Natasha Akiwenzie

Lac Seul First Nation

I am from Lac Seul FN but reside here at Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation with my family. Our family were commercial fishers on Georgian Bay in Ontario. We raised our family by selling fish we caught at farmer's markets in Toronto and locally. The last three years were becoming very trying for the lack of whitefish we were able to catch and how the weather was not allowing us to fish. Two years ago we started a small sustainable farm for our family but even in farming the weather is causing us havoc. We walked away from fishing last August for we had to accept we can't keep doing the same thing hoping for a different outcome. My husband and I founded an environmental not for profit group called Bagida-waad Alliance. It is led by 3 Nawash fishers but there are eight people on our board. My position in this group is the manager. The fishers are all seeing and experiencing the same thing. We hope to look at climate change by collecting stories in the community and also collect western science to monitor the waters and weather. We are also engaging youth to listen and work with the Elders. We are also practicing stewardship exercises in the Saugeen Ojibway Territory.