You are no doubt wondering why Rez Notes did not appear in our previous issue.
I could give the excuse that the poem printed in its place was so deep we just had to put it on page four. The truth is that I was on a drinking binge discussing the latest sightings with Fat Man Jack. As you might have guessed, I am for separation. I believe that Wemindji has the right to form its own country. But let’s not get into that right now. We have more important subjects to address.
Case in point, The Red Hot Chili Peppers are playing at The Forum early December along with two other groups whose names are of no importance. No news yet on the Rolling Stones in Montreal but have you heard their version of “Like a Rolling Stone”? They do Dylan proud.
David Letterman and his merry writers came up with a list of names for a sovereign Quebec. They were: 9. Lome Greenland 8. Rand McNally’s Worst Nightmare 5. The Monkey on Maine’s Back 4. Frenchylvania 3. Canada 90210 2. Parlez-vous-land 1. Funkytown Days ago at the giant No Rally here in town, an elderly francophone man asked Zebedee Nungak if he spoke French. When Zeb replied that he didn’t, the man asked what he was doing in his “homeland”(!) if he didn’t even speak the language. Needless to say, Zeb gave him the tongue-lashing of his life. In his native Inuk tongue.
A new independent Inuit newspaper has hit the stands. The paper publishes in English, French and Inuktitut and is called Nipivut, which means, Our Voices.
Our Nemaska connection writes: “Nemaska’s well. It’s as clean as ever. Children are all over town with slingshots trying to get partridge which seem to invade the village in swarms. The women all look happy, sad, mad or in deep wonder depending on what happened on their favorite soap, ‘All My Children’ (just kidding). The women are fine.
As for the men, a fever has broken out, one that has odd symptoms. When it breaks you get this itch in your finger. This is unexplainable and can’t be cured by the most experienced of doctors. It comes and goes. The only known cure is out there wandering around in the woods. It’s big, it’s hairy and has antlers. From this the fever gets its name. Moose Fever. It’s highly contagious. As soon as it goes down, someone will see tracks and schwitt!!, up it goes and the men are out there again looking for their cure. A few will get cured. The ones who don’t will have to wait for their medication from the cured. The prescription is moose steak. One dose and you’re all right until next season.”
We’ve just been told that Waskaganish chanteuse Francine Weistche will be performing at the Nemaska Gardens on November 24th and 25th. Don’t miss her. I hear she does a powerful version of “The Power of Love”.
Finally, many people commented that the Cree Referendum question was almost as long winded as Quebec’s. More than a few Crees had to read it twice and one Chisasibiite actually asked his friends, “We’re supposed to say yes, right?” Another Cree who wishes to remain anonymous advises the people in charge to use the KISS method next time (keep it simple, stupid). Could the way the question was worded be the reason that 3.7% said yes? Write in with your opinion. ASAP.
