The Summit of Treaty 5 Sovereign Nationals and Annual Summit “Working Towards Our Vision,” hosted by Kinonjeoshtegon First Nation was held at the Lower Fort Garry National Historic Site from Aug. 5-8.
Miss Universe Ashley Callingbull and Jennifer Flett facilitated the summit. Callingbull is the first Indigenous Female to win a Miss Universe Canada title.
Twelve-hundred participants registered to attend with expectations of a couple of thousand over the week to drop in.
All Nations were welcomed to attend and learn at the family event.
Special dignitaries including Manitoba’s Premier Wab Kinew attended and brought greetings.
Kinew shared a message to the youth and recalled his election loss and how he just had to do better starting the day after. He encouraged the youth to never give up and shared that you can do anything you want, it just takes hard work for it.
The annual Treaty 5 summit at Lower Fort Garry outside Winnipeg tackled issues including sovereignty, agricultural benefits Cows and Plows and Indigenous law. APTN’s Tiar Wheatle met with Chief Tony Travers about the summit.
The Summit of Treaty 5 Sovereign Nations membership consists of 40 Treaty 5 Nations from Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario who have come together to pursue these discussions with Canada. An annual summit is held to get perspectives on governance but also to report on the progress of these discussions.
Each year, one nation is selected to host the summit. Travers’ nation, located 265 km from Winnipeg was selected to host 2024’s event. He selected Lower Fort Garry as the summit location due to a lack of resources at his home nation and Lower Fort Garry has been a successful location for past events.
Travers uttered the importance of Treaty law and sovereignty.
“Treaty rights are mobile. You know, you can take them wherever you are,” said Travers when speaking with Wheatle.
Record Photos by Brett Mitchell
He expressed the importance of informing youth of their rights
“Your treaty rights should be yours to use,” added Travers.
Camp Day kicked off opening day with the lighting of a sacred fire, preparation of the sweat lodge and Grandfather rocks.
The week featured many tipi breakout sessions to discuss Treaty 5 Indigenous Laws, sources, programming and services and ended with a closing prayer.
On the final day, guests had the opportunity to meet with Kinew and Callingbull before ending the celebration with a closing ceremony.
The Treaty 5 Sovereign Nationals and Annual Summit was a successful event and organizers share their gratitude to all the participants who attended.
