Grandfather T8aminik Rankin’s Biography
A Deep Connection with the Anicinape Wisdom
Born in a Tipi on the Banks of the Harricana River
Grandfather T8aminik (this is how the name Dominique is written in the Anicinape language) was born in a tipi during the winter of 1947 on the banks of the Harricana River, in northwestern Quebec.
Evangelization and Baptism: The Name Dominique
His parents named him Kapiteotak, which means “The One Whose Cry is Heard from Afar.” Due to evangelization, he was baptized on June 1, 1947, and the priest gave him the name Dominique.
Family Heritage: Anicinape and Cree Languages
His father, Tom Rankin, belonged to the Anicinape First Nation, and his mother, Emma Moé (also known as Mowatt), came from the Cree First Nation. This is why he speaks both Anicinape and Cree fluently, with French and English coming later in life.
Early Destiny: Successor to His Father as Chief and Medicine Man
At the age of 7, the elders of his community identified him as the future successor of his father. From an early age, he was placed on a long path of learning and initiation from the elders of his community.
Residential School Survivor: Acceptance and Healing
Grandfather T8aminik is a survivor of the tragic era of residential schools in Canada. He was taken by authorities at the age of 8 and sent to the Saint-Marc-de-Figuery residential school, where he stayed until adolescence. This marked the beginning of a long journey of acceptance and healing.
Recognition by the Elders: Induction into the Elders’ Circle
In 2006, after 50 years of personal growth and deepening traditional knowledge, Grandfather T8aminik was admitted to a circle of esteemed elders.
From that point on, the elders’ circle encouraged him to train future tradition-bearers, while continuing his mission of sharing and fostering reconciliation between nations.
Grandfather’s Work
Founding of Kina8at and the Dominique Rankin Foundation
Grandfather T8aminik became involved early on in helping Indigenous communities struggling with alcoholism, drug addiction, and violence. Deeply drawn to preserving ancestral cultures, he actively contributed to the Native Friendship Centre Movement of Quebec and Canada. After spending about ten years as vice-chief and grand chief of the Algonquin nation, he stepped away from politics, often joking that he is now “healed from politics.”
In 2013, he and his partner Marie-Josée Tardif founded the non-profit organization Kina8at. Then, in 2020, the Dominique Rankin Foundation was created. Both organizations share the same mission: to preserve and share the richness of Indigenous cultures with everyone, but primarily to help Indigenous peoples stand tall through their own heritage.
Awards and Honors
Member of the Order of Canada and Knight of the National Order of Quebec
A member of the Order of Canada and a Knight of the National Order of Quebec (the highest honors in Canada and Quebec), Grandfather T8aminik has also received the Lieutenant Governor of Quebec’s Medal, the Quebec National Assembly Medal, and the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.
Committees and Councils
Participation in Major Events for Global Peace, the Environment, and Reconciliation Between Peoples
Grandfather T8aminik regularly participates in major events for global peace, the environment, and reconciliation between peoples.
Member of Various National and International Boards and Committees
Grandfather T8aminik is involved in various national and international committees, including:
- Boards of Kina8at and the Dominique Rankin Foundation
- Senator for the National Association of Friendship Centres of Canada
- Member of the Advisory Committee of the First Peoples’ Medal of the Lieutenant Governor of Quebec
- Advisor and trainer at the Canadian School of Public Service
- Member of the World Council of Religions for Peace (an organization linked to the UN)
- Global Committee of Chiefs and Other Traditional Leaders for the Prevention of Hate Crimes, under the UN Office of the Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide and the Network of Religious and Traditional Peacemakers
- Ethics in Action Committee, created by the Vatican, the UN, Religions for Peace, and the University of Notre Dame, to develop an interfaith moral consensus on key challenges to integral sustainable development
- Expert panel for the ImpactIA Foundation in Switzerland, reflecting on the challenges posed by the rise of artificial intelligence in the world
