ARTICLES BY Will Nicholls

Ecuador…A Land of Beauty, Mysteries, Mountains and, Ultimately, One of Paradoxes – Part 2

This is a continuation from the last issue of our CIDA-funded focus on Indigenous eco tourism in Ecuador. Lately another attack took place. As a result, the Huaorani have demanded that the “timber merchants” move away from their land. Moi Enomenga, along with the Organization of the Huaorani Nationality of the Ecuadorian ... read more ››

Communicating Solidarity

When you’re in the news media business there are so many stories out there that you feel are important. It’s not possible to do them all but you feel the need to cover certain ones. That is the case with our series on South America. Though it may seem strange ... read more ››

Ecuador…A Land of Beauty, Mysteries, Mountains and, Ultimately, One of Paradoxes.

You arrive by plane to the capital city of Quito. It’s over 2,000 feet above sea level. Your plane begins to descend. The city gets larger and larger. You start to worry that you’re coming in awfully low as buildings and cars become alarmingly close. Just as you think you ... read more ››

Only as Good as Our Readers

It’s been 10 years already since we published the very first issue of The Nation. We started off with a $ 1,000 ad, a borrowed computer and then went on to work the first 10 months without pay. The reason we started was we felt that the Cree deserved to ... read more ››

Ted Moses: Modern-Day Trailblazer

When it comes time to write the history of modern-day Cree trailblazers, Grand Chief Ted Moses will have his own chapter. There are those who might praise him to the skies and those who may criticize him just as much, but none can deny he has had an historic impact ... read more ››

Petro Friends Celebrate Partnerships

When Besuum Petrolium and Cree Energy merged to become Petronor, it was a whole new ballgame. Grand Chief Ted Moses said that it was only good business sense that led to the merger, it also led to Petro Canada and Petronor holding a gala event in Montreal on October 29th ... read more ››

Ghost of Xma$ Present

It all seems so funny sometimes, the ideas the ideas you get as the xmas seasons approaches. Stringent fiscal rules apply to Natives and their governments. If a Band Council goes beyond an 8 per cent deficit then its third party management time and the feds step in grinning. Meanwhile ... read more ››

Community Spirit, Community Recognition

In the newspaper business you always look for stories of community spirit and sharing. When one happens close to home, you can get the intimate details, and you realize how important spirit is to a community and the people living in that community. What happened is simple. A relative of ours ... read more ››

Time To Get Educated

I was under the impression that the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement enshrined Cree rights to educate our children in the language of our choice. That we were exempt from the provisions of Bill 101 and its language law companions. Not so, according to the kindly old lady who served ... read more ››

Let’s End the Waste

It’s good to be back. I’ve been in South America for the last few weeks, arriving home only to travel to Ottawa for another week. Traveling back was a trip and a half. The airplane I was supposed to come back on developed problems with its landing gear. After a couple ... read more ››

Injun Self-Government

The Canadian Aboriginal world has a new National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations. I wish that it could really mean something to me. It used to mean something to me. I’m not talking about the fact that incumbent Matthew Coon Come lost or that Roberta Jaminson didn’t become ... read more ››

13th Annual Echoes of a Proud Nation Pow Wow

The Kahnawake Pow Wow is only in its 13th season and it just keeps getting bigger. Even though there was rain and the chance of rain on both days the crowd was huge. It’s always fun at a pow wow to hear your name being called and see a friend ... read more ››

Happy Fathers Day

Mrs. John B. Dodd, of Washington, first proposed the idea of a “father’s day” in 1909. Mrs. Dodd wanted a special day to honor her father, William Smart. William Smart, a Civil War veteran, was widowed when his wife (Mrs. Dodd’s mother) died in childbirth with their sixth child. Times ... read more ››

Learning About Partnerships in Thunderbay

It was off to Thunderbay, Ontario, home of Paul Shaffer, David Letterman’s musical sidekick and some guy from the Mighty Duck’s. No one there dared cheer for the Devil’s unless they wished for the more than likely physical demonstration of displeasure from the proud Thunderbayites. I was there as part of ... read more ››

Quebec Elections 2003 in Cree Country

For the first time in Cree history a Grand Chief came out to endorse a political candidate and a party. It was a shocker for some Aboriginal people in Quebec but it is the right of any individual to participate in a democracy and Ted Moses did. Michel Letourneau of the ... read more ››

Happy 75th Birthday Boyce

Recently on March 21, Boyce Richardson celebrated his 75th birthday. He is a man I consider to be a non-native Elder for me in the south and I have talked to him both by phone and by email. His insights are as sharp as ever. It is great to be ... read more ››

Surprises at Montreal Governance Hearing

The Canadian government’s Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs must be learning to expect the unexpected. In Montreal last week for hearings on Bill C-7, Indian Affairs Minister Robert Nault’s Governance Act, MPs on the committee might have expected the demonstrations that followed hearings in other parts of the country. Despite heavy ... read more ››

The Great Darkness

Simon and Garfunkel wrote a song with the classic line, “Hello Darkness, my old friend.” To me, it means the inevitability of something that you may not want to encounter. But it’s there as a familiar spectre nonetheless. It was there lately when Mario Dumont, Leader of the ADQ (Action Démocratique ... read more ››

The Importance of Being Cree

Not long ago while visiting a friend outside of Eeyou Istchee, I was looking through her pile of magazines and noticed a book nestled in among her many copies of People and Vogue. The words on the cover immediately drew my attention: “The Eastern James Bay Cree.” I said, “that’s ... read more ››

Down Oaxaca Way

Since it was really cold recently here in Montreal I accepted a invitation to see an Aboriginal Art exhibition at the Mexican Consulate January 23,d. There were tons of photos of Mexico in all its warmth. Even though it might have been in the minus-30s with the windchill factor I ... read more ››

No Racism Allowed Anywhere

One day David Ahenakew was a respected Elder with a distinguished record. He served with the Canadian Army in WWII. He was a founder of the National Indian Brotherhood, a chief of the Assembly of First Nations. He received a honourary degree and the Order of Canada. He was a ... read more ››

First Native in Space

When I was young I shared with many others a fascination with space. I wanted to be an astronaut. That dream never happened but another person’s dream of the same thing came true in November. John Herrington became the first Native American in space. He said he’s inspired and humbled ... read more ››

Attack of the Clones a Reality

It was on the seventh of November just after midnight when I even had an inkling that something was wrong. I tried to withdraw some money, but my dependable and convenient bank card was refused at two locations. I knew I had money in my account. One of the people ... read more ››

The wood chip controversy

The Crees of eastern James Bay may be entering into a new relationship with Quebec but there are storm clouds on the horizon. Gary Cooper says he hasn’t seen any evidence of this new relationship that the Crees are supposed to be enjoying with the rest of Quebec. Cooper says ... read more ››

MoCreebec: Part II

This is part one of a two part series in which the MoCreebec people tell their stories in their own words. Initially it was curiousity which brought me back to Moosonee and Moose factory. Just who were the MoCreebec people and what did they want? The answer in there own words ... read more ››

Will on the grill: Puerto Rican Stew, Old Fashioned Chicken Soup, and more

During a recent trip I saw the first snowfall of the year in my home community of Mistissini, located in the Inland eastern James Bay area. It reminded me of the cold winter days and the food simmering away on a wood stove. The pots were always big as my ... read more ››