Nickel Belt News Volume Volume 58 59 Number • Issue 3111
Friday, March 16, 2018 Friday, August 2, 2019
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First Nation evacuees heading home now that wildfires near Lynn Lake have died down
Book a way to preserve and pass on memories of growing up in Churchill
Nickel Belt News photos by Kyle Darbyson After being cooped up in the Mystery Lake Motor Hotel in Thompson for almost a week, the kids from Black Sturgeon Falls were happy to get a chance to run around McCreedy Campground July 29. According to Jessie Horodecki from the Canadian Red Cross, 41 per cent of these evacuees were 12 years old or younger. they got the green light for a return trip. Thompson Mayor Colleen Smook invited actually, like a week or so ago, so that was As of July 31, the government of Mani- the evacuees to a barbecue at McCreedy the last group until they rebuild.” After hanging out in Thompson for a toba’s FireView map also indicated that the Campground July 29, which provided these As a lifelong northerner, Davis said he week, 144 wildfire evacuees from Marcel four forest fires that were classified as “out- northern residents with a much-needed also couldn’t remember a time when resiColomb First Nation (MCFN), located at of-control” in the Lynn Lake area last week distraction. dents of Black Stuurgeon Falls were forced Black Sturgeon Falls, were cleared to return are either “being held” or “under control.” “People want to go home now,” Colomb to flee their homes like this two years in home July 31. Red Cross emergency management co- said on Monday. “But I’m glad that the a row. The northern First Nation was evacu- ordinator Jessie Horodecki told the Nickel mayor donated the park and the hot dogs Even though this year’s evacuation went ated July 24 when an out-of-control blaze Belt News that these residents were eager and the salad and the pork and beans.” smoothly, Horodecki said the Red Cross just caused by lighting knocked out power to to return home, since this evacuation was During this cookout, Lynn Lake resident put the finishing touches on an emergency their community. Another of the several fires double the length of their stay in Thomp- Todd Davis, who serves as a bus driver in response plan for members of the First Nathat started in the area that day destroyed son in June 2018, when another dangerous Black Sturgeon Falls, lamented the fact tion to follow in the future. the Lynn Lake Kiddie Camp northwest of forest fire in the Lynn Lake area threatened that these kids won’t get another chance to “Now they have a binder [that tells them] northwest of Manitoba’s most northerly their safety. visit the bible camp located on Burge Lake. when this happens, what to do, who to call, Nickel Belt News photo by Ian Graham road-accessible town. Black Sturgeon Falls Chief Priscilla Co“A few years back I helped to build out what your steps are,” she said. “We didn’t Addictions Foundation of Manitoba northern director Gisele deMeulles has written a book about her experiences growing up, mostly in Churchill. The Canadian Red Cross was hosting lomb said this year’s extended stay was there a little bit and bring supplies and stuff,” get to use that binder in this evacuation, these evacuees at Thompson’s Mystery particularly on the since they was he said, fact that the campit happened sothe fast, butweather we did BY IAN GRAHAM For all harsh to write Lake things that you havehard ‘Oh, I’m children, just as bad, right?’ notreferencing a very safethe thing swallow whenbecause people say Motor Hotel until Tuesday, when of opportunities to release edits to itand and we’re fully good to go recently underwent some EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET all these stories and site towater figureconout. It’sdidn’t prettyhave cleara lotI have to do but I jumped at it. I renovations. that Churchillsome residents the dangers of polar tamination tests came back negative and their pent-up energy. if it happens again next year.” “The kids just came back from bible camp Though she’s now written when I get through.” I need to capture them for thought that was exciting should just find somewhere bears, deMeulles said if it BY KYLE DARBYSON
KYLE@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET
a book about her experienDeMeulles said she wrote my grandchildren really ces growing up in Churchill, her book, titled Whispers in because they will be lost if Addictions Foundation of the Wind: Stories from the I don’t.” Manitoba northern director North - Life in Churchill for She also has a reputation Gisele deMeulles said writ- a couple of reasons. as a storyteller herself. ing wasn’t something she “I just sort of thought, “I had such a varied hisalways thought she would you know what, this his- tory and I would tell people do. tory, this stuff that’s in my stories and they would go, “In my youth I never head, it’s going to be gone ‘That’s not true, is it?’ I’d go, felt good at writing,” she if I don’t write it down,” she ‘Yeah it’s true.’ They’d go, said. “But when I moved said. “My kids are not go- ‘You didn’t do all that, did to Thompson to get into ing to get it if I don’t do it you? You’ve got to be really the school of social work, and it’s something I’ve al- old.’ I was like, ‘No, actually at that point I had to write ways wanted my mom to I did all that before I was for university and realized, do. My mom’s an elder and 27,’ and they went ‘What?’” ‘Holy, I’m not bad at this, she’s an artist, she’s got so Looking back, some of right?’ I certainly developed many wonderful stories be- those experiences are things a lot of skill in university cause she always tells her she might not do again. and came out of there with stories at Parks Canada in “I did some pretty bizarre a very strong skill in my Churchill and I’ve always stuff like fuel hauls into the writing and confidence in hounded her, ‘Please, just high Arctic at -35,” said my writing. I write very put it on tape, I will write it deMeulles. “It didn’t dawn Blackand Sturegon Falls Chief Priscilla Colomb chats Thompson elderafter. JackThat Robinson clear that’s it. It’s there. for you because yourwith story on me until was a duringpeople a Julysay 29 cookout in Thompson, members of her community spent a to week Some it’s kind of is going towhere be lost,’ and she’s very dangerous thing do. blunt or direct. I don’t due tendto anever it and I thought, Being on a plane full of fuel after being evacuated forestdone fire that knocked out power.
until the plane landed and easier to live. had been viable she would they started throwing the “To say, ‘Those people have moved back to Churchfuel off and I realized, ‘Holy choose to live there. They ill in a heartbeat. cats, I was probably sitting should just leave,’ is quite “I miss the shoreline, I on a bomb.’” simplistic. It’s quite disre- miss the rock, I miss the Another thing that spectful. If we were in the polar bears even though spurred her on was the same boat in another area they’re very dangerous and hard times facing Churchill I think we would scream I really miss the Hudson since the Hudson Bay Rail- about that so why don’t they Bay,” she says. “When I go way suspended operations have the option to do that? back home, standing on the north of Gillam last spring. I think right now they’re Hudson Bay looking out on “It used to be a really feeling like they’re pawns the bay, it just gives you an thriving large community in a political game and that’s incredible sense. You feel so and it’s just dwindled down really sad for them because I small and you feel great.” to such a small population think the people of ChurchNow that she’s got now,” deMeulles says. ill really want to thrive. one book under her belt, Though she’s not there They’ve built their worlds deMeulles says she may try any longer, her parents and there. How would we feel to produce another. her sister and other family if someone came to you and “I have another book in said, ‘I’m sorry, you have to me,” she says. “It’s a darker members still are. “My cousin owns the leave your home community story, more about personhardware store there,” she and we’re going to displace al growth and struggles. Families from Black Sturgeon you Falls, who had to flee their July 24 next due to nearby says. somewhere else and all homes Maybe in the five years wildfires, enjoy of a community at McCreedy Campground in Thompson July 29. Because that, barbecue your loved ones and your it’s something I’ll focus on deMeulles finds it hard to history is gone?’” doing.”