NAWN's Beginning

During the summer of 2005, a survey of sixty-five Aboriginal women
from the 9 band councils on the island of Newfoundland, revealed that
the majority of Aboriginal women did not know a provincial association
for Aboriginal women existed. Following that survey, a retreat was
organized by the Corner Brook Aboriginal Women's Association in September,
2005 at Killdevil Camp and Conference Centre in Lomond, NL. The "Lomond Conference" hosted two women from each Mi'kmaq Band on the island of Newfoundland. The Lomond Conference had a two-fold function:

• A cultural learning experience,
• To determine a way to resolve the issue of
  representation for the women.

Based on their discussions, the women determined there was a willingness
and a need to elect and establish a Newfoundland Aboriginal women's association.

The women elected a President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer
from the delegates of the Lomond Conference. The rest of the board representatives were chosen by formed and forming aboriginal women�s
groups, on the island of Newfoundland. NAWN is open to all native
women�s groups and to all self-identified Aboriginal women on the island.

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Our First Mandate

The women attending the Lomond Conference gave NAWN its mandate:

• To formalize the organization by creating a
  constitution;
• To motivate the formation of local aboriginal women's groups;
• To submit a letter to the Native Women's Association of Canada (NWAC) requesting recognition as one of the 13 Provincial and Territorial
  Member Associations (PTMAs)
  of NWAC, representing Newfoundland.

We have completed most of our mandate and continue to follow our initial mandate but with growth have expanded to meet our memberships needs.

©2007 - Newfoundland Aboriginal Women's Network (NAWN)