Abstracts
Abstract
Bkejwanong—the place where the waters divide (the delta islands of Lake St. Clair)—has been called the “soul” of Anishinaabe territory. Long before Europeans arrived, the Anishinaabe occupied territory which includes parts of present-day Ontario, Michigan and Ohio. The resources found there are integral to their way of life and identity. The Anishinaabe defended this territory against Haudenosaunee warriors in the seenteenth century and its integrity was at the core of the peace they concluded in Montreal in 1701, a key element of which was the Naagan ge bezhig emkwaan, or Dish with One Spoon. The dish represented the territory and the single spoon symbolized that people from other territories would be able to eat together while peace was maintained. Recently, however, the Dish with One Spoon has been popularized as an agreement to protect the environment. The original treaty has been incorporated into “land recognition statements” that blur the territorial rights of individual First Nations. This transformation is damaging to First Nations who seek to protect their territories and resources. Walpole Island First Nation (the Council of Three Fires) is working to reclaim their Dish.
Résumé
Bkejwanong – l’endroit où les eaux se séparent (les îles dans le delta du lac Sainte-Claire) – fut appelé « l’esprit » du territoire Anishinabé. Bien avant l’arrivée des Européens, les Anishinabés occupaient un territoire qui comprenait certaines régions de l’Ontario, du Michigan et de l’Ohio d’aujourd’hui. Les ressources qui s’y trouvaient faisaient partie intégrante de leur mode de vie et de leur identité. Les Anishinabés défendaient ce territoire contre les guerriers haudenosaunee au XVIIème siècle, et son intégrité était au coeur du traité de paix qu’ils ont conclu à Montréal en 1701, dont un élément clé était le Naagan ge bezhig emkwaan, ou « bol à une seule cuillère ». Ce bol représentait le territoire et la cuillère symbolisait le fait que d’autres peuples pourraient manger ensemble tout en préservant la paix. Récemment, cependant, la notion du bol à une seule cuillère a été popularisée comme un accord de protection de l’environnement. Le traité originel a été incorporé dans les « formules de reconnaissance » qui brouillent les droits territoriaux des Premières nations. Cette transformation nuit au Premières nations qui cherchent à protéger leurs territoires et leurs ressources. La Première nation Walpole Island (le Conseil des Trois Feux) tente de récupérer son Bol.
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Appendices
Biographical notes
Dr. Dean M. Jacobs is a former Chief at Walpole Island First Nation and currently its Consultation Manager. Dean is an Adjunct Professor at Western University and serves on the University of Windsor’s Board of Governors.
Dr. Victor P. Lytwyn is an independent Historical Geographer in Orangeville, Ontario. He has served as an expert witness in cases involving Indigenous land and resource rights.
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