The Nation | Vol. 30, No. 22

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY

Ways you can help maintain the accuracy of the list

Ways you can help maintain the accuracy of the list

Ways you can help maintain the accuracy of the list

REGISTER WITH YOUR LOCAL MEMBERSHIP CLERK!

REGISTER WITH YOUR LOCAL MEMBERSHIP CLERK!

REGISTER WITH YOUR LOCAL MEMBERSHIP CLERK!

Why It's Important

Why It's Important

The amount of federal subsidy for local government operations is dependent on the accuracy of the list

The amount of federal subsidy for local government operations is dependent on the accuracy of the list

The amount of federal subsidy for local government operations is dependent on the accuracy of the list

Population statistics

Population statistics

Population statistics

Planning for services such as schools, daycare, family services, etc.

Planning for services such as schools, daycare, family services, etc.

Why It's Important Are you moving?

Planning for services such as schools, daycare, family services, etc.

Are you moving?

Are you moving?

Inform your membership clerk to change your community of residence

Inform your membership clerk to change your community of residence

Inform your membership clerk to change your community of residence

Declaration of Birth

Declaration of Birth

Declaration of Birth

New parents are to complete the "Application for Simplified Access to Birth-Related Government Programs and Services" with the Declaration of Birth. The hospital sends the application to the Ministère de la santé et des services sociaux (MSSS).

New parents are to complete the "Application for Simplified Access to Birth-Related Government Programs and Services" with the Declaration of Birth. The hospital sends the application to the Ministère de la santé et des services sociaux (MSSS).

New parents are to complete the "Application for Simplified Access to Birth-Related Government Programs and Services" with the Declaration of Birth. The hospital sends the application to the Ministère de la santé et des services sociaux (MSSS).

The MSSS updates the JBNQA registry and attributes a beneficiary number to your new child.

The MSSS updates the JBNQA registry and attributes a beneficiary number to your new child.

The MSSS updates the JBNQA registry and attributes a beneficiary number to your new child.

Declaration of Death

Declaration of Death

Declaration of Death

Send the declaration of death to your local membership clerk.

Send the declaration of death to your local membership clerk.

Send the declaration of death to your local membership clerk.

Photo provided by Patrick Quinn

The ongoing genocide

by Lyle Stewart

It’s been 14 years since the federal government’s apology to Indigenous people for residential schools. A decade ago, the report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission was published. This year, Ottawa finally stopped fighting to deny its blatant discrimination against Indigenous children in the social welfare system and agreed to a final settlement to compensate them and their families.

Why, given this apparent progress, are Indigenous women still being forcibly sterilized in Canada?

There is a very strong argument that the elements in the first paragraph amount to cultural genocide. The facts in the second are tantamount to genocide, period.

“This horrific practice is not confined to the past, but clearly is continuing today,” concluded last year’s Senate report titled “The Scars We Carry”.

Saskatchewan Senator Yvonne Boyer, who is Métis, collects the scant data available on this issue. Despite the obstacles, Boyer says at least 12,000 women have been sterilized without their consent since the 1970s. There is no way to know how many were maimed in this way before then, but given the attitudes of the times, the numbers could surely be multiplied by a high factor.

“Whenever I speak to an Indigenous community, I am swamped with women telling me that forced sterilization happened to them,” Boyer told The Associated Press, the American news service.

Boyer told AP about being approached by a tearful Indigenous woman describing her forced sterilization. “It made my knees buckle to hear her story and to realize how common it was,” she said.

“Nothing has changed legally or culturally in Canada to stop this.”

There are currently five class-action lawsuits in Canada over forced sterilizations that occurred in six provinces, including Quebec.

In November, according to the AP, a report documented nearly two dozen forced sterilizations in Quebec from 1980 to 2019, including one woman who said her doctor told her after bladder surgery that he had removed her uterus at the same time – without her consent.

The report concluded that Quebec doctors and nurses are “insistently questioning whether a First Nations or Inuit mother wants to [be sterilized] after the birth of her first child.”

The kicker? These efforts appear “to be an existing practice in Quebec.”

Given this reality, that Premier François Legault continues to deny that systemic racism against First Nations and Inuit people exists in Quebec is evidence enough of its reality.

The Geneva Conventions describe forced sterilization as a type of genocide and crime against humanity. In 2018, the UN Committee Against Torture told Canada’s government that it was concerned about reports of forced sterilization. Five years ago. But it is still happening.

