Nipissing First Nation Anishinaabekwe receives Honourary Degree from Nipissing University – Anishinabek News
NIPISSING FIRST NATION— Joan McLeod Shabogesic is an expert storyteller about the people and the land of Nipissing First Nation.
In recognition of her hard work and dedication, Nipissing University has bestowed McLeod Shabogesic with an Honourary Degree.
In conversation with McLeod Shabogesic, she explains the highlights of being the Lands Manager of Nipissing First Nation for 37 years.
“In 1982, Nipissing started telling the Department [of Indian Affairs], ‘We want to have jurisdiction over our land.’ Nipissing First Nation wanted control over it. The only way the Department [of Indian Affairs] could do it was delegate Section 5360 under the Indian Act,” she recalls. “About 1989, there [were] eight First Nations that were about to obtain it [Section 5360]. We realized, as Nations, that it wasn’t going to work. It didn’t do what we wanted it to do, so we started talking about developing a new law.”
