b'COO STAFF PROFILEStaff Profile: Sally GaikezheyongaiEnvironment Coordinator BY CHARNEL ANDERSONA s a self-described prayerfulGaikezheyongai taught reading, person, Sally Gaikezheyongaiwriting, math and computer skills. I says she has been going todid that for 15 years, and I kind of got ceremonies and learning fromburnt out from it, she says. Elders and teachers for a long time.In 2010, she got a job with the In her role as the EnvironmentChiefs of Ontario, where initially she Coordinator for the Chiefs of Ontario,worked in both the environment and Gaikezheyongais main mission is tohealth departments, later dropping support the environment team, whichhealth to focus solely on the growing usually involves helping the team organizeenvironment team. meetings between their organization andHer job requires a range of duties, the Chiefs and their communities.which Gaikezheyongai says she appreci-Gaikezheyongai says one of her mostates. I wanted to get back into a job cherished duties is looking after thethat provided a lot of varietywhich traditional medicines in the office andis what happens across the desk of working with Elders when they conductthe coordinator. All this information ceremonies. When Nathan Wright,comes in, and you have to decide at the the former Chief Operating Officerspur of the moment who needs what of Chiefs of Ontario, formally askedinformation, and where does it go, Gaikezheyongai to take care of the medi- she says.cines, she recalled the words of one ofGaikezheyongai also travels a lot for her teachers, who said, listen and learn,work, more than she ever thought she and someday youre going to be calledwould. But, since her kids are grown upon to do this, so learn all you can.up, she says she can afford to travelBeing asked to look after the trad- plus, she enjoys going to the meetings itional medicines was one of the bestwhere many First Nation communities things to happen, says Gaikezheyongai.come together. I feel like when our Elders are speakingWe bring all kinds of communities in the meetings, theyre always remindingtogether, with diverse opinions and the Chiefs, Dont forget our spiritualdiverse issues. They lay it all out on connections to the earth, the water andthe table and figure out what is our to our ancestors and their wishes forpriorityin what order will we solve the next seven generations. We have tothings, and what needs to be done? Its keep all that in mind, and I feel like Iminteresting to see them work like that, a part of that when I took on that role,and I get excited when I hear them she says.working together. Sometimes theres Originally from Wiikwemkoonga struggle and its frustrating but Unceded Territory on Manitoulin Island,most of the time they work to resolve Gaikezheyongai and her family movedthings, says Gaikezheyongai.to Toronto nearly 40 years ago. SheGaikezheyongai, who just turned briefly studied Accounting and FinancialAfter raising five children,60 this year, hopes to stay with Chiefs Management at Centennial College,Gaikezheyongai decided it was time toof Ontario until she retires. After that, but was unable to graduate because herstart working. Before joining Chiefs ofshe wants to focus on her beadwork. kids got sick. I wound up dropping outOntario, she ran adult literacy programsMy mother did a lot of beadwork, and eventually, but I did get at least a yearfor both the Indigenous and mainstreamI wanted to leave a legacy of beadwork and a half of it, and that gave me a goodcommunities. Working one-on-one,for my grandchildren and children, foundation for the work that Im doing. mostly with special needs learners,she says. Thats my dream. 50l ISSUE 2 2019/20C hIEfS ofo ntarIoA dvocAte magazInE'