Last spring, the Northwest Territories broke new ground by punishing a doctor for forcibly sterilizing an Indigenous woman, according to AP. The first time ever that this has happened in Canada. After decades and decades during which tens of thousands of Indigenous women were viciously assaulted to remove their ability to have children.

There are few horror movies that could invoke the crimes that continue to this day in Canada. There are fewer words that could adequately describe the level of this ongoing, genocidal crime against Indigenous people.

EDITORIAL: will@nationnews.ca news@nationnews.ca ADS: Danielle Valade: ads@nationnews.ca; Donna Malthouse: donna@beesum.com

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The Nation is published every two weeks by Beesum Communications EDITORIAL BOARD L. Stewart, W. Nicholls, M. Siberok, Mr. N. Diamond, E. Webb EDITOR IN CHIEF Will Nicholls DIRECTOR OF FINANCES Linda Ludwick EDITORS Lyle Stewart, Martin Siberok PRODUCTION COORDINATOR AND MANAGING EDITOR Randy Mayer CONTRIBUTING WRITERS S. Orr, X.

There are few horror movies that could invoke the crimes that continue to this day in Canada

In the tapestry of popular culture, few figures stand as tall as Robbie Robertson.

A man whose life story reads like a musical odyssey, Robertson’s journey to becoming a rock-and-roll icon is a testament to the power of heritage, innovation and artistic fusion. From his humble beginnings in Toronto to the heights he achieved as the chief songwriter and lead guitarist of the Band, Robertson’s impact will resonate long after his death at 80 on August 9.

Born on July 5, 1943, Jaime Royal Robertson’s early life was coloured by his mixed heritage. With a Cayuga and Mohawk mother and a JewishAmerican gambler as his biological father, Robertson’s cultural blend was evident from the start. He found solace and inspiration in the music he heard visiting family on the Six Nations of the Grand River reserve, where traditional melodies ignited his passion for vernacular sounds.

A chance encounter with rockabilly singer Ronnie Hawkins changed the course of music history. At the age of 16, Robertson crossed borders both physical and artistic as he joined Hawkins’ backup band, the Hawks.

Robertson joined forces with Bob Dylan in the mid-1960s. This collaboration

A musical legend

Honouring the passing of Robbie Robertson

by Sakib Hossain

exposed him to folk music and pushed the boundaries of his creative expression. The melding of Dylan’s folk lyricism with the Hawks’ rockabilly energy was met with both praise and resistance.

The Band continued to push boundaries in albums like Music from Big Pink (1968). Blending rock, country, soul and blues, the Band’s music earned them a dedicated following. Robertson’s intricate guitar work and poetic songwriting contributed to their distinctive sound, encapsulating the essence of Americana in a way that was mythic and authentic.

Robertson’s Indigenous roots remained a defining aspect of his identity, despite the discrimination he faced. It was his mother who imparted a lesson that would guide his life: to share his heritage with strangers, for in doing so, he could help forge connections and shatter preconceived notions.

The Band’s golden era, from 1967 to 1977, was marked by creative exploration and the formation of a unique musical brotherhood. However, internal conflicts and external pressures eventually led to the group’s break-up. Robertson’s legacy extended far beyond, however, as a solo artist, producer and film score collaborator. His partnerships with directors

like Martin Scorsese bore witness to his enduring influence.

Robertson’s music inspired countless artists and musicians, shaping the landscape of rock and roll. The Band’s farewell concert, documented in Scorsese’s The Last Waltz, brought together a pantheon of musical legends in celebration of a shared artistic journey.

As news of Robertson’s passing spread, tributes poured in from fellow musicians, friends and collaborators. Bob Dylan, a lifelong friend, acknowledged Robertson’s impact on his life and work. Scorsese, with whom Robertson shared a deep bond, spoke of the musician’s ability to evoke the continent’s traditions and tragedies through his music.

Even as he reached the twilight of his life, Robertson’s creative spark never dimmed. His collaboration with Scorsese on the upcoming film. Killers of the Flower Moon, centred around the Osage people’s tragic history, showcased his commitment to storytelling and cultural preservation. His return to his Indigenous roots, both musically and personally, was a fitting culmination of a life lived at the crossroads of heritage and innovation.

The Nation’s back-to-school guide

by Christian-John Monias

It’s back-to-school season! Getting your children ready for the new school year shouldn’t be a hassle. As a matter of fact, there are plenty of ways you as a parent or guardian can help ease the process of your child or children to set themselves up for success in the new coming school year. Here are some amazing ways to help ensure a smooth transition from summer to the new school year.

