariat for Aboriginal Affairs Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples Supreme Court of Canada
- WHIMAS
- AB
- Whitney-Madawaska-Sabine Algonquin Nation
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GLOSSARY OF ANISHINAABE TERMS
- Original peoples
- Anishinaabe
Anishinaabe woman
Anishinaabe-kwe
Aanso-kaanan Dbaajimowin
Sacred stories Personal story rooted in experience
Dbaajimowinan Debwewin
Personal stories rooted in experience A truth that is rooted in one's heart
- Debwewin Journey
- A way of knowing that involves the heart
and mind
- Debwewin Miikan-Zhidchigewin
- The Truth Road Art of Doing; Debwewin
Journey
- Yes
- Enh
No
Gawiin
Are you speaking from the heart? Kinship stories
Gdebwe na? Gi-nwendaagininaanig Dbaaj imowinan Gii-Zhigaate-Mnidoo-Kwe Gitchie Chee-Man Ininwezi
Moonlight Spirit Woman Big Canoe We people here alone Ottawa River
Kiji Sibi
Creator / The Great Spirit Grandmother in Algonquin Grandmother Moon Here in my heart Turtle is my clan
Kitche Manitou Kokomis Kokomis-Giizis Maan pii nde'eng Makinag N'doo-dem
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- Midewiwin / Midewin
- The way of the heart / The good hearted
people / The good hearted way
- Midewiwin gikayndawsowin
- Midewiwin knowledge tradition / The good
hearted way knowledge
Miigwetch / Miig Mii wi
Thank you That's it
Mino-bimadiziwin Mnoomin / Manomiin Nahaaw
The good life Natural or Anishinaabe rice Okay
Ndoo-gtimaagiz Niigan Ga-Zhaamin Ode'min
I am poor and have nothing /1 am pitiful Moving forward together Heartberry or strawberry Heartberries or strawberries Algonquin people
Ode'minan Omamiwinini
- The Algonquin way of life
- Omamiwinini Pimwadjwowin
Pikwakanagan
Beautiful hilly country covered in evergreens
Our homeland Marten
Tanakiwin Waabzheshii
A flesh eating man / A monster / A psychotic or greedy state / and a potential contagion
Wiindigo / Weendigo
A spiritual being that does the Creator's work / A messenger
Wisakedjak xiv
PROLOGUE
It is often said that all knowledge begins with Creation and further that
Anishinaabe governance begins with Creation in that it situates humans within all of Creation. It is for these reasons that I offer Basil Johnston's version of the Anishinaabe Creation Story here.
THE ANISHINAABE CREATION STORY
Kitche Manitou (The Great Spirit) beheld a vision. In this dream he saw a vast sky filled with stars, sun, moon, and earth. He saw an earth made of mountains and valleys, islands and lakes, plains and forests. He saw trees and flowers, grasses and vegetables. He saw walking, flying, swimming, and crawling beings. He witnessed the birth, growth, and the end of things. At the same time he saw other things live on. Amidst change there was constancy. Kitche Manitou heard songs, wailings, stories. He touched wind and rain. He felt love and hate, fear and courage, joy and sadness. Kitche Manitou meditated to understand his vision. In his wisdom Kitche Manitou understood that his vision had to be fulfilled. Kitche Manitou was to bring into being and existence what he had seen, heard, and felt.
Out of nothing he made rock, water, fire, and wind. Into each one he breathed the breath of life. On each he bestowed with his breath a different essence and nature. Each substance had its own power which became its soul-spirit.
From these four substances Kitche Manitou created the physical world of sun, stars, moon, and earth.
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To the sun Kitche Manitou gave the powers of light and heat. To the earth he gave growth and healing; to waters purity and renewal; to the wind music and the breath of life itself.
On earth Kitche Manitou formed mountains, valleys, plains, islands, lakes, bays, and rivers. Everything was in its place; everything was beautiful.
Then Kitche Manitou made the plant beings. These were four kinds: flowers, grasses, trees, and vegetables. To each he gave a spirit of life, growth, healing, and beauty. Each he placed where it would be the most beneficial, and lend to earth the greatest beauty and harmony and order.
After plants, Kitche Manitou created animal beings conferring on each special powers and natures. There were two-leggeds, four-leggeds, wingeds, and swimmers.
Last of all he made man. Though last in the order of creation, least in order of dependence, and weakest in bodily powers, man had the greatest gift - the power to dream.
Kitche Manitou then made The Great Laws of Nature for the well being and harmony of all things and all creatures. The Great Laws governed the place and movement of sun, moon, earth and stars; governed the powers of wind, water, fire, and rock; governed the rhythm and continuity of life, birth, growth, and decay. All things lived and worked by these laws.
Kitche Manitou had brought into existence his vision. (Johnston, Ojibway
Heritage 12)
®
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Whether or not the goals can pragmatically be achieved, the pursuit of the ideal is often relentless and, to its victims, heartless. (Mohawk 13)
Emotionless, passionless, abstract, intellectual research is a goddamn lie, it does not exist. (Hampton 52)
Church is in your heart. (Andree Elizabeth Martel) The longest Journey, Lynn, is the one between your heart and your head. (Doug Williams, Personal communication)
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CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 A Short Story About the Storyteller
Before I begin my short story about myself I would like to state that language speakers, Elders, and my teachers Shirley Williams and Doug Williams throughout this endeavour, have both informed me that within the Anishinaabe tradition there are two broad categories of stories: Aanso-kaanan, which are sacred stories told during the winter time; and dbaajimowinan, which are personal stories rooted in experience (personal communication). storytelling.
This work falls within the dbaajimowin category of personal
Who I am, how I know, in particular how I know this knowledge is such a fundamental aspect of this Journey that it is important for me to articulate at the onset a short story of who I am. I am an Algonquin Anishinaabe-kwe from the Valley of the Kiji Sibi known today as the Ottawa River Valley, yet I was not raised there nor, until very recently, have I ever lived there. My father, Rodney Peter Gagnon, was a fisherman and my mother, Andree Elizabeth Mattel, has told me I was born when the smelts were running. My mother also refers to me as a long storyteller.1
My father was Algonquin Anishinaabe, French, with parts unknown in that I do not know who his father is or possibly was, and while I confess I do not know much about my mother's indigeniety, my mother's origins are French, Irish, and Indigenous. Although I am Algonquin, French, Irish, and parts unknown, today my subjective identity