ARTICLES BY Steve Bonspiel

Aboriginal Role Model: NHL Player, Jonathan Cheechoo

Aspiring hockey players of Eeyou Istchee now have a very inspiring role model to look up to. Jonathan Cheechoo, the pride of Moose Factory, Ontario, is currently playing a regular shift with the National Hockey League’s San Jose Sharks. Drafted by the Sharks in 1998 (2nd round, 29th overall), Cheechoo has ... read more ››

First Female Cree Doctor – Darlene Kitty

Well on her way to becoming the first female Cree medical doctor, Darlene Kitty is a true inspiration to everyone in Eeyou Istchee. At this point, Kitty is slated to graduate in 2004 from the Family Medicine Residency Program at the University of Sudbury, but has just accepted a third-year position ... read more ››

Margaret Cromarty, Cree Renaissance Woman

Margaret Cromarty, an accomplished writer, eco tourism guide, speaker and poet, has lived on the land most of her life, growing up on Fort George Island where there was no electricity or running water, and later moving to Chisasibi in 1981. The move was not something she agreed with. “I didn’t ... read more ››

The Cree-Huron Arrow

Kwanah Sioui-Moar, alias The Cree Arrow, is set to soar even higher in the coming year, thanks to much-needed experience gained in his first year in Senior Elite Mountain Biking. Sioui-Moar finished a solid fourth in a Canada Cup race in Bromont this past May against racers from across Canada. This ... read more ››

Do Not Mess With Dr. Tootoo

Rankin Inlet’s Jordin Tootoo is making a big splash with the NHL’s Nashville Predators these days. He had the distinction of becoming the first Inuk to play in the NHL when he suited up for his first National Hockey League game last October 9 against the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. Tootoo ... read more ››

Rise in Crime in Mistissini

Mistissini has seen a steady rise in violent criminal acts over the last 10 years. Shootings are becoming commonplace in this bustling community of over 3,000 people. As reported in The Nation last May, two local men Eric Meskino, and Clifford Joly, went on a shooting rampage that lasted a combined ... read more ››

Canada-Cree Talks Suspended

Negotiations with Ottawa on fulfilling the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement have stalled over taxation status for the Cree. The Grand Council of the Cree is refusing the federal government’s demand to eliminate the Crees’ tax exemption before honouring the landmark deal signed in 1975. “The Grand Chief (Ted Moses) ... read more ››

Cree Community Recognized

The Grand Council of the Cree (GCC) recently recognized the Washaw Sibi at the Annual General Assembly (AGA) in Waskaganish. The name Washaw Sibi essentially entails Cree people who are off reserve and might not be coming back to the territory, but want to affirm their rights as Crees. This ... read more ››

Curbing Chisasibi Drinking

The community of Chisasibi is in mourning. Four months after the deaths of three of its community members in an alcohol-related car accident, the town is still trying to come to terms with what happened. Christopher Cookish, Lydia Petawabano, and William Matthew died this past summer on their way back from ... read more ››

Wapachee Wins Seat at CRA

Bertie Wapachee, the former chairman of the Cree Health Board (CHB), has been elected to the Grand Council of the Crees/ Cree Regional Authority (CRA) for a two-year term as the representative for Nemaska. Wapachee goes from being the head of the CHB and making all the important health decisions, to ... read more ››

Honduras: The Undiscovered Country – Part 2 of 2

This is a continuation from last week of our CIDA-funded focus on Indigenous eco tourism in Honduras. The Lodge at Pico Bonito The Lodge at Pico Bonito has only been in operation a short time, but is already listed as one of the “small luxury hotels of the world.” Their butterfly farm, Honduras’ ... read more ››

Inuit To Get Proper Sewage – Crees Will Benefit As Well

The Inuit and the Cree of Great Whale are working together on a project slated to bring their communities up to today’s living standards. The project involves revamping the underground water system, to make it available to all three communities (Inuit, Cree, non-native). Currently, the Inuit are the only ones without ... read more ››