1. Encourage Independence

Children love playing the role of leader, no matter what context whether it’s playing or doing activities. When shopping for back-to-school supplies, you may want to bring your child with you and let them be the ones to choose their own supplies. Notebooks, backpacks, clothes, pencils, crayons, markers and other fundamentals they will need throughout the year. This will get them excited to bring their stuff to school and show off everything they have chosen. Agency in children is key for them to take the lead in their own work. There are also plenty of websites where school supplies are on sale at discounted prices.

2. Re-Establishing Routine

It’s tough building up a routine, especially after a long summer. But this shouldn’t be worrisome to parents, as adults we have a hard time building our own habits. Children have an easier time getting into routine, especially when they are excited to get back in class. But there are some great ways you and your children can get right back into it. Establishing a scheduled bath or shower time really helps wash away the long days. A good bath time can also help with going to bed and waking up early. Limiting their screen time is also good, and if possible, try substituting their tablets/phones with

It’stimethat of the year

books and magazines. Reading to your children really ensures great learning throughout the school year.

3. Celebrating Back to School

There’s no doubt that children pick up on our energy. When we’re happy, they’re happy. When we show admiration, they feel validated and accepted. This is why it’s important to show how important their return to school is. Show your support by doing a back-to-school party, even just by having a cake with balloons to celebrate their move from one grade to the next. Taking pictures on their first day of school also shows a ton of admiration, not to mention preserving that memory.

4. Talk to Your Children About Safety and Respect

Going back to school can cause anxiety. Some children have a hard time situating themselves in the school environment. Having a good talk with your child about respect and safety may reduce the stress of being back in school. Encourage having a good time, being open with others and respecting playground and class rules. Bullying is a big mood disrupter in schools, all children are susceptible to this. Make sure to tell your child to always talk to their teachers and counsellors when recognizing an act of bullying.

Letting your child know that they can also speak to you as a parent or guardian in confidence will help them feel at ease when dealing with bullying. We can all do our part to end bullying. Another thing about safety: if your child doesn’t use the bus, you may want to help them map out a route to and from school. Also, encourage them to walk with friends or family, and to not talk to strangers. Have your child spend time with their immediate and trusted Elders for advice, guidance and knowledge of the land and people.

5. Healthy Eating

We all struggle with healthy eating. Finding the right things to eat at the right time is crucial to how our body functions. It’s okay to snack once in a while. But make sure you know what you’re putting into your body. Learning this with your child should be some of the teachings we discuss with our children and a process we can share together. There are plenty of traditional dishes and snacks that our people eat all the time. When it comes to school time, we should best be prepared with healthy eating to make sure our children get the energy they need to do five days of school a week. Researching calories, vitamins and minerals that are best for the mind and body function can go a long way. We should make it an activity to do with our kids. If you’re a busy parent,

meal prepping really helps save time. You can spend the weekend with your child choosing and preparing lunches and snacks for their week.

6. Knowing Your Child’s School Schedule and Teachers

Helping your child keep up with their schoolwork is vital and shows how much you value their work ethic. Even doing bi-weekly check-ins with their teacher to manage their schedule, workload and what you can do as a parent to best suit their needs at home. Your child’s success depends on your involvement as a parent. You can discuss with your child’s teacher where they lack in schoolwork. Establishing that relationship with your child’s teacher can help you keep on top of things and ease your mind in knowing where your child is at with their progress.

We wish everyone a safe and great back to school year! May you thrive and achieve all your ultimate goals.

Cooper elected as Ouje Chief

Following a run-off election on August 14, Gaston Cooper became the Chief of OujeBougoumou.

Cooper emerged victorious with 188 votes (previously 128), narrowly surpassing Lance Cooper, who received 182 votes (previously 151).

The new Deputy Chief is Angel Mianscum, who received 194 votes (previously 128), while opponent Harry Bosum garnered 174 votes (previously 117).

The two will be supported by a band council comprised of Alice Shecapio-Blacksmith, Karen Bosum, Wesley Mianscum, Albert St-Pierre and Suzanne Kitchen.

Proposed waste site faces opposition

The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) wrapped up hearings on a disputed radioactive waste site in the Ottawa Valley. Algonquin First Nation groups vehemently oppose the project.

Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) is seeking approval for a waste mound at Chalk River Laboratories on Algonquin Anishinābe territory. The facility would have containment cells, leak-detection

systems and must meet set waste criteria.

