I feel like I should clarify this; I am not registered to, nor did I grow up in Rapid Lake/Barriere Lake. My dad is a member of Algonquins of Barriere Lake and was born and raised there, as was his mother outside of her time at Spanish Residential School.

I don’t have a piece of identification provided to me by Indian Affairs stating that ABL is my home community, but it still is. I am equally my mother and my fathers child and I am equally from Chippewas of Nawash and Algonquins of Barriere Lake.

If you go another generation back, I also have roots in Kitigan Zibi. I’m very grateful to know my family history like this and will always claim both sides of my family and all the communities I come from equally and with pride.

And yes I made this thread bc a boy in college told me I’m not really Algonquin bc my mom is Ojibwe.