Nipissing First Nation
Local Community
Author Les Couchi has lived his entire life, seven decades, in Nipissing First Nation. He opens his book, Our Warrior Spirit, describing his First Nation and what it was like living on the reserve.
Nipissing First Nation (NFN) consists of 66,000 acres located between two northern Ontario urban centres: North Bay and West Nipissing (aka Sturgeon Falls). The Rez stretches along Highway 17 for approximately 23 miles. During the 1950s and 1960s, residents lived primarily in eight communities; Garden Village being the largest. Others included Veteran’s Lane, Mosquito Creek, Jocko Point, Meadowside, Beaucage, Yellek and Duchesnay. NFN’s population in the 1950s of 400 on-reserve residents more than doubled to 993 by 2024, with another 2,329 living off-reserve.
A Giving Community Is A Stronger And Healthier Community
Hello, my name is Les Couchi, a member of the Ojibway Nation. At 74 years of age, I am a lifetime resident of Nipissing First Nation in Northeastern Ontario. My father was a survivor of the Spanish Residential School. My parents raised 13 children, and like all families in NFN, we endured many hardships. Simply put, life was harsh. For many, that would be putting it mildly. For some, it was a living nightmare. Several key factors impacted life on our reserve:
- Colonialism
- Indian Act
- Poverty
- Lack of or loss of employment
- Residential Schools
- Sixties Scoop
- Poor Education
- Racism
This book was inspired by unusual circumstances. In late 2024, NFN received its share of a large out-of-court settlement from Canada and Ontario to address long-overdue Robinson-Huron Treaty (1850) benefits that had been withheld for over 170 years. The settlement compensated NFN, and 20 other First Nations, for the Crown’s past, long-time use of our Treaty lands. For each First Nation a portion was distributed to individual members for their own benefits. In deciding that distribution process many young community members wanted “equal distribution” with no consideration given to age. It led me to believe our young people today did not appreciate how much oppression their ancestors had endured. I decided to write this book to share stories of our ancestors, grandparents and parents who had witnessed and experienced hardships over the years.
The book follows our NFN’s Warriors Hockey Team who in 1972 became All-Ontario Champions. The community’s warrior spirit inspired our people to be proud of our heritage. Team Canada ’72 united Canada. Our 1972 Championship Nipissing Warriors united our Indigenous nation.
Our nation would go on to thrive, become culturally vibrant, and economically diverse and strong. More and more of our youth are pursuing higher education becoming our leaders of the future.
June was determined to “fight like a Warrior” for the betterment of our community, Nipissing First Nation. She was one of many women who joined the Homemakers Club – the early social safety net of the community. She served 33 years on Band Council.
Anishinabek Nation produced a YouTube video entitled “A Survivor’s Story with June Commanda”
Be sure to check out the NFN Traditional Powwow FaceBook page – your go-to-resource for what’s happening at the Pow Wow before making your plans!
Les’ parents were strong advocates for getting an education to better the lives of their children and contribute to their community. Les and his siblings completed high school. Some went on to obtain University degrees and College diplomas.
During his teens and early twenties, Les actively played organized hockey and was a proud member of the 1972 Championship Warriors Hockey Team. Les began his professional career as a provincial civil servant, but soon wanted to do more within his own community, Nipissing First Nation (NFN). He advanced from an alcohol/drug/youth worker, to become the first Indigenous Police Officer for NFN, then its Economic Development Officer, to Native Development Officer for Canadore College bringing career counselling to all First Nations in the James Bay area between Ottawa and Thunder Bay. Les concluded his career with the Anishinabek Nation establishing and directing the Anishinabek Seventh Generation Charity where he closely worked with many of his sports heroes including, Johnny Bower, Pat Gillick, Bobby Baun, Ron Ellis, Dave Hutchinson, Ted Nolan, Frank Mahovlich, Kent Douglas, Rene Robert and George Armstrong.
News & Stories
News media, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous, exists to inform the public, foster engagement,
and counter misinformation. News media provides the public with critical information about
events, issues and developments. This is especially true for Nipissing First Nation.
10, SEPT 2024
Business leader bursting with pride opening Tim Hortons in Nipissing First Nation
29, AUG 2024
Nipissing First Nation teaches Anishinaabemowin on YouTube
23, MAY 2024
Nipissing First Nation Anishinaabekwe archaeologist Sarah Hazell...
12, MAR 2024
Nipissing First Nation athlete leads University of New Brunswick Reds into...
12, SEPT 2023
Healing through the drums at the Nipissing First Nation’s 35th Traditional Pow Wow
21, AUG 2023
Nipissing First Nation actor captivates audience
13, JULY 2023
Special Olympics gold and bronze for Nipissing First Nation students
23, JUNE 2023
A spotlight on Economic Development at Nipissing First Nation
What Our Readers Say
This is a fascinating, very readable book about the history and growth of Nipissing First Nation (NFN), a community near North Bay, Ontario. It is neither a complex historical discourse nor a sociological study. Instead, and refreshingly so, it is a description of NFN through the eyes of 50 or so real people who live there.
Our Warrior Spirit begins and ends with traditional Anishinaabe stories collected from the author’s grandfather. This makes the book essentially a loop, with each chapter seamlessly sliding into the next, and finally ending with the stories described in the beginning. Next are five chapters on hockey, particularly the local team, the Warriors (and thus the book’s title). Particularly charming are the forty or so short bios of girls and boys who, as adults, benefit from having played hockey in their youth. The development of the team gives us an analogy about how NFN itself was to develop.
All in all, Our Warrior Spirit is a pleasure to read, it moves along easily, is clearly structured and has just the right level of detail. The story is about one particular First Nation, but the lessons are important in themselves and can apply to pretty much any community in the country.
Our Warrior Spirit is a compelling, well written, comprehensive book presented in a narrative style making it an easy, enjoyable read. The book provides a powerful, thought-provoking overview of the painful impacts of colonialism, Indian Agents, residential schools, Sixties Scoop, poverty, etc., across the author’s Indigenous community – Nipissing First Nation. Even more heartwarming were the real-life stories of how hockey galvanized the community, and how their perseverance and “can do spirit” led the community to take control of their own education, economic development, cultural revival, health and wellbeing, land and treaty agreements, etc., taking charge of their own futures — succeeding — and constantly looking forward to future opportunities and successes.
The format, content and structure of the book easily lends itself to being a “textbook” for school use, and a possible “blueprint” for other Indigenous communities.
An excellent book — well worth your time and investment. Kudos to the author – Les Couchi.
This book is everything I needed. it is full of very important information about the past, present and future of Nipissing First Nation. I, as a 60s Scoop Survivor, only made contact with what’s remaining of my family 10 years ago. Many are long past. The questions I have I can’t even put into words. This book fills up a void. It is beyond words the gratitude I have having this information to look through, to hold, and to know where I came from. I’ve always wondered why through my difficult life I never stayed down. Throughout the trauma day today growing up as a young adult as an older adult I never stayed down. That’s my warrior spirit. This book confirms where it came…from Nipissing First Nation Warriors… I too, am a warrior. G’chi Migwech Les.