Past Feasts & Gatherings
Dagwaagin (Autumn) Gathering & Feast: September 21, 2026
On September 21, 2026, ISAGE, in partnership with Public Health Sudbury & Districts, hosted our Dagwaagin (Fall) Gathering & Feast as part of Northern Voices Beneath the Data. We were grateful to gather at Wiingash Gamig, the Indigenous EarlyON Child and Family Centre on Frood Road, for an afternoon of food, conversation, and community connection.
With canopies set up outdoors, we welcomed community members, families, and partners to spend time together, share a meal, and learn more about the work underway. We were honoured to have Grandmother Martina Osawamick join us, along with local drummers who brought song to the gathering. We were also happy to welcome back MIGS Food Truck and Catering, who once again provided a wonderful feast for everyone.
These gatherings are an important part of Northern Voices. They give us opportunities to come together outside of formal meetings, strengthen relationships, share updates, and continue conversations about Indigenous Data Sovereignty and what respectful public health data governance should look like across our region.
Chi-miigwetch to everyone who joined us and helped make the day possible. We look forward to continuing these conversations as the work moves forward.
Niibin (Summer) Feast & Gathering: June 30, 2026
On June 30, 2026, we gathered on the beautiful Laurentian University campus in N’Swakamok for a feast and ceremony to nourish the spirit of Northern Voices Beneath the Data and begin the work in a good way. This Indigenous-led initiative is being undertaken by ISAGE in partnership with Public Health Sudbury & Districts (PHSD), and is co-led by Dr. Robyn K. Sabourin and Dr. Joey-Lynn Wabie.
We spent time together, shared food, learned from the Elder, and began building the relationships that will carry this work forward. The gathering created space for community members, Indigenous partners, the ISAGE team, and representatives from PHSD to connect and begin talking about Indigenous Data Sovereignty and Indigenous Data Governance.
These early conversations helped us reflect on the responsibilities that come with collecting, holding, using, and sharing Indigenous data, and on the importance of ensuring that Indigenous Peoples have authority in decisions about information that relates to them.
This gathering marked the beginning of a longer process of relationship building, listening, and learning together. The conversations and connections made that day will help guide future gatherings, community engagement, and the development of a regional Indigenous Data Sovereignty Strategy for public health.
