Gnutataqan AGA 2017

Gnua’taqan - MMS Newsletter / Bulletin du SMM -

Annual General Assembly / Assemblée génerale annuelle

September 2017 septembre

“You can’t stop the water from flowing, well neither can you stop [us] from fishing.

Nobody will deny us that right.”

Today, the Citizens of Gespe’gewa’gi, together with the Leadership of the Mi’gmawei Mawiomi pay tribute to a man who demonstrated the utmost perseverance in defending our rights in a time when such actions were not recognized and respected by outside governments.

We also honor his strong efforts and dedication to our language and his love for his family. Today, we pay tribute to the Late Chief Alphonse Metallic.

Chief Metallic may be best remembered for his role as Chief during the 1981 Salmon Raids in Listuguj.

Along with his Council, he brought the community together during the most horrific attack on our rights, our people and our way of life. He led his community through the roughest of times and paved the way for years of fight and determination to maintain our rights and title over the land and resources of Gespe’gewa’gi.

Alphonse is also credited for helping preserve our language. He was a major contributor of a Micmac Lexicon book that today still offers valuable teachings to any who read it.

First and foremost, we honor Alphonse, the family man. The man who treated his friends like family. His legacy lives on in the lives of his children, his grandchildren and his great grandchildren.

Alphonse’s impact on his community is still very alive and well today, the legacy that ‘you not only live in your community, but your community lives in you.’

Wela’lieg Listuguj - September 5, 2017

GESGAPEGIAG GESPEG Mi’gmawei Mawiomi Secretariat LISTUGUJ

Mi’gmawei Mawiomi Annual General Assembly The Mi’gmawei Mawiomi Secretariat held our Annual General Assembly (AGA) in Listuguj at the Community Center (Bingo Hall) on September 5-7, 2017. The three communities of Gesgapegiag, Gespeg and Listuguj came together to discuss many important items on the agenda.

The AGA started with a community feast on September 5th to honour the Late Chief Alphonse Metallic with a program that highlighted his accomplishments and memories. One of those memories being his fight for our rights in Listuguj to fish Salmon. He is famously known for the quote “You can’t stop the river from flowing, well neither can you stop the Indians from fishing. Nobody will deny us that right”.

During the feast, we also acknowledged our Mi’gmaq Writers Award winners, Derek Condo of Listuguj, Nadia Robertson of Gespeg and Jodie Ste. Croix of Gespeg.

On September 6 and 7, the Chiefs , Councils and Elders along with the Mi’gmaq citizens gathered together to discuss topics such as: What is the MM (Mi’gmawei Mawiomi), the MM Vision, the MM Mission, and an overview of the MM Priorities and goals for the next three to five years.

The participants broke out into two groups to determine which priorities are critically important when it comes to asserting and exercising the resource development in Gespe’gewa’gi. Citizen input was added to each of the priorities to be presented at the next Assembly meeting.

Day two of the meeting focused on the MM financial statements and a presentation on Oil and Gas. Terri Lynn Morrison took to the podium to deliver her presentation on the proposed MM approach to eco-stewardship issues and to answer any questions that were asked.

A strong message was delivered on our theme: “Mi’gmaq Governance over Gespe’gewa’gi” and the MM Leadership and the MMS are dedicated to the hard work that lies ahead ensuring our Mi’gmaq citizens are engaged and informed. The AGA will be held in Gesgapegiag next year.

Mi’gmawei Mawiomi Secretariat

www.migmawei.ca

Assemblée Générale Annuelle du Mi’gmawei Mawiomi Du 5 au 7 septembre 2017 s’est déroulée l’Assemblée Générale Annuelle du Secrétariat du Mi’gmawei Mawiomi au Bingo Hall de Listuguj. Les communautés de Gesgapegiag, Gespeg et Listuguj s’y sont rencontrées pour discuter d’importants sujets lors de cet évènement.

L’AGA a débutée avec le traditionnel Festin communautaire durant lequel un vibrant hommage a été rendu à Feu Chef Alphonse Metallic. Cet hommage visait à mettre en lumière ses accomplissements et à honorer sa mémoire. L’une de ces mémoires est sans nul doute le combat qu’il à mener pour la défense des droits de pêche au saumon, Il fut à cet égard reconnu pour la célèbre phrase suivante – “Personne ne peut empêcher les rivières de couler, aussi bien que vous ne pourrez empêcher un Indiens de pêcher. Personne ne pourra jamais nous nier ce droit”. À cette même occasion nous avons également dévoilé les récipiendaires du prix d’écrivain Mi’gmaq. Derek Condo de Listuguj, Nadia Robertson et Jody Ste-Croix toutes deux de Gespeg en fut les récipiendaires.

Les 6 et 7 septembre les chefs, les conseillers et les ainés avec la contribution des citoyens Mi’gmaq se sont rassemblés pour discuter des sujets : qu’est-ce que le Mi’gmawei Mawiomi? La vision, la Mission ainsi qu’un survol des priorités et des objectifs pour les 3 à 5 prochaines années.

