Elder Whabagoon 

Obishikokang, Lac Seul First Nation Treaty 3 Territory 

Whabagoon is an Ojibwe elder and sits with the Loon Clan. She is a current member of Obishikokang — Lac Seul First Nation while residing in Toronto for the past 47 years. She is a Keeper of Sacred Pipes, speaker, land defender and water protector. Whabagoon is of Sapay lineage and is a Sixties Scoop survivor. 

In April 2023, Elder Whabagoon was appointed First Peoples Leadership Advisor to the General Manager, Transportation Services, City of Toronto. A landmark engagement, this Indigenous advisory role is the first of its kind for the City. 

In 2021-2022, Elder Whabagoon held the inaugural role of First Peoples Leadership Advisor to the Dean at the Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design at the University of Toronto. She initiated and curated “ambe magda” the first Indigenous mural at 1 Spadina Crescent, with Que Rock, honouring the 215 children found in unmarked graves at the residential school in Kamloops, British Columbia in May 2021.  

Elder Whabagoon spends her summer months as the co-founder and Elder for the award-winning Nikibii Dawadinna Giigwag (NDG). In its eighth year, NDG is a culturally grounded Indigenous youth employment pathway to post-secondary programs focussed on landscape, architecture, and urban design. “Our youth need to connect with the land and water through spirit,” says Elder Whabagoon. “The program strengthens their cultural identity, gives a platform for their voice on environmental issues and guides them to envision their future role as caretakers of Mother Earth.” 

In 2022, she was nominated for the BBVA Foundation’s Frontiers of Knowledge Award in the Music and Opera category for her ground-breaking collaboration with Tapestry Opera for the world premiere of the first Indigenous opera Shanawdithit. Elder Whabagoon is a recipient of a Lifetime Membership from the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects (CSLA), an honour also bestowed upon the Honourable Murray Sinclair-ba and King Charles III (formerly Prince Charles), for her dedication to advancing the cause of landscape architecture through her advisory roles, mentorship, and advocacy for Indigenous youth. 

Elder Whabagoon leads water ceremonies and water talks to hold space for those who want to learn about the power of ceremony, land, and water. She speaks, sings, and drums for special occasions across the City of Toronto. In her spare time, she enjoys writing, and reading.