Indigenous and municipal opposition has surged over the years. Algonquin Chief Casey Ratt stressed the importance of consent. Concerns persist over the proximity of the Ottawa River and of sacred sites. CNSC’s decision is pending, while CNL’s compliance and Indigenous consultation have been discussed. The petition represents a change of outlook for Coelho, who ran for the neo-Nazi National

Party in the 2019 federal election, finishing last in the LacSt-Louis riding with 28 votes. He now regrets his association with the openly racist and fascist group.

Saint-Marie ends live performances

Buffy Saint-Marie, Canada’s celebrated singer-songwriter and activist, announced on social media that due to strug-

gles with her health that she will be retiring from performing live.

Saint-Marie, 82, was a leading activist for issues facing Indigenous peoples. Her songs have been recorded by Joe Cocker, Janis Joplin, Elvis Presly and Glen Campbell.

She has received numerous awards throughout her career, even winning an Oscar for her song “Up Where We Belong”. She was also a frequent guest on Sesame Street from 1976 to 1981.

Saint-Marie was born to Cree parents in Saskatchewan but was adopted during the Sixties Scoop to non-Indigenous parents in Massachusetts. She taught herself to play piano and guitar during her childhood and eventually started touring in her 20s.

Congrats to Declan on his first fish and thanks to a great guide, Noah Coonishish. - Will Nicholls

After a week of escalating blazes near Wemindji, the community’s access road and the Billy Diamond Highway between kilometres 390 and 590 were closed August 14. With severe fires reaching near the roadside, the situation was to be reassessed daily to seek safe windows for essential travel.

“Fires 602 and 601 along the Billy Diamond Highway are reaching dangerous levels of intensity due to the lack of rain in the last week with no rain forecast until [August 17],” stated the Grand Council of the Crees. “High winds mean that the fire, which is within metres of the road can move quickly, seriously threatening the lives of any travellers in the area.”

As Fire 602 had grown to out-ofcontrol status with numerous hot spots and heavy smoke, SOPFEU was using Wemindji’s access road as a staging area for ground and aerial crews. The fire later crossed the road around km 92 to 94. Before it was fully closed, checkpoints had been established at km 14 and at the Billy Diamond Highway intersection (km 518).

Extremely dry conditions and high winds gusting from the northeast up to 30 km/h were feeding the flames, blowing hazardous smoke across James Bay to communities in northern Ontario. With air quality worsening, Wemindji residents were advised to close windows and turn off their air conditioners and Life Breath ventilation fans.

The province’s forest fire prevention efforts were temporarily paused in some areas as ground firefighters can only attack fires up to Class 2. Water bombers can be used for fires between Class 2 and 4, while anything greater requires waiting for rain.

“The fires were too intense, even with water bombers,” explained regional fire marshal Lee-Roy Blacksmith. “It was Class 6. Anything above Class 4, there’s nothing that SOPFEU can do. When they pour water, it doesn’t have any effect on the fire. During the weekend, SOPFEU couldn’t fly out because the flight ceiling was too low.”

On August 14, traffic was also restricted for essential services, humanitarian reasons and for residents returning home on the community access roads for Waskaganish and Eastmain, the Billy Diamond Highway from km 394 south to km 50 and the Trans-Taiga Road LG-3 East.

Although the fires didn’t pose an immediate threat to Wemindji at press time, their swift progression meant that community evacuation remained a possibility. Blacksmith told the Nation that winds were currently in their favour and the regional operational committee was holding meetings at 3pm each day to monitor the latest conditions, deter-

by Patrick Quinn Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

As the extraordinary season of wildfires continued to play havoc with summer events, the regional healing conference planned for late August in Wemindji was moved to October. With hot spots flaring up by Lake Jolliet and roads near Old Nemaska, the planned community gathering at the community’s former site was rescheduled from August 28 to September 10.

Kenneth Tanoush, director of the community’s department of land and sustainable development, thanked the workers who had helped maintain and protect the Old Nemaska site. Organizers announced that the boat is ready to sail during weekends leading up to the gathering.

ZombieFires

BEAD BEAD

WEAVER

Deborah Ratt makes jewelry in a more traditional way

Photos and Story by Joshua Janke

One name that stood out in the schedule at Montreal’s 33rd First People’s Festival was Deborah Ratt and Cree-Ations. Hailing from Eeyou Istchee, the artist was present at the Place des Festivals the entire event.

