First I would like to commend you all on your valiant efforts in keeping your magazine on the stands (despite all of the nasty publicity its been getting – not that I’ve listened to any of them, or believed any of it or heaven forbid participate in the talks). Keep up the good work!! I would like to mention to the editorial board and to the journalists of an issue that has been a heavy topic among the youth today (who of course you must all bow down to one of these days – I mean you can only kiss the ass of the Cree leadership of today for so long. We, the youth, are up and coming (not literally) so please take our issues seriously.) Enough of the b.s. that the politicians have been discussing for how long now?? One issue that we think the nation should investigate is the one concerning poaching of our wild game (that the Great Spirit has bestowed upon us once again). There was talk of individuals driving from community to community selling caribou or moose or (soon enough) geese at prices not even worth mentioning.
These are our role models? Has this become so acceptable with our society that will become a way of life for some? What impact will this have on our people? We fight for our Cree rights to be recognized and this is what we have to show for it? Is this Cree pride we are displaying by ignoring it? Is this the reason for the Nation not publishing any material on this issue (perhaps in a couple of editorials but the youth feel that this deserves front page exposure)? Or would (political) toes be stepped on by exposing these poachers (who might be per chance family members)?
Perhaps this is the reason why families are killing more that their share. It is common knowledge that some hunters, even as little as two, kill as many as thirteen moose in one hunt. THIRTEEN!! Tell me, is there a need for
any family, even if distributed to grandparents, brothers, sisters and/or children (if it isn’t sold to them!!), there is still an excess of maybe five moose. What do they do with the other five you ask? Well sell it of course. For their own personal profit. And this is what we scoffed at the white man about with their sport hunting and poaching and of the repulsive public display of their kill. We have seen videos of such men, and now we have sunk to their level of scum. Now it is their turn to laugh at us and prove to the world that we are no better than they are. How we used our “culture” to win so many battles with the governments, seems like such a waste now.
With this goosehunt, I have heard of camps killing over a thousand geese. The poaching has already started. The Great Spirit blessed us once again, a blessing that we have not had in years, and again our people shame us. It is time that they are taught the ways of our life again.
The lands feeds us with only what we need, and should not take more than that. It is a teaching that seems to have been forgotten in the midst of all the talk of self government or any other money thirsty conquests “our leaders” have been negotiating for our people. To hell with our leaders. They themselves are even too ashamed to live with their people. They hide behind the robes of the Ministers.
Ooh. I think I’ve said more than what I meant to say. I guess all I am requesting for is an issue related to that. The poaching and overkill. Not all the other issues that I feel strongly for. That was just me releasing some “fumes.” I hope that you as journalists can understand this.
Just a nice front page “In-Your-Face” issue will do on your investigation(s).