Honduras: The Undiscovered Country

Eco tourism is a word that is widely used, often times in the wrong context. In this article, we will examine Indigenous eco tourism in Honduras. From the Native people known as the Miskito, to the Garifuna, who for all intents and purposes, aren’t considered native. Honduras is located in Central ... read more ››

Robert Weistche-Against All Odds

There comes a time when a leader must take a stand. The Chief of Waskaganish, Robert Weistche, did just that when he opposed the signing of the Paix des Braves a year and a half ago. Needless to say, this was not a popular stance in the eyes of the Cree ... read more ››

Guatemala: Primal Beauty – Part 2 of 2

This is a continuation of last weeks focus on eco tourism of the Indigenous peoples of Guatemala. CDRO – Totonicapan CDRO (cooperacion para el desarollo rural de occidente) was set up to support Indigenous projects in the Totonicapan area of Guatemala in the early 1980s. At the time, Guatemala’s civil war was ... read more ››

Mianscum: Chairman of the Board

James Bay Cree voters have chosen a new direction for their school board leadership. William Mianscum of Mistissini will be the chairperson of the Cree School Board (CSB) for the next three years after a run-off election with incumbent Mabel Herodier July 31. Before the run-off election, neither of the two ... read more ››

Guatemala: Primal Beauty

The world’s Indigenous peoples are constantly struggling for recognition of their rights and trying to take control of their future. In Guatemala, the Indigenous peoples realize that this means taking advantage of the natural resources available to them. One of the ways to sustain and develop is through eco-tourism. There ... read more ››

Phil Fontaine: Back to the Future?

By now everyone knows that Phil Fontaine has been elected – for the second time around – as leader of the Assembly of First Nations (AFN). The easy part is over for Fontaine, now he must get down to the nitty gritty of leading an organization that faces many challenges. The first, ... read more ››

Cree Construction Fires Protesters

Three workers for Cree Construction have been fired after organizing a protest over what they say is racism shown them by non-native superiors. The workers had been building access roads to Hydro Quebec’s EM-1 project. They organized a blockade June 20 of about 50 Cree Construction employees, including non-native workers, to ... read more ››

Lost Cree Brother, Found

In life, we encounter many inspirational people and their amazing stories. As native people, we tend to deal with a fair amount of difficulty in our everyday life, but that is part of what makes our feelings of joy that much stronger. We are very familiar with hardship, and unfortunately ... read more ››

Who Will Be Chief? (2003)

The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) will be holding an election for National Chief on July 16, 2003, at the Shaw conference centre in Edmonton, Alberta. At press time the candidates are Roberta Jamieson, from the Mohawk Nation of the Six Nations of the Grand River Territory in Ontario, former National ... read more ››

13th Annual Montreal First People’s Fest

Six months ago, seven Native artists six different Nations across Quebec were asked to create chess sets with a native theme. The end result is seven magnificent creations designed to bridge the gap between tradition, and modern day life. The works were commissioned for a new and exciting exhibit in the ... read more ››

National Gallery Mounts Huge Native Art Exhibit

The National Gallery in Ottawa is set to do something which has never been done before. At least not in the world of art as we know it in this country. A new, permanent exhibit entitled Art of this land opened June 19. One hundred Aboriginal artworks and artifacts, some dating ... read more ››

Shooting in Mistissini

There was a double shooting in Mistissini on Saturday, May 24th. The assailants, Clifford Joly 23, and Eric Meskino 19, unloaded a combined total of over 30 rounds. Various buildings in the community were shot during the rampage. One firefighter was injured. Both men are to be charged with criminal acts ... read more ››

Aboriginal Women in Prison

Aboriginal women make up 27% of inmates in federal prison. This is very alarming, but even more so when you consider Aboriginal people only make up 1.5% of Canada’s population. These inflated statistics are due in large part to inadequate social programs offered for those who need it most. Support groups ... read more ››

Kwanah Sioui Moar – King of the Mountain

Imagine going downhill at 100 km/h with no room for mistakes. Where one wrong turn could be the difference between winning and losing, or breaking an arm. It sounds crazy, but that’s what Kwanah Sioui Moar does on a regular basis. This year marks Moar’s first year in Senior Elite mountain ... read more ››