Volume 9, Issue 16

“A No Good Cree Cop”

You say I’m a No Good Cree Cop. When you see me, you tell your children in front of me, “If you don’t behave, that cop will throw you in jail.” Then you wonder why your children are afraid of the police and don’t think there is anything wrong in stealing ... read more ››

Badabineiyou students win awards

At the First People’s Festival 2002 in Montreal I came across some old friends from Whapmagoostui selling their pottery. They were the students of the Whapmagoostui Art Factory and had won an award or two. These students are looking forward to continuing and you can see the improvement and interest ... read more ››

Canada’s Most Endangered Rivers

The Rupert and Kipawa Rivers deserves international attention according to Earthwild International Rupert Reverence, the environmental group composed of both Quebecers and Cree, are applauding the news of the nomination of the Rupert (and its neighbour, the Eastmain) and the Kipawa as the most endangered rivers in Canada by Earthwild ... read more ››

Cree one of 5 finalists in talent search

From over 4,000 entries in the C.B.C. Television’s “Great Canadian Talent Search” Ouje Bougoumou’s Richard Bosum has been chosen as one of it’s five finalists. Assisted by the Ouje-Bougoumou band council, Bosum first achieved his life-long goal of recording his music. Kenny Mianscum, one of Bosum’s closest friends, introduced him to Randall ... read more ››

Cree Traditional Health Practices & Wellness

Watchia! I have been on board since May 13th, 2002 on a program formed as “Wellness and Traditional Cree Health Practices” on our regional health board. Some of you may or may not know that I have been involved in social service counseling, workshop facilitation and training on issues related ... read more ››

Dr Taiaiake Alfred: A Matter of Justice.

This article appeared in June 2002 Focus on Women Magazine in the… focus on men, section Dr Taiaiake Alfred is founding director of the Indigenous Governance Program at University of Victoria. Born and raised in Kahnawake Mohawk Territory (near Montreal), he is widely known for his scholarly work on Native ... read more ››

First People’s Festival 2002

For an organization that was founded in 1990, Terres en vue or Lands In Sight has grown faster than the Valdez oil spill spread. Its founding members, André Dudemaine, Daniel Corvee and Pierre Thibeault have much to be proud of as their dream to build bridges between nations has taken ... read more ››

Happy Aborginal Day…

We were here first. Christopher Columbus never found North America, we did, thousands of years ago. I hear tell that good of Chris was lost on his way to China and was way off course by thousands of nautical miles and suffering from scurvy, no less. Heck, if he hadn’t “found” ... read more ››

Indian Act changes

The Canadian Press reports that Native bands across Canada will have to abide by minimum standards when they elect officials or spend money under proposed legislation to revamp the 126-year-old Indian Act. The bill would require Native bands to develop codes to spell out how they choose their leaders, run their ... read more ››

Quebec signs side deal for trappers

The Grand Council of the Crees has negotiated a side deal to the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement that will allocate an additional $4.4 million to the income security program for Cree hunters and trappers. Announced at the end of May, the agreement will increase the program to over ... read more ››

The Path from here

Jimmy Mianscum drew the big picture as he spoke to a community meeting in Ouje Bougoumou last week. Speaking in Cree, the 82-year-old Elder and former chief described some of the many things he has seen change in his lifetime. People he knew once knew routinely lived to ages of ... read more ››

To What Extent Has Assimilation Taken Place in Cree Communities?

As an outsider looking inward into the Cree communities, there would seem to be more assimilation that has taken place over the last 400-500 years of colonization than is readily apparent to the people themselves. I say this as a person belonging to an ethnic minority in Canada for whom culture ... read more ››

Under The Northern Sky First Nation Culture Online

One of the most important ways for we First Nation people to keep our culture strong is through the preservation of our traditions, language and history. The culture and traditions in my home of Attawapiskat on the James Bay coast is passed down from generation to generation by our Elders. ... read more ››

Will on the Grill

It’s starting to get hot and this means a change in the way we eat and drink. Stews aren’t made as often because they are too heavy for the hot weather and people need a lighter taste. The good news is that fishing trips are great for the chef and ... read more ››