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guardians

Look Away from the Geese (and Other Fall Tips)

September 16, 2019

With Waatebagaa-giizis (September) comes the ‘leaves changing colour’ moon. The days become shorter, the air feels chillier, and we know that takwagin (fall) is upon us. The communities in Pimachiowin Aki ready for winter by harvesting medicines like wiikenzh (sweet flag), picking manoomin (wild rice), and collecting wood. Other preparations for the colder months include hunting moose, duck and geese.

Traditionally, the men in the communities do the hunting—while men know when to hunt for which animal, women know which medicines to harvest and when. Bloodvein First Nation Guardian Melba Green says that this kind of knowledge has been passed down through generations “from our ancestors.” For Anishinaabeg, it’s like instinct, she says. “We know which way to go, by following the trails for many years.”

Anishinaabeg know that the shorter, cooler days of fall and the leafless fall forests provide ideal conditions to hunt moose as the animals concentrate along the rivers, lakes, and forest openings to mate, Melba adds. 

Tradition tells us that hunting on a windy day may prove more successful, she says. The noise made by the moving trees helps to camouflage the sound of a hunter’s feet. Also in the fall, legend cautions Anishinaabeg to not watch the Vs of geese flying south or it will be a long and hard winter.

Come October, trappers will set their sights on muskrat, beaver and otter, and will dry the pelts for future use. The taste of the beaver meat changes after the first snowfall, making this the best time to harvest.

Melba says that Anishinaabeg share their knowledge with each other. “If one wants to know how to skin an animal, you can go to a trapper and they will share their knowledge. It’s been like that for many, many years,” she explains.

Photo: Hidehiro Otake

Filed Under: Indigenous Language, Indigenous Traditional Knowledge Tagged With: Anishinaabemowin, guardians, harvesting, hunting, moon, moose, trapping

In other news…

June 18, 2019

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.

Filed Under: Uncategorised Tagged With: guardians

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