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The mission of the Aki Mikinak Kitchi Sibi Fund is to hold, protect, conserve, restore, care for and connect with lands, waters, and other beings in Algonquin Anishinabe territory, including through the conservation of land for protected area purposes, for the health and benefit of current and future generations. It also aims to foster and revive Algonquin Anishinabe cultural practices, law, ceremony, and healing; and to carry out related education, training and research on ecological and cultural practices, including through traditional teachings and Algonquin Anishinabe knowledge systems.

Its constituents explain the creation of their fund thusly:

« The creation of the Aki Mikinak Kitchi Sibi Land Trust is a historic and vital step for all partners of the trust and the broader Algonquin Nation. Rooted in our responsibilities to protect and steward the land, this Land Trust represents the resurgence of Indigenous leadership in caring for our ancestral territory. Our journey began with a collective desire to safeguard the Kitchi Sibi (Ottawa River) watershed and surrounding lands from environmental threats, while advancing a vision of intergenerational sustainability, cultural revitalization, and ecological justice.

We chose to partner with the Foundation of Greater Montreal because of its shared values of equity, sustainability, and community empowerment. FGM offers a platform that honours our autonomy while helping to grow a lasting source of support for our work. Through this fund, we aim to protect the land and waters for future generations, uphold our sacred responsibilities as Algonquin people, and ensure that the spirit of the territory remains alive and thriving. »

Visit the Kebaowek First Nation website