[Video] Giishkimanisiiwaaboong: Kingfisher Lake First Nation - Oji-Cree - Ontario, Canada, "Turtle Island"

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"Giishkimanisiiwaaboong", "Kingfisher Lake First Nation", (Oji-Cree: ᑮᐡᑭᒪᓂᐦᓰᐋᐧᐴᕽ, "At Kingfisher Waters") is an Oji-Cree First Nation reserve, located 350 kilometres (220 mi) north of Sioux Lookout, Ontario, Canada. The First Nation is accessible by air all year and by waterway, in summer and by ice roads, in winter months. The community speaks the Oji-Cree language, but, most of the people are fluent in English, as well. In 2011, many of the residents of Kingfisher First Nation were temporarily housed in Ottawa, because of severe forest fires in the surrounding area. Kingfisher Lake First Nation is part of the Shibogama First Nations Council, a Regional Chiefs Council and the Nishnawbe Aski Nation, a Tribal Political Organization representing a majority of the First Nations in northern Ontario. More than seven years after the passing of 31 year old, Ruthann Quequish from Kingfisher Lake First Nation, three weeks of inquest proceedings wrapped up in Thunder Bay, Ontario, in August 2024. A jury of five heard testimony from 22 witnesses before delivering its verdict, that Ruthann died on April 1st 2017 in her home community of 'undiagnosed' and 'untreated' diabetic ketoacidosis. They ruled, that the means of death in her case was "undetermined", as opposed to homicide, suicide, accident, or natural causes. According to Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN), the family wanted her death classified as a homicide, "because, their daughter died from an untreated disease in an under-serviced community". "We really need people to listen to our people, to First Nations people. They're forgetting about the agreement that they made to our people.. and we see that there are more and more broken treaty promises, today."

"The Aboriginal homeland which surrounds the present reserve site of the Kingfisher Lake First Nation has ways been utilized and carefully preserved by local First Nations people as their personal heritage. The rights to culture, fishing, gathering, hunting, language and trapping were granted to the First Nations people, by the great Creator. Thus, as the original stewards of the lands in which their ancestors lived, the current residents treat this responsibility with great care and respect."

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEUNJN2-Bf8