I descend from a mix of cultural backgrounds and have a rich yet interesting family genealogy, history and heritage.

The paternal side of my family tree is where I've been blessed with my indigenous identity from my paternal side of my family tree - via direct familial blood relationships, as well as many indirect in-law relationships. The numerous connections to some infamous [mostly]  French fur traders, native Americans & Canadian First Nations', well-known and not-so-well-known Métis families & numerous Métis Settlements (Métis Communities) across Canada from east to west...

With family and ancestors, relatives and descendants which are documented back (as far as the early 1400s) amongst the Ojibway - better known as the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa located in Pembina, North Dakota - aka the Chippewa who followed Chief Red Bear I, Chief Little Shell I, Sub-Chief Joseph Montreuil / Montreuille, Charles Bottineau Sr. and Charles Bottineau Jr.  Chief Loon's Foot, Chief Little Crow, Chief Joseph Renville Sr. & Joseph Renville Jr., Mary Tokanne Renville, Chief Tuttle....

Although I descend largely from Algonquian tribes, such as the Anishinaabe, Chippewa (Ojibwe) - Nippissing, Manitoulin Island, Georgean Bay, Colin's Inlet, Killarney and environs, Pembina Chippewa of Turtle Mountain, Red Bear Pembina Chippewa, White Earth, Ojibwe / Chippewa, Red Bear Tribal Nation, Little Shell's Band of Chippewa, Rocky Boys Assiniboine Reservation, White Earth, Red Lake Assiniboines, Miami Nation (Oklahoma), southern Mendota Mdewakanton Dakota Sioux (I'm a direct descendant of Little Crow, his daughter, Mary Tokanne, her Métis fur-trading husband, Joseph Renville Sr., as well as another Métis relative by the name of Hyppolite Dupuis). Odawa / Ottawa and Potawatomi played a huge role in the formation of my paternal grandmother's side of the family. Records as recent as the 1950s indicated various "degrees" or "quantums" of native blood (full, half, 1/4, 3/4, 1/8, etc.) relatives were and this was documented since most were given money and/or land grants when Manitoba Métis land scripts failed to be honoured by the corrupt, racist government cheaters who only had their own selfish interests in mind by doing just about anything to "remove the problem...remove the Indians." The dozens of border crossing records, reservation and lists for band annuities, dates - it all corresponds fairly well with the social and political undue racial hardship that Indigenous peoples were facing every day. The 1830 Indian Removal Act in the US - which originally forced The Myaamia off their traditional home lands by the eel River, maumee river, the sacred pillars site, etc.). Don't forget the horrors of Canada's Residential School System, which still continues to inflict damage today)!! No apologies, Miigwetch! 🙏

As a hereditary member of the Ahdick Songab Clan - Proudly Standing Firm Reindeer/Caribou Clan of the Great Lakes Regions; Chief Little Crow's Mendota Sioux of South Dakota; Chief Jean (John) Baptiste Brouillet/Brouillette's of Miami Nation (Myaamia) of Oklahoma, Grand Sachem Henri Membertou's Mi'qmak Nation in Nova Scotia. Christine is also 1 of the remaining 150,000 descendants of Pohawtan...Yes, as in the Great Powhatan Nation Pocahontas! But NOT Disney Pocahontas Pocahontas though! 😬 She's my 13th great grandmother! 

Proudly, the Ahdick Songab Reindeer  (Caribou) Standing Firm Clan has a long and rich cultural history that can be traced back to at least the 1500s.

Traced backed to the first documented Matriarchal Clan Mother, Claire "Country Woman" Equibe. Originating from the original and main Turtle 🐢 Mountain Reservation located in Rolette, Pembina, North Dakota.

Members of the hereditary Ahdick Songab Clan (various spellings - Adik, Ahdik...), which myself, my many ancestors, and even more relatives belong to, are stretched out across the upper U.S. and Lower South Eastern Canada, including (but not limited to): North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Montana, Michel, Southern Ontario & Southern Québec. We encompassed essentially the Great Lakes Regions; therefore, we have Anishinaabe and Assiniboine ancestors, family, descendants, relatives who are literally scattered all around the Great Lakes. 

O'Jibway Nation Grand-Chiefs

The Wazhazha Mdewakanton of the O'Jibway Nation is ceremonial. The O'Jibway Nation traces back 2000 years as a collection of Nations who unified and worked collectively to establish trade, family unity, among the Haudenosaunee, Anishinaabemowin, Algonquin descendants of the Great Lakes. Ojibwa, also spelled Ojibwe or Ojibway, also called Chippewa, self-name Anishinaabe, Algonquian-speaking North American Indian tribe who lived in what are now Ontario and Manitoba, Can., and Minnesota and North Dakota, U.S., from Lake Huron westward onto the Plains.

Reservation to Red Bear, Chief of Chippewas. Letter from the Secretary of the Interior, relative to a reservation made to Red Bear, Chief of the Chippewas, by provisions of the ninth article of the treaty of October 2, 1863.

Keeping it All in the Family: Ojibway (Chippewa) Chiefs

23. (2018 - Present) Red Bear Reservation Giche Ogema <private>

23. (1989 - 2017) *EMERITUS <private> Lambert

22. Elmer Patrice Brunelle (1965-1989)

21. O'Jibway Nation Grand Chief Thomas Little Shell IV "Little Crow" Pierre Kiyon, Wazhazha Mdewakanton(1903-1965)

20. Little Shell III (1872-1903)

19. Weesh-e-damo Little Shell II (1813-1872)

18. Makadeshib (1811-1813)

17. Little Shell II Tabasnawa (Wakinyantanka) Big Thunder, Asaiance II (1790-1804)

16. Little Shell I (Asaiance I)

15. Gay Tay Menomin Old Wild Rice (Red Wing I)

14. Mdokečiŋhaŋ “Coming Summer” Pettite Corbeau

13. Wazhazha Mdewakanton Dakota Grand Chief Delonais Wakute Wazican Red Leaf I Wáȟpe šá I (Wáȟpe šá) Delonaise Atetaŋkawamduška

12. Chief White Crane

11. Mamaangĕzide

10. Kahdewahbeday "Broken Tooth" Kautahwaubets Brushette/Waishkey

9. Sandy Lake Ojibwe Chief Chief Biauswah II Bayaaswaa "The Dry One" Bajasswa Thomme Qui Faitsecher

8. Chief Biauswah I Bayaaswaa Matchiwaijan Thomme Qui Porte Une Grande Peau, The Great Skin

7. Chief Jos Ojiibway, Reindeer Dynasty

6. Wajawadajkoa

5. O'Jibway Nation Grand Chief Wajki Weshki The Great Firstborn, Wazhazha Mdewakanton

4. Schawanagijik

3. Mitiguakosh

2. Miskwandibagan

1. Gijigossekot

O'Jibway Nation Ogimaakwe: Machequayaince daughter of Wazhazha Mdewakanton Dakota Grand Chief Delonaise Atetaŋkawamduška; sister of Red Bear, son of Sandy Lake Ojibwe Chief Chief Biauswah II Bayaaswaa "The Dry One" Bajasswa Thomme Qui Faitsecher

I'm related to the many men and women of the great red rebellion. Those who fought for Métis or "half breed" rights. Through my paternal grandmother I'm related directly (by blood relationship) to Louis Riel. Through my paternal grandfather, I'm related to Gabriel Dumont indirectly (in-law relationship). But through my maternal grandmother, I'm also related to Gabriel Dumont directly by blood.