Nickel Belt News Volume Volume 58 58 Number • Issue 3311
Friday, March17, 16,2018 2018 Friday, August
Thompson, Manitoba Thompson, Manitoba
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Book a way preserve andcontinues pass on The search fortoDianne Bignell
memories of growing up in Churchill
BY KYLE DARBYSON
KYLE@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET
For two-and-a-half months, Clara Bignell has been relentlessly looking for her 60-year-old mother Dianne, who was last seen in Thompson’s Juniper area on May 17. While there have been a few developments since then, including the discovery of Dianne’s jacket near the Burntwood River at the end of June, Clara and her family have largely come up empty organizing search parties all by themselves. This is why the Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO) put together the largest search effort yet on Aug. 15, in the hopes of providing the family with some degree of closure. “It took me 89 days to get the help I needed, but I’m actually happy to see everybody out here today to help me and I hope to get answers today,” said Clara. “I want to bring my mom home … no matter how long it takes. Even if they call off the search, for whatever reason, I’m still going to keep going.” From around 8 a.m. to Nickel Belt News photos by Kyle Darbyson sundown, members of the Wilson Moore (middle) directs his team of volunteers on the morning of Aug. 15, just before heading out on the Burntwood River to search for Dianne RCMP, MKO, Manitoba Bignell. Hydro and other volunteers took turns dragging rescue operations in Norththe bottom of the Burnt- ern Manitoba. “We need a commitwood River with hooks and chains in the hopes of ted, dedicated unit that’s dredging up some evidence ready to go anytime that Nickel Belt News photo by Ian Graham someone’s missing, beof Dianne’s remains. Addictions Foundation of Manitoba northern director Gisele deMeulles has written a book about her experiences growing up, mostly in Churchill. This group was led by cause time is so critical,” Hilda Anderson-Pyrz, Ivan Hart and Wilson said BY IAN GRAHAM For all the harsh weather to write things that you have ‘Oh, I’m just as bad, right?’ was not a very safe thing swallow when people say missing and murdered In- I have all these stories and to do but I jumped at it. I that Churchill residents and the dangers of polar Moore, who are both seaEDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET to figure out. It’s pretty clear and girls I need to capture them for thought that was exciting should just find somewhere bears, deMeulles said if it soned experts in searchThough she’s now written digenous when I getwomen through.” liaison for MKO. and-rescue techniques. a book about her experienDeMeulles said she wrote my grandchildren really until the plane landed and easier to live. had been viable she would Anderson-Pyrz’s elected MKO herInbook, cesRecently growing up in Churchill, titled Whispers in because they will be lost if they started throwing the “To say, ‘Those people have moved back to Churchthe ideal unit would Grand ChiefFoundation Garrison SetAddictions of mind, the Wind: Stories from the I don’t.” fuel off and I realized, ‘Holy choose to live there. They ill in a heartbeat. involve government offitee started off the morning Manitoba northern director North - Life in Churchill for She also has a reputation cats, I was probably sitting should just leave,’ is quite “I miss the shoreline, I local law enforce- as a storyteller herself. with prayer. said writ- cials, Giselea deMeulles a couple of reasons. on a bomb.’” simplistic. It’s quite disre- miss the rock, I miss the and sort members of rethat she we ment ing“We’re wasn’thoping something “I just of thought, “I had such a varied hisAnother thing that spectful. If we were in the polar bears even though mote communities working can have a favourable always thought she would you know what, this his- tory and I would tell people spurred her on was the same boat in another area they’re very dangerous and cover a in lotmy of stories and they would go, hard times facing Churchill I think we would scream I really miss the Hudson outcome on behalf of the together do. tory, this to stuff that’s ground in a short period family,” he said. “Because “In my youth I never head, it’s going to be gone ‘That’s not true, is it?’ I’d go, since the Hudson Bay Rail- about that so why don’t they Bay,” she says. “When I go I believe they needshe to of felt good that at writing,” if I time. don’t write it down,” she ‘Yeah it’s true.’ They’d go, way suspended operations have the option to do that? back home, standing on the “So“My it’skids bringing all ‘You didn’t do all that, did north of Gillam last spring. I think right now they’re Hudson Bay looking out on have some kind of closure said. “But when I moved said. are not gothese different players and they need answers as to to Thompson to get into ing to get it if I don’t do to it you? You’ve got to be really “It used to be a really feeling like they’re pawns the bay, it just gives you an and collaboratwhat happened and work, hope- the the school of social and table it’s something I’ve al- old.’ I was like, ‘No, actually thriving large community in a political game and that’s incredible sense. You feel so and developing a team fully canI get in a ing at thatwe point hadthat to write ways wanted my mom to I did all that before I was and it’s just dwindled down really sad for them because I small and you feel great.” there,” very short period time.” from for university andof realized, do. My mom’sshe an said. elder and 27,’ and they went ‘What?’” to such a small population think the people of ChurchNow that she’s got Moving forward, AnAs I’m theynotdid ‘Holy, bad before at this, she’s an artist, she’s got so Looking back, some of now,” deMeulles says. ill really want to thrive. one book under her belt, encourages MKO’s July 19 developed walk for derson-Pyrz right?’ I certainly many wonderful stories be- those experiences are things Though she’s not there They’ve built their worlds deMeulles says she may try who wantstells to push missing loved key anyone a lot of skill in ones, university cause she always her she might not do again. any longer, her parents and there. How would we feel to produce another. a permanent organizers of Wednesday’s Bignell right) surveysher thesister search site nearfamily the Burntwood Rivercame on the morning 15. another book in and came out of there with for stories at Parks search Canadaand in Clara “I did some(far pretty bizarre and other if someone to you and of Aug. “I have rescue unit in Northern search effort said that the a very strong skill in my Churchill and I’ve always stuff like fuel hauls into the members still are. said, ‘I’m sorry, you have to me,” she says. “It’s a darker to contact federal govwriting and andprovincial confidence in Manitoba hounded her, ‘Please,minjust high Arctic at -35,” said “My cousin owns the leave your home community story, more about personCarolyn and ernment needI to dedicate affairs for thedawn fed- hardware Otherwise, to help son-Pyrz 204-307-5919 my writing. write very isters put it on tape, IBennett will write it northern deMeulles. “It didn’t storeindividuals there,” she items/equipment and we’re going to displace al growthatand struggles. Eileen Clarke, who handle more resources toward eral and provincial governwho would like to volunsearch for Dianne Bignell or hilda.anderson.pyrz@ clear and that’s it. It’s there. for you because your story on me until after. That was a says. you somewhere else and all Maybe in the next five years and ments, these kinds of search-andrespectively. their timeofor donate asked to ones contact AnderSome people say it’s kind of Indigenous is going to be relations lost,’ and she’s very dangerous thing to do. teer Because that, are your loved and your mkonorth.com. it’s something I’ll focus on blunt or direct. I don’t tend
never done it and I thought,
Being on a plane full of fuel
deMeulles finds it hard to
history is gone?’”
doing.”