By Mike Stimpson, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Thunder Bay Source ONIGAMING \u2014 As chief of Ojibways of Onigaming, Jeffrey Copenace goes to many funerals. Copenace\u2019s First Nation, which has about 850 members living on and off reserve, has lost 52 members since he became chief in August 2021. \u201cIt\u2019s like an epidemic of grief that\u2019s in our community,\u201d he said in an interview. Recently the Anishinaabe community had \u201cback-to-back funerals, a mother and a daughter,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s just so overwhelming and something that I never ever expected to go through, but I\u2019m hearing more and more chiefs are going through times like this.\u201d He said the situation appears to have taken a toll on Onigaming children and youth, partly because of where funerals were frequently held. A child psychologist… <\/p>\n
By Mike Stimpson, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Thunder Bay Source ONIGAMING \u2014 As chief of Ojibways of Onigaming, Jeffrey Copenace goes to many funerals. Copenace\u2019s First Nation, which has about 850 members living on and off reserve, has lost 52 members since he became chief in August 2021. \u201cIt\u2019s like an epidemic of grief that\u2019s in our community,\u201d he said in an interview. Recently the Anishinaabe community had \u201cback-to-back funerals, a mother and a daughter,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s just so overwhelming and something that I never ever expected to go through, but I\u2019m hearing more and more chiefs are going through times like this.\u201d He said the situation appears to have taken a toll on Onigaming children and youth, partly because of where funerals were frequently held. A child psychologist... <\/p>\n