Pimisi The

TheKichisippi Pimisi

BY CHRISTINE LUCKASAVITCH

BY CHRISTINE LUCKASAVITCH

American eels (Anguilla rostrata) are a remarkable fish that was once extremely abundant throughout tributaries to Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River, including the Ottawa River and its tributaries. Within the Ottawa River watershed, this species has experienced a dramatic 99 per cent decline in population since the 1980s. American eels have been extirpated from many parts of its Ontario range and is in serious decline where they are still present. They are now listed as endangered under Ontario’s Endangered Species Act, 2007.

American eels (Anguilla rostrata) are a remarkable fish that was once extremely abundant throughout tributaries to Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River, including the Ottawa River and its tributaries. Within the Ottawa River watershed, this species has experienced a dramatic 99 per cent decline in population since the 1980s. American eels have been extirpated from many parts of its Ontario range and is in serious decline where they are still present. They are now listed as endangered under Ontario’s Endangered Species Act, 2007.

The American eel is known to Algonquin people as Kichisippi Pimisi, which translates to “big river eel.” Algonquin Traditional Knowledge (ATK) states that Kichisippi Pimisi have been an essential part of Algonquin culture since time immemorial as a provider of nourishment, medicine and spirituality.

Pimisi were once extremely plentiful across Anishinaabeaki (Anishinaabeg territory), making up 50 per cent of all fish biomass. They were one of the most important and dependable sources of sustenance, particularly during long journeys and harsh winters. Oral knowledge states that eel were once so plentiful that over a thousand could be caught in an evening – enough to sustain an entire village.

The skin of Kichisippi Pimisi has healing properties and can be used as a cast or brace for broken bones or sprains and to rid the body of infections once dried. Oral knowledge also suggests that Pimisi skin has the ability to heal sore throats when applied to one’s neck.

American eels are born in the Sargasso Sea in the Caribbean and travel along the shores of the Atlantic on ocean currents as they grow. Once they reach brackish water (a mix of fresh and saltwater), female eels continue travelling far into river tributaries where they will stay until sexual maturation (which can be as long as 30 years). Once they have reached this point in their life cycle, they begin to migrate toward the ocean and back to the Sargasso Sea where they will mate, thus restarting the life cycle of the American eel.

Across Anishinaabeaki, most rivers are no longer free-flowing due to hydroelectric facilities. As only female populations of eel travel deep into tributaries throughout the Kitchisippi (Ottawa River) watershed, female eel populations face an almost certain death they pass through the turbines of hydroelectric dams as they make their way back to the Sargasso Sea to breed.

The cumulative effects of eel mortality during outward migration are truly devastating. Hydroelectric facilities, reduced access to habitat imposed by man-made barriers throughout waterways, commercial harvesting in jurisdictions other than Ontario, contaminants and habitat destruction, alteration and disruption are amongst the most significant threats to the survival and recovery of Kichisippi Pimisi in Ontario.

This high mortality rate has led to a severe impact on the presence of Kitchisippi Pimisi throughout Algonquin territory. Our younger generations will not have the opportunity to hold a connection with this fish that was once so integral to our lives as Algonquin people. It is vital that Kichisippi Pimisi be restored to its historical range to re-establish the ancestral connection between Algonquin people and Kichisippi Pimisi.

Taking steps toward reconciliation with Indigenous peoples also means extending respect and support to other-than-humanbeings – fish, rocks, trees, water, and all others – who also call this place home. Advocating for safe eel passages around hydro dams will support a resurgence of Kitchisippi Pimisi populations across our ancestral territories. For additional reading, go to cwf-fcf.org/en/explore/eels/

Christine Luckasavitch is an Omàmìwininì Madaoueskarini Anishinaabekwe (a woman of the Madawaska River Algonquin people), belonging to the Crane Clan, and mixed settler heritage. Christine continues to live in her ancestral territory, much of which is now known as Algonquin Park, Ontario. She is the owner of Waaseyaa Consulting and Waaseyaa Cultural Tours, the co-owner of Algonquin Motors, and the Executive Director of Native Land Digital, the organization behind NativeLand.ca. Her work centres around creating safe and respectful spaces for Indigenous voices.