One nice thing about winter is that it signals the beginning of the flu and cold season, which, if left alone to develop, can turn your schedule upside down. Hacking out one’s lungs in the middle of an intense […]
Archive for January, 2012
Balancing the risks
We long ago became accustomed to the environmental review reports issued by those who wish to exploit the land. Usually we are told there will be few problems if any, no real impacts and that the materials to be […]
Trapping Beaver in the Winter
Told by Elsie Duff, Chisasibi Translated and transcribed by Brian Webb Beesum-communications.com/legends As far as you can remember, did your family move camp almost every day during the winter? Sometimes we did. During autumn, we settled down to wait for […]
ᑳ ᒸᔅᒑᐱᒋᔮᐦᒡ
ᐁᓪᓰ ᑕᕝ ᐋ ᒌ ᑎᐹᒋᒧᑦ, ᒋᓵᓰᐲ ᐱᕌᔨᓐ ᐌᑉ ᐋ ᒌ ᐃᑣᔥᑎᒫᑎᐦᒃ ᑭᔮ ᑭᔮ ᐋ ᒌ ᒥᓯᓂᐦᐊᐦᒃ ᐊᓂᑖ ᒫ ᐱᔮᒋ ᒋᔅᒋᔨᓐ ᐊᓂᑖ ᒀ ᐋ ᐱᐳᐦᒡ, ᒥᐦᑎᐙᒡ-ᐋ ᐋᔑᑯᒻ ᒌᔑᑳᐤᐦ ᔥᒌ ᐱᒋᓈᐙᐤ? ᓂᔮᓂᑯᑐᓐᐦ ᑮᑆ᙮ ᐊᓂᑖ ᒀ ᐋ ᑎᒀᑭᐱᓈᓂᐎᒡ ᒀ, ᑖᒀᑭᐱᔮᐦᒡᐦ, ᐋᑯᑦ ᓂᒥ ᔖᒫᒡ […]
Hunger strikes have a powerful history
Over the years, leaders from northern First Nation communities like Attawapiskat have fought hard for many of the basic services and programs that most people in Canada take for granted. However, I can understand my peoples’ frustration when it feels […]
Losing my BFF to suicide
My best friend wasn’t just my BFF; she was my family by blood, my favourite cousin. We were close, close enough to tell secrets. Lea was the type of girl who loved to have fun without worrying about what other […]
Voices from around the Sacred Fire
At Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence’s camp on Ottawa’s Victoria Island, the Sacred Fire is at all times surrounded by helpers and people from many Nations who’ve come to pay their respects. Some stop and quietly make prayers; others hang around […]
How to keep your resolve
Whether you just want to get rid of some extra holiday weight after several weeks of excess or you want to give your life a complete makeover, New Year’s Day is the traditional starting point for many people’s attempts to […]
Correspondence from a hospital bed
Not even a heart attack December 10 could keep Janie Pachano from passionately advocating a fully funded mandate for the Elders of Eeyou Istchee. Unable to make it to the December 12-13 Grand Council board meeting in Montreal, Pachano, executive […]
The movement sweeps north
As the voices of Canada’s Indigenous peoples have grown louder since Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence began her hunger strike December 11 in opposition to Bill C-45 and other federal government attacks on First Nations, the “Idle No More” movement has […]