Treaty 2 Territory – Restorative Peacemaking means peace and balance is maintained in the Local Nations and Treaty 2 territory through a peacemaking system that includes territorial and Local Nation circles (replacing colonial courts), peacekeepers(police), wellbeing lodges, guardians (conservation officers) and restorative measures.
We have our own legal traditions, spiritual laws, natural laws, customary laws and legal orders. Our unwritten laws and our understanding of them has not disappeared. They are still here and the process to revitalizing them is ongoing.
Traditional models are based on restoring peace and balance focused on reconciling mutual understanding between two people or groups. We have ancestral and inherent rights to govern ourselves—to create and to restore a peacemaking system that provides prevention, preparedness, emergency response and post-event remedies.
Our Seven Sacred Teachings and laws come from the turtle which are as follows: Love, Wisdom, Courage, Truth, Honesty, Respect and Humility.
Our Land and Pipe is our Constitution. Our unwritten laws will continue for the next seven generations and beyond. Our Ohnushsheewehwiin and our mandate derives from our Creator.
The Anishinaabe way of kindness is a teaching that is part of who we are. We have been given instructions from our Creator to treat everything with love, respect, truth, honesty, wisdom, courage and humility. Lateral kindness works to eliminate violence in bullying, gossip, intimidation, and harassment.
The Grand Council 29 August 2020 passed a resolution to support the Treaty 2 Territory in zero-lateral violence. In order to heal, we must all take the responsibility to be kind, mindful and respectful to each other.
Our law will provide formal support, structure and peacekeeping in our territory through traditional methods of resolving disputes which includes using our Seven Ancestral Teachings and modern expressions. These will guide us and work to restore harmony and balance: Mino-aani-gidoowin.
Our process shall be interpreted through Anishinaabemowin with the intent of providing balance. This approach will be used in accordance with our Anishinaabe ancestral ways. The drafting team continues to work together in moving forward Onankonehkawin.
Last modified: April 20, 2021
