Category: Editorials

It is a time for definition

Coming back from Seal River, I had to check out The Nation like everyone else. As I opened it, I thumbed through to see what it “looked” like. Reading Romeo’s article (“To Vote or Not to Vote,” last issue, page 10) hit me pretty hard. It hit me in a way ... read more ››

No glory, no shame – just community

I went to help out some friends last week. On June 11 their house burned down destroying all of their worldly possessions. Fortunately none of their family was hurt. They didn’t have any fire insurance but were planning to rebuild. This is why I went there, to help out. I ... read more ››

Who was asleep at the switch?

One must wonder at times if the viligance of our leaders is sometimes relaxed in allowing the unthinkable to happen. Just because we can’t imagine it happening. What do I mean? I mean that having a Hydro-Quebec representive on many of the boards of Cree organizations, such as the Eeyou, Opimiscow or ... read more ››

Thanks and many more thanks

This isn’t so much an editorial as a thank you to all the people we met with in our mini-tour of the coastal communities a couple of weeks ago. Thanks to George in Waskaganish, who not only put us up for the night but showed us some of that famous Cree ... read more ››

Is Anything There For Me?

Waskaganish trapper Bob Moar Sr. spoke with Ernest Webb about the logging on Muskuchii Mountain and elsewhere on his trapline. Here is what he said. (Translated from Cree.) They seem to destroy wherever Crees have hunting grounds. When I go to the territory by plane, it’s expensive. I’m never sure if ... read more ››

Ingenious, impersonal machines

The day after we returned from the river we headed inland again, but this time in a helicopter, the commercial charge for which, if we had had to pay it, would have been something like $700 for the 70-mile flight. A young pilot efficiently hauled us into the air, and ... read more ››

We live in a democracy, or do we?

It’s the eve of the elections for National Chief at the Assembly of First Nations. But I can’t participate. Neither can you. The Chiefs of the various nations vote the National Chief in during a conference. There are about 600 or so nations across Canada. That’s 600 votes out of ... read more ››

Find the Flag

At times people look toward symbols to bind them, sometimes to separate them. In the old days we didn’t need much. We knew who we were, where we came from and what we were all about. Americans have old glory, Canadians have the maple leaf, and Quebec has the fleur de ... read more ››

True Respect Comes From Actions

It is really amazing the amount of attention that two Elders can cause even here in Montreal. One day an elderly couple parked illegally in a bus lane just long enough to pick up a bunch of gifts for a wedding or something. Next thing we at The Nation hear ... read more ››

Freedom of the Press Means We Don’t Get Paid?

Q: How many band councillors does it take to change a light bulb? A: None, the chief likes to keep them in the dark. Heh heh heh, but seriously folks… It’s been six months since The Nation started (it seems like yesterday). Twelve issues later, we’re still rolling along. First, I want ... read more ››

Traditional and bureaucratic values

At times in this world of ours, people ask for assistance in attaining what they feel is justice. Often, like Freddy Jolly, they attempt to right the wrongs of their world themselves before asking. This isn’t unusual in the Cree world, where tallymen are respected and valued. The respect and value ... read more ››

I Consider Myself Fortunate

She has seen the transition from the old to the new. She understands what an iiyou skwow is. She saw what her mother went through to raise her family. She knew the hardship. She knows what needs to be done to survive. She now has her family, putting into practice what ... read more ››

One-Sided History Isn’t Truth

There is a book called 1984 and in that book one of the themes is a simple idea. Whoever controls the past controls the present, and whoever controls the present controls the future. What they mean by this is that if you write the history books and write them in ... read more ››

Sharing the power of knowledge

Well, it’s the 10th issue of The Nation. I must admit that each issue has a special meaning for me. Cree political, social and business structures have undergone drastic changes in the last 20 years. In some cases these structures didn’t even exist then. To me that means we have a ... read more ››

Is Anybody Listening?

Different segments of the “dominant” culture are now starting to feel and realize what native people have been saying for generations. I don’t want to say, “Told you so,” but we told you so. People are starting to feel the effects of near-sighted and foolish “mismanagement” of the environment. Look at ... read more ››

One of my proudest moments

I was sitting in the blind alone. I was a young man. It was a few years ago. I don’t remember exactly, but I remember that day. It was a sunny day. Not too much wind. The geese were hardly flying. So at midday everyone went for tea except me. ... read more ››

Louis Riel’s legacy reborn

Not since the days of Louis Riel have the aboriginal people of this land had such a profound impact on Canadian society. In past years, aboriginal peoples have been rebelling more than ever against the colonial paternalist attitudes that permeate the dominant society of this country. As a people, even today ... read more ››

Sharing Among Other Cultures

I had a debate one time with a fellow Cree about sharing one’s culture, particularly ours. We were debating whether the “Cree culture” gets “lessened” when other cultures adopt it. Will it be any less if “they” start adopting some of our ways and practices? It depends on which ones. Now ... 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 ››

Our Language Is Who We Are

Some young people might be confused about what being a Cree means. I know, because I’ve been there. Growing up as a young man, I thought our Creeness was in name only. Seeing images on TV of Indians dancing, drumming and sometimes scalping, dressed in their feathers and paint, I thought ... 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 ››

Discovering a New World

There is a whole new world opening up and we’re late starting. The new world I’m talking about is computers. Everyone’s seen them. You know the one sitting in your closet which you bought five to 10 years ago. You took it out of the box thinking of the possibilities ... 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 ››

The McDonald’s Factor

“Do you have any McDonald’s restaurants up there?” is a question I hear from time to time. Now what is that actually supposed to mean? That’s a pretty straight-forward question. But what is the meaning behind it? Does the person really want to know if we have any McDo’s back home? ... 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 ››

Time To Take Responsibility

From everything we hear from people, it seems clear there is a desire for fundamental changes in the way that we, as a nation, do business. People talk about how the entities act and the problems that are created. But where does the responsibility ultimately lie? With us. The Crees who ... read more ››