Champion Lake residents say to first
time visitors to Old Nemaska, “It’s like paradise. You’ll wonder why we ever left.” The reason why they ever left was far from people’s minds when the entire community gathered again at the old site. For another brief shining week it was like they had never gone.
“Coming back here is like coming back to our old ways,” says events co-ordinator Thomas Jolly, “We can go into anyone’s house. Our kids can run free.”
The old school house still stands beside the teacher’s small one-room cabin. They are the only two buildings left standing out of the original 24.
“This is where I learned my ABC’s.” says Freddy Jolly gesturing towards the schoolhouse.
“Then they moved me to Moose Factory, where I learned my DEF’s!”
That’s the mood from beginning to end.
The week begins with a walking tour courtesy of Freddy. “This is Ste. Catherine Street,” he jokes as he leads us down the community’s one street. “St. Laurent runs down that way.”
He then takes us up the hill towards the cemetery with its crumbling crosses and prayer book pages left by family.
Sturgeon fresh from the river and chunks of moose meat from last spring hang from rafters over smoldering fires. Geese dangle over teepee flames and bannock on a stick.
The water taxi, Lawrence Neeposh, comes in and out with boatloads of people and supplies.
People arrive with more sturgeon from their nets a sling shot’s throw off shore.
At night the youth ghetto is a scene of flashlights flashing and boomboxes playing late into morning.
“We have a lot of births in April. It might have something to do with this gathering,”jokes Chief George Wapachee. The chief shows us the old tree he would seek refuge in whenhe was young. Crusts of dry
sap covers the initials, GW, that he carved into the bark as a boy. Remembering the community’s exodus he recalled, “I was at the University of Western Ontario in London when I got a letter from home saying, ‘Don’t come home to Nemaska. It doesn’t exist anymore.’ So in a way, I never left.”
The old village does look like they never left with the brand new log cabins they’ve been building for the Elders. “We are slowly restoring the place,” says Wapachee. “People like to come here as a second home. Everybody needs a change of focus. We come here even though the agreement doesn’t allow us. But we are here to make a presence, to show that
we are always here.” Building the cabins also provides summer employment for about 15 community members.
All work and no play makes Nemaska a dull place so a Checkers and Cribbage tournament has been organized in the old school. The crib tournament runs late into the week and finishes only as the awards are being given out. Target shooting with slingshot, log sawing, a fishing derby and canoe races are also offering prizes. One of the canoe racers tips over and surfaces without her dentures. Famed tallyman and all-round hero Freddy Jolly has to dive for the damsel in distress.
A walking out ceremony is performed late Saturday morning. Later, a chaotic feast with goose and turkey is served in the too-tiny classroom. One could only imagine what it would have been like if the children were in here too. But they feast on hotdogs outside by a bonfire.
On the final night we are treated to an almost surreal display of fireworks with thebright waxing moon in the background. Echoes can be heard bouncing off Nemaska Lake’sfar end. Later still, nature puts on its own fireworks display as the northern lights danceacross the sky and slowly fade.
