Archive for October, 2010

Farewell to the Chief

Even in death Billy Diamond still had the ability to hold a crowd in thrall. The moment came early during the funeral service, at the end of a hastily cut film celebrating the man’s many achievements. “I told my sons […]

Aboriginal awareness

The Cree Indian Centre in Chibougamau (CICC) opened its doors on September 25 to Natives and non-Natives to promote Aboriginal awareness. The annual Journées de la Culture takes place throughout Quebec from Sept. 24-26. The activities at the CICC included […]

More fish contaminated

According to new information that the Public Health Department of Cree Health Board and Social Services of James Bay (CBHSSJB) received from Hydro-Québec, there has been a significant rise in mercury in some fish found in the Eastmain-1 and Opinaca […]

Mighty moose

One of the annual rituals that nearly everyone in Quebec with a forest in the backyard takes part in is the fall moose hunt. Tales of the legendary moose and the dangers involved with the hunt are often mixed with […]

2010 Assimilation alive and well

Here’s a statement about relations between the Canadian governments and the Indigenous people, with which I wholeheartedly agree. It comes from a group called Defenders of the Land, who encourage and organize First Nations to base their policies on Aboriginal […]

Concerts for Youth Voters in Offshore Islands Referendum

As promised by the Grand Council, after an unprecedented number of youth voted in the offshore islands referendum earlier this year, for coming out in such strong numbers the Cree nation youth will be rewarded with two concerts. The shows […]

Chief Billy Diamond: 1949-2010

The first Grand Chief of the Cree Nation, Billy Diamond passed away on September 30, 2010. Word from Waskaganish at press time reports that he had a heart attack and was pronounced dead at 11:50 am at the clinic in […]

Feed the good wolf

Elders and traditional people are special in that they are capable of handing down their knowledge in the simplest ways. I was reminded of this simple, patient way of teaching recently when I attended a gathering this summer. I took […]

Hockey’s Cool in Mist

For seven grueling weeks this summer Cree boys and girls from ages 8 to 17 were taught how to get in deep, get in on the fore-check and, of course, get the puck in the net. And from the sounds […]

Defining social wellness

How Crees define social wellness is going to be a topic of discussion for many months to come in the Cree nation, starting this November. Mandy Gull, a programming and research officer for the Cree Board of Health and Social […]