AMC Special Chief’s Assembly Holds Honouring and Headdress Ceremony for Women in Leadership in Historical Special Assembly

Press Release

January 31st, 2023

Treaty One Territory, Manitoba – The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC) held an honouring ceremony during today’s Special Chiefs Assembly for First Nations health experts who lead the COVID-19 response in First Nations in Manitoba.

The Manitoba First Nations Pandemic Response Coordination Team – a partnership between the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC), the Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO), and the First Nations Health and Social Secretariat of Manitoba (FNHSSM) – with coordination by the University of Manitoba’s Ongomiizin – Health Services – worked tirelessly for two years to respond to the pandemic.

The ceremony honoured the following:

• Marcia Anderson, Vice-Dean, Indigenous Health, Social Justice and Anti-Racism and the Executive Director of Ongomiizwin Institute of Health and Healing, for her extensive work in the area of First Nations health and wellness;
• Melanie Mackinnon, Head of Ongomiizwin Institute of Health and Healing, for her advocacy and leadership for First Nations health and wellness in Manitoba;
• Melody Muswaggon, Health Innovations Lead, Ongomiizwin Institute of Health and Healing, for her work in helping to roll out vaccines for First Nations in Manitoba;
• Ardell Cochrane, Executive Director, First Nations Health and Social Secretariat of Manitoba, honoured for her work in isolation planning; and
• Leona Star-Manoakeesik, First Nations Health and Social Secretariat of Manitoba honoured for her work in data collection that allowed First Nations to create a First Nations-led response.

Unfortunately, others could not attend today’s ceremony, such as Dr. Barry Lavallee, CEO of Keewatinohk Inniniw Minoayawin, Inc. Still, we honour his commitment to the health and well-being of our Nations.

Following the honouring ceremony, Elder David Blacksmith conducted a special Headdress Ceremony to honour the newly elected AMC Grand Chief Cathy Merrick and Regional Chief Cindy Woodhouse of the Assembly of First Nations – Manitoba Region.

For more information, please contact:

Communications Team
Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs
Email:  [email protected]

About the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs

The AMC was formed in 1988 by the Chiefs in Manitoba to advocate on issues that commonly affect First Nations in Manitoba. AMC is an authorized representative of 62 of the 63 First Nations in Manitoba with a total of more than 151,000 First Nation citizens in the province, accounting for approximately 12 percent of the provincial population. AMC represents a diversity of Anishinaabe (Ojibway), Nehetho / Ininew (Cree), Anishininew (Ojibwe-Cree), Denesuline (Dene) and Dakota Oyate (Dakota) people.

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