This meant that whatever day you attended, Ratt was there, representing Cree culture and art in the heart of downtown Montreal. Set up under a large teepee, Ratt’s jewelery venue was hard to miss, but not for the reason you might think.

Early on the festival’s first day, a large crowd already surrounded Ratt’s pop-up shop, a gathering one might associate with a more active spectacle, like a dance or drum circle. Cameras were out and people were sitting, standing and some even making jewelry. Most jewelry stands usually have signs stating “Ask for assistance” or “Do not touch” – but not Cree-Ations.

It was obvious that something special was going on. People were not waiting in line or crowding the display; instead, they were happy to be there and not planning on leaving anytime soon. The line between costumer and creator was pleasantly blurred in a calm and respectful way. Personal conversations and laughter made it feel more like an urban art gallery – no pressure to buy, but you probably will end up leaving with something special.

This was going to make it hard to pull Ratt away for an interview. Not only was she selling her jewelry and answering customer questions, but giving one-on-one workshops to

customers who wanted the personal artistic experience. For $30, the guiding knowledge of Ratt and her vast variety of materials were at the disposal of first-time bead weavers, who left with a hug from the teacher and wearing their own creations and a bright smile.

Blake and Ratt ran the venue alone and were busy with the steady flow of visitors, but it did not show on their smiling faces. They took the time to speak with every person who strolled by. It was Blake who made eye contact with me and welcomed me into the “back store” –lawn chairs and tables set up behind those covered with beadwork and jewelry. “The woman you are really looking for is busy right now,” said Blake, motioning to Ratt, who sat with a young girl holding a needle full of bright beads.

“That family specifically asked for Deborah to be their workshop instructor so of course she did it… we did a little switch,” explained Blake. “She is really amazing at what she does, they are lucky to be taught by her.”

Seeing how busy it was, Blake and I decided that I should return later in the week to interview Ratt. So, there I was, back at the jewelry stand on the festival’s last day, with the crowd even bigger than the first time. This is what happens when a creator connects with their customers. They come back and bring their friends. Indeed, I felt on closer terms with Ratt and Blake when I returned the second time.

Helene Blake, Ratt’s friend and coworker for the week, told the Nation that she was “mainly here to be the workshop instructor” but “always ended up helping with everything” because “that’s the way it goes around here.”

“Ah Josh, there you are. I need a break, let’s do this. Do you mind if we do it right here, the drums won’t be too loud? Just in case we get another rush of customers,” Ratt said with a laugh.

“It’s a simple story,” stated Ratt. “A lot of us left home when we were young because of our his-

“There are no bead weaving courses offered in public education, no courses to teach the next generation what I do”

- Deborah Ratt, pictured on right

tory. Indigenous people have had a hard history. I left home when I was 14 and I spent a lot of my life running, running away because of all the hurt I had inside of me. But that’s not what I wanted to do with my life, I always knew I wanted to come back home. I just couldn’t because I was not happy inside.”

Ratt says that it took a spiritual awakening to bring her back to her childhood home in Chapais. “To go home meant to go back to the place of my childhood… this sure was something.”

When she first arrived, Ratt decided to “start from scratch” and began creating jewelry with a new and focused passion. “At first, I just did a few pieces. I took it slowly, just appreciating being home and working on my art in nature.”

Then things began to progress. In 2009, Ratt got the idea for Cree-Ations and within a year, her jewelry company became a reality. Ratt says starting Cree-Ations is what helped her “move forward” and stopped her from going “up and down in life like a yo-yo.”

“When I founded CreeAtions, I also found who I was as a person,” she said. “I had been searching for something like that for a long time and now I finally could tell myself ‘This is who you are.’”

The full year it took to prepare the public launch showed her there is a difference between discovering something in yourself and being ready to express it to the world. She says that after you find a passion, you need to make sure you have the emotional and social foundations

which will allow you to bring this passion to life and share it with others.

In 2010, she focussed on spreading her business with her own two feet and word of mouth, traveling to powwows across the country and then joining forces with the Salon des métiers d’art du Québec.

Now, in 2023, Ratt has sold her jewelry across Canada and her pieces are worn around the world, a significant feat for an artist who promoted her business only through faceto-face connections. Ratt is largely self-educated in her bead-weaving techniques. “I completed two-and-a-half sections at college. You need six to get a degree. It just wasn’t for me, but it gave me a great base to start Cree-Ations.”

Ratt said the main reason she did not wish to pursue organized education in jewelry is because most programs in Canada only teach techniques for jewelry made with metal, not the beads, bones and leather Ratt loves to use.