Les participants ont étés invité à créer 2 groupes afin de pourvoir donner leurs appréciations et de déterminer lesquelles étaient indispensables quant à la gestion et le développement des ressources du Gespe’gewa’gi. Les suggestions des membres ont été ajoutés à chacune des priorités et elles seront à cet effet présenté lors de la prochaine rencontre de l’assemblée.

“You can’t well neithe stop the water from r can flowing, Nobody will you stop [us] from fishing. deny us that right.”

Today, the Mi’gmawei Citizens of Gespe’gewa ’gi, together perseveranMawiomi pay tribut with the Leadership recognized ce in defending our e to a man who demon of the rights in and respe a time when strated the utmos cted by outsid such action t e government We also honor s were not s. for his family his strong effor ts and . Today, we pay tribut dedication to our langu e to the Late Chief Metal Chief Alphoage and his love lic may be Salmon Raids nse Metal best lic. in Listuguj. remembered for his role as Chief durin Along with g the 1981 his Counc horrific attac il, he broug ht the commu k on our community rights, nity toget her durin fight and through the rough our people and our determinat est of times way of life. g the most resources ion and paved He led of Gespe’gewato maintain our rights and the way for years his ’gi. title over of Alphonse the land is and contributoralso credited for helpin of a Micma teachings c Lexicon g preserve our langu to any who book that age. He was read it. today still a major offers valua First and foremost, ble we his friend s like family honor Alphonse, the grandchildr . en and his His legacy lives on family man. The man great grand who treat in ed children. the lives of his childr Alphonse’s en, his legacy thatimpact on his commu nity is ‘you not only in you.’ live in your still very alive and community, well today but your community , the lives

Wela’lieg

Listuguj September 5, 2017

Les états financiers ont été présentés la deuxième journée. Une importante discussion sur l’industrie du pétrole et du gaz à prit place par la suite. Terri-Lynn Morrison a pris la parole pour expliquer l’approche privilégiée par le MM soit celle d’éco-intendant en matière d’hydrocarbures et a répondue à l’ensemble des questions en provenance de l’audience.

Notre thème cette année “Gouvernance Mi’gmaq du Gespe’ewa’gi” un message fort. m Le MM tairaterceS imoiw aMà livréie wa et l’équipe du SMM sont résolument dévoués à l’immense tâche à accomplir tout en s’assurant que les citoyens soient inclus dans les discutions et dans la prise de décision. Notre AGA 2018 aura lieu dans la communauté de Gesgapegiag.

Mi’gmaq Writers Award 2017 Winners During our AGA Feast, we announced this year’s winners of the Mi’gmaq Writers Award Contest.

Congratulations went to Jody Ste. Croix, in the category of 17 & younger with her winning story entitled “The Dreamcatcher”. Jody is a youth from Gespeg.

In the 18 & older category, we had 2 winners: Nadia Robertson with “Letter to my Grandfather” and Derek Condo with his story “Smagnis’g”. Nadia is from Gespeg and Derek is from Listuguj.

Jody Ste-Croix

All 3 winners received an Honor Award Plaque during the Feast that was held on September 5, 2017. This award acknowledged their outstanding contribution to the literature of the Mi’gmaq Nation.

We would like to thank everyone who participated in this year’s contest and to keep an eye open for our Fall initiative by visiting our website: www.migmawei.ca or our Facebook page: Facebook.com/migmaqwritersaward

Le Prix d’Écrivain Mi’gmaq 2017 Nous sommes ravis de vous présenter nos récipiendaires du Prix d’écrivain M’igmaq 2017.

Dans la catégorie des 17 ans et moins. Jody Ste-Croix est de la communauté de Gespeg et le texte est intitulé “Le capteur de rêve”.

Dans la catégorie 18 ans et plus, Nadia Robertson de Gespeg s’est illustrée avec le texte intitulé “Lettre à mon grand-père”. Derek Condo de Listuguj s’est également mérité les honneurs avec le texte “Smagnis’g”.

Nadia Robertson

Les trois récipiendaires, ont reçus une plaque commémorative le 5 septembre dernier durant la soirée du festin traditionnel de l’Assemblée Générale Annuelle, afin de souligner leurs remarquables contribution à la littérature Mi’gmaq.

Nous tenons à remercier chaque participant de l’édition 2017 du Concours d’écrivain Mi’gmaq.

Suivez-nous sur notre siteweb au www.migmawei.ca ou Facebook.com/ migmaqwritersaward pour de plus amples informations et développements.

Derek Condo Request your free copy of our winning submisions by e-mailing your name and address to secretariat@migmawei.ca or by calling our office. www.migmawei.ca www.facebook.com/migmaqwritersaward Demandez une copie gratuite des textes gagnants en nous envoyant un courriel au secretariat@migmawei.ca en indiquant votre nom et votre adresse ou encore en appelant à notre bureau.