Qualitative Social Work, Ahead of Print.
Biindigen families is a grassroots group in Sudbury that offers community programming that is culturally grounded with language, ceremonies, activities, crafts that focus on Indigenous resurgence of cultural knowledge in Sudbury for Indigenous parents, children and families. Led by two powerful matriarchs, Nicole Wemigwans and Paula Pelletier, and supported by an all Ikwewag- women (women) staff, Biindigen Families has made great strides in restoring traditional matriarchal leadership in community health and development through community programming. In Anishnabemowin (Ojibwe language), the word for old women (leader, clan leader, seed source/carrier), ‘mindimooyenh’, the one who carries, or holds it together. With great respect to the women that came before us, the goal of this paper is to illustrate lessons learned in the conception, growing and being stages of Biindigen families for social workers that are rooted in traditional Anishinaabe matriarchy.