“Jewelry wasn’t for me because I like traditional bead weaving so much. You are only working with metal in jewelry college. The art techniques I use in my jewelry are not taught in organized school settings. There are no bead weaving courses offered in public education, no courses to teach the next generation what I do.”

This is why Ratt will be expanding her Cree-Ations business this fall, as she plans to launch an online bead-weaving course in late September. “Cree-Ations Designs will be a website that allows me to continue to do what I love and share it with people who love what I do.”

In 2023, Ratt has sold her jewelry across Canada and her pieces are worn around the world

Baring her soul

Aaju Peter’s life is the focus of the documentary Twice Colonized by Joshua

Janke

-Aaju: “I don’t want to leave.”

-Friend: “It’s just a physical place.”

-Aaju: “But it’s my place.”

-Friend: “You must love the lake but not the cottage.”

For the opening of Montreal’s 33rd First Peoples Festival, head organizer André Dudemaine honoured director Lin Alluna and protagonist Aaju Peter by screening Twice Colonized as the festival’s first event.

“The number three is supposed to be the perfect number,” Dudemaine said in his opening comments. “As we know, the triangle is the form of nature, with all sides equal and strong in solidarity. When we discover the corpses of our children, this is a tragic time. But this is also a time where I hear the Elders saying that their children are coming back to them, that the children are coming home.”

Last year, Dudemaine’s speech focused on the Indigenous power that is produced within artistic

collaboration and community, while this year’s speech set a more activist tone.

“We are already together,” he stated. “Now we must understand that we are together on a mission to change the world. You are no longer spectators, we are partners. So, look inside yourself and move forward with us.”

On that note, the microphone was passed to lawyer and activist Aaju Peter. A Greenlandic Inuk, Peter was sent to school in Denmark where she endured cultural assimilation similar to Canada’s residential schools.

As Peter welcomed the audience, she spoke her first words of thanks in Inuktitut, pausing briefly to survey the looks of confusion in the crowd. “This is how it feels when you

speak French around me,” she said with a chuckle, switching to English. “I just try to laugh or clap at the good times like ‘Oh, that sounded important.’”

Creating this serious yet lighthearted moment can be credited to Peter’s deep emotional honesty with herself, something that is highlighted in the film. She is not afraid to swear, cry, scream or dance, and she is definitely not afraid to relive her past and confront present-day colonialism. If she feels it, she says it.

Her self-confidence, grounded in the profound life story she possesses, allows her message to be conveyed in an impactful, yet digestible way. Peter says her life experiences are what gives her the power to change the world for

experiences and beliefs of a woman on a mission to change the world.

Addressing the audience, Peter said, “I’ve been in many documentaries before, but this time it was personal, the story was my own. I was sent to school in Denmark, lost my language and now, I want to show the world that the Danes were not any better. We were also treated badly, forced to become white and lose our language and culture.

“Danish assimilation was no better than Canadian colonialism [and] the Danes stole our childhood and families…our hope from us,” she continued, marking how she “was made to feel different” in the many schools she attended and the foster families she lived with.

But as she pointed out in her speech, “You can’t define me if I have already found myself.”

In the film, one of Peter’s Danish friends ponders, “You call yourself Inuit and you are smoking and drinking and you like coffee.” She cuts him off before he can continue. “No fuck you, I want to be in the modern world but from our perspective, not the one that you have imposed on us.

“When they tell us that we belong in the past, I just look down at my body, at my existence and tell myself that I do not belong there.”

As Peter stood in front of the audience moments before her life was relived on screen, her assertive yet calm voice and warm smile revealed an individual proud to share a story that she has been waiting to tell.

comes with exposing one’s life to the world.

Peter spoke of the fragility that involved all forms of artistic expression presented. “At this festival, it is important that when we [Indigenous people] welcome you, you accept this welcome and receive everything offered with open arms and gratitude,” she said.

Then she pointed at her Danish cameraman and said with a warm laugh, “That’s my colonizer right there.” But that’s what Peter does in this documentary, visually and verbally – stir up the past because it makes her feel good, even if it makes others uncomfortable.

“Non-Indigenous people, they think we enjoy looking back but it’s hard for us,” Peter says while talking with her brother after visiting their childhood school. “We were born in straitjackets. One day I thought, why am I continuing to wear this straitjacket of the past?”

Peter says that before she could make Twice Colonized, she had to focus on discovering who she was, who she used to be, and who she wanted to become.

