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Aniin (Hello)! Languages play an important role in the daily lives of all people and contribute to the world’s cultural diversity. But thousands of Indigenous languages have been in danger of disappearing for many years. 

We are excited to share that in 2019, the International Year of Indigenous Languages, language preservation is happening all over Pimachiowin Aki. One such example is the work being done by Gerald Neufeld. Gerald grew up in Pauingassi. For almost 20 years, he has been meeting with every community in Pimachiowin Aki and going through ancestral photos with residents to help identify Elders. This is Gerald’s way of giving back. He knows that making a connection to the past is important to current and future generations.

Gerald has been giving presentations to schools and community members, and the Pimachiowin Aki Board of Directors. Pimachiowin Aki is grateful to Gerald for volunteering his time and energy to maintain the language, songs and stories that form the unique cultural link between Anishinaabeg and Aki (the land). You’ll hear more about Gerald’s work in a future newsletter—about the Elders he has identified, like Fairwind (Naamiwan), a renowned medicine man from Pauingassi, and the people he is still looking for answers about. Maybe you’ll be able to help him identify a photo?

Named Places

By documenting our ancestors’ names, we recognize and honour them. This is true, also, of documenting named places.

Each place in Pimachiowin Aki is known, understood and named. Some places are named after the topography or plant life found in the area. Other names reflect the histories of the people who have traveled through, observed, and made use of the land—like Kookooko’oosagasawining (Owl Smoking Island) on Poplar River ancestral lands, named after a woman Elder named Owl, where smoking ceremonies took place.

When my father was describing where he had been, he would say to us kee’apay namaytoowag, which means he could still feel the presence of people who had been there before. The stories of our ancestors are connected to those places and to us by the place names. 

—Sophia Rabliauskas

Poplar River First Nation has researched and documented 150 named places, and forwarded them to the Canadian Geographical Names Database so that they will show up on official maps sold to the public, and on popular sources like Google Maps.

Connecting Youth

Posters line the hallways of schools in the four First Nations communities in Pimachiowin Aki. The posters feature inspiring messages and named places, giving meaning to these places and helping to keep their stories alive.

Follow us on Facebook to see more photos and information about language, culture and Keeping the Land in Pimachiowin Aki.

It’s here!  After many months of design work, programming, testing, and a new domain name, the Board of Directors is pleased to announce the launch of our website: https://pimaki.ca.

The new and dynamic website is our most visible asset, and provides information about who we are, what we do, why Pimachiowin Aki matters, and offers opportunities to collaborate, engage and learn about Canada’s newest and only natural and cultural World Heritage Site. Contact us as we navigate this big beautiful place and explore our possibilities!

On July 1, 2019, Pimachiowin Aki celebrates its first anniversary as a World Heritage Site.  Described as “a landmark nomination” and “a watershed in representing the seamless links between culture, nature, and customary stewardship knowledge, beliefs and practices”, Pimachiowin Aki has received world-wide attention as a model for indigenous-led nominations and natural-cultural sites in the context of the World Heritage Convention. 

Please join us as we build awareness and capacity around the nomination and successful inscription of Pimachiowin Aki, and continue to protect the site, foster local economic growth, and safeguard Anishinaabe cultural heritage and the boreal forest for the benefit of all humanity into the future.  Be part of our legacy and continued success!

Pimachiowin Aki is on social media!  Please visit and connect with us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.  Tapacheemowin! (More news to come!)

New Executive Director:  After a full-cycle recruitment and selection process, the Board of Directors welcomes Alison Haugh as Pimachiowin Aki’s new Executive Director.  Alison brings a depth and breath of experience to the position, demonstrating leadership and acumen in addressing new challenges and opportunities.  We invite you to subscribe to our newsletter and look forward to future dialogue with you.

Memorandum of Agreement:  an agreement between the Red Lake Regional Heritage Centre and Pimachiowin Aki Corporation was concluded in Red Lake, Ontario.  This agreement affirms our commitment to collaborate and create a presence for Pimachiowin Aki in Ontario, including a sub-office at the Centre.  Thank you to the Centre for this partnership opportunity and for hosting our Annual General Meeting!

Pimachiowin Aki Guardians Network:  Guardians have been part of Pimachiowin Aki forever.  The Anishinaabe tradition of Ji-ganawendamang Gidakiiminaan – keeping the land – is what Guardians do.  This year, we have seen significant and measurable progress in our Guardians’ work to observe, record and report on the cultural landscape and ecosystem health of Pimachiowin Aki.  Thank you to the Indigenous Guardians Joint Working Group and Environment and Climate Change Canada for supporting our Network – the only World Heritage Site chosen in Canada for the pilot project in 2018-19.