ARTICLES BY Will Nicholls

This story of a historic journey is a must-read

Voices From The Odeyak by Michael Posluns 1993, NC Press Ltd. (Box 452, Stn A, Toronto, Ont., M5W1H8) If you read one book this year this should be it. If Cree schools are looking for relevant books about the recent history of the Crees, this is one for your students. If you ... read more ››

Violence Traditional-Style

It is no surprise to anyone that there has been an increase in violence within the Cree communities during the past few decades. We all hear about family violence, wife battering, fights during parties, etc. People are concerned as this is a relatively new phenomenon within our culture. It seems ... read more ››

>Who’s Seceding From Whom?

Crees are not cattle to be traded from one government to another, says Grand Chief Matthew Coon Come. If Canada is to split apart, it’s up to the Crees to determine their own future, he said. Cree lands would not automatically go with a sovereign Quebec. Crees have inhabited their lands for ... read more ››

Canada Has Double-Standard

Ambassador Ted Moses of the Grand Council of the Crees is one of the few aboriginal representatives recognized by the United Nations. In fact, there are only 10 aboriginal people accredited in the world. They are consultants to the United Nations without voting status. But the UN’s recognition “gives us a ... read more ››

Reform Broaches “the Untouchable”

The Reform Party doesn’t have the greatest reputation among aboriginal peoples. Reformers recognize our right to self-determination, but then again, for them native communities have as many national rights as a city like Hull. In an interview with The Nation. Reform MP Dave Chatters denied his party is racist and said ... read more ››

Working for the Future, Studying Today

Kenny Loon is the sort of realistic dreamer that the Cree Nation needs more of. He is a father of five who is willing to sacrifice a little to make his dreams come true. He says the size of your family should never deter you from making and attaining your goals. ... read more ››

Willy Mitchell echoes in our native souls

Willy Mitchell Wolftracks Wolftrack Music Productions, 1993 Here’s a man with a soulful sound, a native beat, a man who has paid his dues. You might remember Willy from his previous songs like “Call of the Moose.” A song that still haunts me to this day. Willy always seems to capture a moment, ... read more ››

Our Rights Are Our Rights

SOM – LA PRESSE SURVEY Federal subsidies to the native peoples of Canada are $5.8 billion per year. Do you think these subsidies should be…? Increased Maintained Reduced Abolished No Opinion TOTAL (no. 1,002) 2% 20% 39% 29% 10% Mother tongue French only (no. 854) 1% 15% 43% 34% 7% English/Other (no. 145) 6% 43% 18% 10% 23% Would you say that the quality of life ... read more ››

R-21 Trapline: The Wounded Land

Many people would be happy to have a road near the place where they live, work and play, but trappers are an exception. Trappers on trapline R-21 are adversely affected by a new road called the Route du Nord running from Nemaska to Chibougamau. Freddy Jolly is the tallyman of the R-21 ... read more ››

Murray Porter: 1492 Who Found Who?

Murray Porter grew up and still lives on the Six Nations Reserve near Brantford, Ontario. 1494: Who Found Who? is his first album and all he asks for is a chance. “Have an open mind and have a listen. Then you make your own judgement on the music itself,” he ... read more ››

Zigzagging on the Rupert’s

It was a clear sunny day without wind, the kind of day when the water acts like a mirror. You can see the world reflected in the water. You can see for miles and, with the heat, the distant islands seem to be floating in the simmering air. Voices from the ... read more ››

Self-determination and Harmony

There is a perception that by incorporating technologies, foods or ideas into our native culture from the outside, we are no longer native. I’ve heard such comments as “you can’t skidoo down the aboriginal trail forever,” or the infamous argument made by lawyers in the 1970s court cases that since ... read more ››

Raid des Braves

Despite their less-powerful machines, two Cree teams placed among the top four in the annual 1,400-km Raid des Braves snowmobile race. For the first time this year, the race had a stop-over in Mistissini, where most of the community was on-hand to greet the racers. Of course, the Mistissini team was ... read more ››

The Sins of Our Sacred Plant

Let’s be truthful and honest. I’m an addict. Like all addicts I need my daily fix. I’m not alone, there are a lot of us out there. Normally we are just law-abiding citizens enjoying our cancer sticks. But as a Chinese curse has it: “May you live in interesting times.” I, ... read more ››

Hydro meddles in GW review: Crees

Hydro-Quebec has asked the Grand Council of the Crees to change the Cree composition of the federal and provincial committees studying the Great Whale River Project, according to Bill Namagoose, executive-director of the Grand Council. The Quebec utility has complained that two of our representatives are not “neutral,” Namagoose said. The ... read more ››

Masters of Conquest

If the Cree people had read the James Bay Agreement of 1975, translated word for word into written Cree, it is “highly doubtful” they would have ratified it, says Matthew Mukash, chief of Whapmagoostui. “We weren’t given enough time to have the text of the Agreement translated into own language ... read more ››

Time For Change

Violet Pachanos thinks it’s time for a change. “I’ve been involved in this from the beginning and have seen a lot of things along the way,” said Pachanos, the chief of Chisasibi and the only woman chief in all nine Cree First Nations. “I think we have to change the ... read more ››

We Have The Right: Algonquins

If anyone has the right to break up Canada, it’s the First Peoples of this country, says Albert Tenasco, Grand Chief of the Algonquins. “The non-treaty people of Quebec, the Algonquins, should have the main say in which direction this province should go, not the people that came after us,” ... read more ››

Enough Is Enough

Trappers in Waswanipi are so frustrated by unrestricted forestry operations on their traplines, they are talking about taking action, says John Kitchen, the chief of Waswanipi. “Our trappers have had enough. I wouldn’t be surprised if people started doing things,” he said. The Nation interviewed Kitchen in Montreal at a ... read more ››

Johnny Kistabish Remembered

We just learned that a good friend has passed away. Johnny Kistabish had complications following an appendix operation. He got an infection during the operation and just never got better. Today, as I sit here, I remember Johnny’s laughter. It dances in the dark corners of my mind lighting the ... read more ››

The Other Side of the Trap

It’s January, the start of the new year, and the time that marks the beginning of prime pelt season for Cree trappers. Cree beaver has always been in a class by itself, respected and known throughout the fur world for its quality. I remember many a time listening to the tallymen ... read more ››

Women Go Public

Flora Kitchen has noticed a change in the role of women in Cree society. They are becoming more assertive about their concerns in public, and Cree society is changing to accommodate them. “Women are starting to be heard,” said Kitchen, who is president of the James Bay Cree Native Women’s ... read more ››

Where Have All The Ethics Gone?

It’s no secret that some Cree people feel Cree public officials are somehow benefitting more than them as a result of their positions—elected or appointed. But was anything ever done about this? In a word, yes. The Grand Council of the Crees unanimously passed a resolution on the topic at its ... read more ››

Elijah Harper: No Ordinary Hero

Elijah Harper writes in his introduction to Elijah Harper: No Ordinary Hero: “Personally, I can never thank aboriginal people across the country enough for their support, for their show of solidarity. I did not act alone. Through them I found strength. I had the collective will and the prayers of ... read more ››

Enough to Tax Any Native’s Patience

Revenue Canada Taxation is a department that not many native people are aware of. In the dark not too distant past, the only real way a native got a chance to know the taxman intimately was through enfranchisement (basically giving up all your native rights so you could vote). Some ... read more ››

A New Face in the Crowd

Kenny Blacksmith is the new face at the Grand Council of the Crees. Just three months into his term as Deputy Grand Chief, he is already deep in discussion with the Quebec government about long-festering problems with policing in Cree communities. Cree police constables complained of a lack of support from ... read more ››