Using the metaphor of a house to represent her body and mind, she explained: “You could be fighting blindfolded without knowing where the exit is, but if you learn all the layout of the home, you could still be blindfolded but you would be able to find your way through. The adversity we experience becomes educative when we take the time to look deep inside ourselves.”

future generations and the hardest part is finding the courage to express these lived experiences to the masses.

Over five years in the making, Twice Colonized opens with the credit – Directed by Lin Alluna, Lived by Aaju Peter – foreshadowing a creation that touches Peter’s secret and personal life. This is more than a documentary, it’s an intimate look into the emotions,

The documentary is Peter’s first step in this journey of sharing the story of her life with the world, but she says a book is on the way. However, it is “going very slow” because “there are so many things I must do in each day just to be who I am meant to be.”

At one point, the camera pans in on Peter writing the first draft of her book. At the top of the page she writes, “Is it possible to change the world and mend your wounds at the same time?” The time and emotional effort spent making this film cannot be ignored and this moment highlights the dilemma that

After the screening, Peter returned for questions and then shared a closing comment of hope. “As Indigenous peoples we all speak the same language. And I mean this in the way we think. When we want to further the lives of our future children nobody is going to say ‘No, we aren’t going to do that for our grandchildren.’ We want a better future, not only for our grandchildren and great-grandchildren, but for all grandchildren in the future. When you put it like that, to do for our grandchildren, that’s an easy prayer. They don’t even have to think twice about it.”

by Margie E. Burke

Here’s another edition of the Nation’s puzzle page. Try your hand at Sudoku or Str8ts or our Crossword, or better yet, solve all three and send us a photo!* As always, the answers from last issue are here for you to check your work. Happy hunting.

How to beat Str8ts –

Like Sudoku, no single number can repeat in any row or column. But... rows and columns are divided by black squares into compartments. These need to be filled in with numbers that complete a ‘straight’. A straight is a set of numbers with no gaps but can be in any order, eg [4,2,3,5]. Clues in black cells remove that number as an option in that row and column, and are not part of any straight. Glance at the solution to see how ‘straights’ are formed.

To complete Sudoku, fill the board by entering numbers 1 to 9 such that each row, column and 3x3 box contains every number uniquely.

For many strategies, hints and tips, visit www.sudokuwiki.org

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Crossword

As the seasons change

by Sonny Orr

The school bus drives by with windows full of happy little faces, all going to school for the first time this fall. While it’s still officially summer, in the North the days are already getting shorter so technically it’s the start of fall, at least for the kids. For us older ones, who have either finished school or never went, it’s time for berry picking as it promises to be a bumper crop. As for me, it’s back to work.

One thing that makes the fall great is the absence of bugs in the slightest breeze, as for some reason, the mosquitoes and black flies just don’t seem to be as vicious and voracious as they used to be. Usually, after a lacklustre year, something in their chromosomes tells the next generation of mosquitoes to be extra hungry and more aggressive in their foraging for blood. I can see it now, small babies and tiny chihuahuas being carried off by a dark cloud of mosquitos.

Now that school is starting, I look back to the summer breaks and vacation and travels we took and the calendar shows one cancellation after another for hotel stays, plane tickets, meeting schedules and, of course, the annual shopping sprees. Nada, nothing, no more summer as it was cancelled by incessant fires fueled by storms and tornadoes.

With school back on, the struggle to find your bus and its mysterious sched-

ule compounded by trying to find the replacement teacher makes you wonder if schools have had any organizational training on top of the usual orientation for the new community. As teachers struggle to understand a new culture, one that is totally controlled by the weather and the natural elements, I can see why some might just up and quit.

Like how can I play the cowboy or am I a victim of some kind of foreign film in the making? No, it’s just called the original Canada, our home and Native land. Except with a culture that nearly got wiped out and is on a comeback, because we took control of our lives and wrested them away from a foreign education system. Like, how many schools do you know teach students how to go out and catch fish or cure and tan a hide?

I guess the old school ways have disappeared. Now getting higher scores and learning how to deal with algebra and trigonometry is high up on the scale of useful skills that you can apply in the Great White North. Yep, just triangulate the circumference of that log to get the exact number and size for your firewood or calculate the temperature of the water so you can either go swimming or fishing. Remember, hot days equal soft fish and cold days amount to firm flesh of the fish. Also, Arctic tern eggs float when inedible and sink when they’re just right to hard

boil into one of the world’s best-tasting eggs.

