ARTICLES BY Xavier Kataquapit

Josephine

My parents called to give me the sad news that another one of our Elders in Attawapiskat had passed away. Josephine (Wesley) Wheesk was an important part of the fabric that makes up the community. She was never chief or a political leader but still managed in her way to ... read more ››

Nothing is forever

Growing old does not look like a lot of fun. I find it difficult to watch my parents, my uncles, aunts and my grandmother getting older every year. Many times I talk to the older people in our family they tell me about their aches and pains and health problems. ... read more ››

United we stand

It could be that the strength of our Aboriginal voice recently got a lot stronger with a signing of the joint protocol agreement between the Assembly First Nations, in Canada, and the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), from the United States of America. This historical agreement was signed July ... read more ››

A Graduation in Attawapiskat

I’m dedicating this column to hope. This hope is demonstrated with the graduation of young people in the school system in my home community of Attawapiskat, Ont. For graduates in this remote First Nation of about 2,000 people are extremely important and represent hope. The history of education for First Nation ... read more ››

Who causes the darkness?

There is an incredibly high rate of First Nation people incarcerated in jails across this country and it makes me think something is seriously wrong. I relate this to the situation in the United States where most people in jails are from the visible minorities. But good lord, this is ... read more ››

A LITTLE BOY WITH A BIG HEART

I am learning more of more about this world and sometimes an insight or special piece of knowledge comes to me from the least expected places. When I attended the wedding of Maurice and Darlene Lafontaine recently, I met a lot of great people and I saw first-hand the wonderful ... read more ››

Kitchi Meegwetch

When Alex Roslin, a member of the editorial board for The Nation magazine, called recently to tell me I had been nominated for a writing award, I was very surprised. Actually, he explained that my column, Under the Northern Sky, had been nominated for best column in the Quebec Community ... read more ››

Finger-licking good

Well it has finally happened, everyone In Attawapiskat can actually just walk down the street and pick up Kentucky Fried Chicken or a pizza from Pizza Hut. If you are a First Nation person you understand how we Crees love our Kentucky Fried Chicken. Up to now this was one ... read more ››

Greetings from Thailand

I can’t quite believe it myself but I am writing this in the comfort of an air-conditioned email business in downtown Patong, Thailand. It is plus 36 degrees outside on the bustling streets of this medium-sized fishing and tourism city. The sun has gone down and the streets have come alive ... read more ››

Journey through the North Land

For a gift recently, I offered to take my Mom and Dad on a trip anywhere in Ontario. To my surprise they did not choose Toronto or Niagara Falls but were set on going to Thunder Bay. My dad Marius and my mom Susan and my friend Mike and I ... read more ››

A FEW GOOD MEN

These are great days to be a Native. Things are happening all across this country that are putting us in the spotlight and much of it has to do with our love of the land, resource development in remote First Nations, traditional hunting and trapping areas, and our right to ... read more ››

A First Nation voice

Before I started writing my column, Under the Northern Sky, I didn’t know much about Native publications. After doing a little research, I was amazed to find out that there were so many high-quality First Nations publications. Most of the time my people, up the James Bay coast, get their information ... read more ››

In the spirit of giving

Kevin Hall, at 25 years of age, with a young wife and a 16-month-old daughter, should have the world by the tail. The sad fact is that this vibrant and fearless young Native man is in the fight of his life with cancer. In June of 1998 Kevin and his family ... read more ››

Ghost Towns

I recall a trip by snow mobile a few years ago with my dad Marius and my brothers. We were on an excursion to visit a couple of legendary ghost towns of the Coast about a 160 kilometers north of Attawapiskat. It was about 30 below zero when we headed out ... read more ››

We Cree of the far North are surrounded by water

We Cree of the far North are surrounded by water. If you’ve ever traveled over any part of northern Ontario, you have seen a landscape that is made up of water to a great degree. There are multitudes of rivers and lakes. My people on the James Bay coast look out ... read more ››

Flying

The airplane has a special mystique in remote First Nations communities up the James Bay coast. Daily flights into isolated communities like Attawapiskat are a major part of the goings-on in everyone’s day. Our lives to a great degree depend on and revolve around the take-offs and landings of these ... read more ››

Akoofinisho

The Cree language is amazing. Sometimes just one word can mean so much. Take for instance Akootinisho. This refers to a person or persons who have gone out to their traditional family hunting and trapping grounds before freeze up. It also means that they stay until they can come back ... read more ››

Under The Northern Sky The boys of summer

In the summer of 1917 life changed forever for 24 young Cree men from along the James Bay coast near Attawapiskat. As was our tradition during the summer my people would gather at a place on the James Bay coast on the banks of the Attawapiskat River where Attawapiskat sits ... read more ››

Food for thought

Lately I have been hearing about much illness in my circle of friends and family. This makes me realize I should be very happy and grateful for my own health. Often, I hear news from home, in Attawapiskat, of someone having a cold or the flu and it seems like ... read more ››

Under The Northern Sky Weddings

Often I get ideas for this column from events and things that happen around me. There is a wedding coming up in my family. My cousin Irene Rose Is going to marry a young man by the name of Ashley Allard. They are currently living and working in Wemindji, a ... read more ››

For Chip

I’ve been doing a lot of traveling this summer and I have managed to visit many First Nation communities. One of the things I noticed that is common to these communities is the large number of dogs, in every shape, size and colour. I love dogs and I am drawn ... read more ››

Under the northern sky Planes, Trains or Automobiles

The stars shimmer brightly in a cloudless sky, the water laps at the edge of my campsite and I hear the shrill cry of a loon off in the distance. I look across the water and see the lights of the community. It reminds me of home. Often, when I ... read more ››

Under The Northern Sky Shedding some light

When I first came out of Attawapiskat to attend high school, I was surprised and confused to hear comments from people about how I had it so good being Native. Many times, I stood by and listened to people chastise me for not paying all the taxes that other Canadians ... read more ››

Under The Northern Sky A new arrival

Tabatha June Kataquapit recently started her journey in Attawapiskat. Tabatha is the newest addition to the Kataquapit family and the daughter of my brother Mario and his wife Margaret. The news about the arrival of this baby girl got me to thinking about how important children are in our culture. I ... read more ››

Under The Northern Sky A city view

I am sitting on a boat at Toronto Island looking at one of the most impressive skylines in the world. It is a long cry from my home in Attawapiskat, virtually in the middle of the wilderness. As a child living in a remote northern community, I learned about the ... read more ››

The Cree people of the James Bay coast have always been very sociable.

The Cree people of the James Bay coast have always been very sociable. My people who live in remote communities like Attawapiskat, Kashechewan, Fort Albany and Peawanuck have a history that centres around Powwows or gatherings. My ancestors were a nomadic people, who lived in different places at different times ... read more ››