When it comes to turning eggs into the perfectly boiled state, there’s bound to be a war to declare since no one can agree on how long to cook them. For me it’s simple, cold water just enough to cover the eggs, put the burner on full blast and set the timer for 13 minutes and voilà, perfectly cooked boiled eggs. If World War III starts, it’s because I declared that this is the perfect egg, and the rest of the world will get upset enough to launch a few rotten eggs at me. I’m not going to mention frying eggs in bacon fat as that will land me in some diet-food veggie jail.

Now that summer is 75% over, we can start living in a perfect temperature range, not too hot, not too cool, just the right heat to keep our sweaters off and your Crocs on. As for Crocs, they’re becoming an all-season footwear fashion statement. In reality, it’s those who maintain that a well-ventilated foot is a healthy one, but I will argue that Crocs are just too easy to put on and take off. As for winter, I have the ideal solution – perfectly sized plugs for all those holes in the Croc should do the trick.

For everyone and everything else, adios summer, I hope you enjoyed all the smoke, fires, tornadoes and baseball-sized hail.

UTNS

Time is running out

by Xavier Kataquapit

It is the time of gatherings and festivals for my people across Turtle Island.

Many Indigenous communities are making the most of summer after not being able to gather much since the Covid pandemic. There are powwows, traditional gatherings of all sorts, music and funtime events and hundreds of non-Indigenous celebrations throughout Canada.

As much as I and my partner would like to get out and enjoy some of these events it is impossible as he has a health condition that does not allow the risk of getting Covid or any other kind of flu or infection. Still, that is fine as we have done so much travelling and touring in the past and have wonderful memories of those times. We like watching videos and reports from family and friends as they enjoy their time at these gatherings.

This year in my home community of Attawapiskat a group of people, including my brother Joe, managed to stage a spectacular event called Kattawapiskak Keekehwin Gathering. I know how much work it is to organize huge seven-day events such as this and I congratulate everyone who worked so hard to make it happen.

Many of my family members and friends worked tirelessly for days to bring some great music from bands such as Honeymoon Suite and Trooper. Adrian Sutherland, our very own music star from Attawapiskat, was also on hand to perform for the event. There were games, bingo was a huge part of the activities, lots of sport competitions and even a drone drop. The Elders were featured with events dedicated to them and the young were treated to all kinds of entertainment and games where many were delighted with prizes.

Events also ran in many Indigenous communities up the James Bay coast. Many of these events were challenged by huge forest fires burning in the North and other provinces which resulted in a lot of smoke. Despite all these challenges, organizers managed to put together incredible entertainment events and powwows and that says a lot about the quality

of northerners when it comes to making things happen.

We all have had a tough time dealing with the Covid pandemic, forest fires, climate change reality with strange weather, a concerning recession and, of course, the ongoing war in the Ukraine. So having the chance to forget it all for a few days with traditional powwows and gatherings as well as music and arts events has helped a lot.

The one thing I would hope in watching all the energy, skill and time dedicated by so many is that we put some effort into pushing our governments to step up and work towards making the world a more peaceful place. Why are we not organizing to pressure governments to get rid of nuclear weapons or at the very least get back to negotiating treaties to reduce the numbers and put some restrictions in place. The United States and Russia have backed out of treaties that were agreed to many years ago and the war in Ukraine has made the possibility of a nuclear war or accident very possible.

This year, the Science and Security Board of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists moved the hands of the Doomsday Clock forward because of the mounting danger in Ukraine. The clock is currently at 90 seconds to midnight which is the closest to global catastrophe it has ever been. The Doomsday Clock, which

was started in 1947, warns the public about how close we are to destroying our world with nuclear weapons. The board is made up of scientists and other experts with deep knowledge of nuclear technology and climate science.

We seldom think about the danger of nuclear war and other threatening situations like climate change. We just don’t realize how world leaders and powerful interests would rather save the economy and financial interests consider the future of humanity. We are putting something as huge as this out of our minds. If a nuclear event were to happen, we can all say goodbye to our normal lives, most of our planet would be destroyed and civilization would cease to exist.

There is a time to celebrate and a time to be happy, but our world is becoming overshadowed by global changes with the possibility of nuclear war, the growing threat of climate change and the potential for financial recession or even depression. These are the worries that occupy my mind when I think of all the celebrations we enjoy. If we do not keep in mind the world we are living in and the threats that are building, we may not have anything to celebrate in the future. We must do more to force our governments and leaders to do the right thing to save Mother Earth. Time is running out.

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