March 29 2019

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Nickel Belt News Volume Volume 58 59 Number • Issue 1311

Friday, March29, 16,2019 2018 Friday, March

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Book a waydisability-rights to preserve andactivist pass on Indigenous brings inspirational story memories of growing uptoinThompson Churchill Frances Mae Sinclair-Kaspick talks about her self-published memoir The Mountain Within in front of a local audience BY KYLE DARBYSON

KYLE@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET

The University of Manitoba’s Northern Social Work Program celebrated social work week by hosting a talk with author Frances Mae Sinclair-Kaspick at the MaMow-We-Tak Friendship Centre March 20. Sinclair-Kaspick spent the morning reading passages from, and answering questions about, her self-published memoir The Mountain Within, which details her life as a congenital amputee and the struggles she encountered along the way because of this. In the opening chapters of her book, Sinclair-Kaspick’s reveals the complications surrounding her birth in a Kenora, Ontario hospital in 1956. Not only was she missing both her hands, but her legs were also abnormally small, so much so that it compromised her ability to walk. Even though the doctors doubted her chances of accomplishing anything in life, Sinclair-Kaspick’s grandmother decided to move the family to Winnipeg so that she could receive care from Nickel Belt News photos by Kyle Darbyson the Shriners Hospital that Author Frances Mae Sinclair-Kaspick answers questions about her memoir The Mountain Within at the Ma-Mow-We-Tak Friendship Centre on March specialized in children with 20. The official book launch for her memoir took place in Winnipeg last December. disabilities. Nickel Belt News photo by Ian Graham and under-represented,” she about her experiences growing up, mostly in Churchill. a book’ because it’s a Gisele very deMeulles Despite having good memAddictions Foundation of Manitoba northern director has written a book ories of living at this facility challenging story and I would said on March 20. “So I highlike to inspire people.” lighted to was not a very safe thing swallow when people say for of her youth, Sin- to BY most IAN GRAHAM For all the harsh weather write thingsother that you have ‘Oh, I’mour justachievements as bad, right?’ it took a while difference clair-Kaspick encountered to Even EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET haveaallpositive these stories and to do but I jumped at it. I that Churchill residents and the dangers of polar figurethough out. It’s pretty clear Imake came to frui- by showing how them to move another major obstacle at the before Though she’s now written when Ithis getidea through.” I need to capture for thought that was exciting should just find somewhere bears, deMeulles said if it tion, Sinclair-Kaspick finally forward to better our age of 15 when she decided a book about her experienDeMeulles said she wrote my grandchildren lives.” really until the plane landed and easier to live. had been viable she would finished this project last year, Even though she’s been to voluntarily her her ces growing upamputate in Churchill, book, titled Whispers in because they will be lost if they started throwing the “To say, ‘Those people have moved back to Churchholding a Stories book launch in Iinstrumental in creating re- fuel off and I realized, ‘Holy choose to live there. They ill in a heartbeat. feet. Addictions Foundation of the Wind: from the don’t.” in in December. likehas thea Aboriginal “Even though I made this Winnipeg Manitoba northern director North - Life Churchill for sources She also reputation cats, I was probably sitting should just leave,’ is quite “I miss the shoreline, I The memoir itself covers as Disabled Self-Help Group, on a bomb.’” decision of amputation, I did a couple Gisele deMeulles said writof reasons. a storyteller herself. simplistic. It’s quite disre- miss the rock, I miss the snapshots Sin- Sinclair-Kaspick said she’s not feel like something I made the right ing wasn’t she other “I just sort offrom thought, “I had such a varied hisAnother thing that spectful. If we were in the polar bears even though to Iuse her tell retirement choice that time,” said clair-Kaspick’s alwaysatthought sheshe would you know what,childhood this his- going tory and would people spurred her on was the same boat in another area they’re very dangerous and and early including years toand reach out to other on Wednesday. “It took me tory, do. thisadult stufflife, that’s in my stories they would go, hard times facing Churchill I think we would scream I really miss the Hudson Christmases at the disability in since the Hudson Bay Rail- about that so why don’t they Bay,” she says. “When I go a long time youth to get over that head, “In my I never not organizations true, is it?’ I’d go, it’s going to Shriners be gone ‘That’s travelling across hopes breaking down trauma.” felt good at writing,” she Hospital, if I don’t write it down,” she the ‘Yeah it’s of true.’ They’d go, way suspended operations have the option to do that? back home, standing on the roads a manual for Indigenous From there, Sinclair-Kassaid. “But when I moved winter ‘You didn’t do all that, landid north of Gillam last spring. I think right now they’re Hudson Bay looking out on said. “My kidsinare not go- barriers wheelchair guagesYou’ve and cultural pickThompson tried to carve nor- ing to to out geta into to get itand if I making don’t doher it you? got topractices. be really “It used to be a really feeling like they’re pawns the bay, it just gives you an own it’s fashionable clothing as old.’ She’s also to start thriving large community in a political game and that’s incredible sense. You feel so mal school life for herself, graduatthe of social work, and something I’ve alI was like,going ‘No, actually teenager. on abefore new Ibook ing frompoint highI school 18, aways at that had to at write wanted my mom to working I did all that was and it’s just dwindled down really sad for them because I small and you feel great.” Frances Sinclair-Kaspick said the it took herof15Churchyears to write The that Mountain Within, member Peguis sometime in May. entering the workforce and do.As for university and realized, Mya mom’s anof elder and 27,’ and they went ‘What?’” to such aMae small population think people Now she’s got which details the events surrounding her birth to finally obtaining her own one-bedroom First Nation, While sheback, hasn’t nailed finally getting opportun‘Holy, I’m notthe bad at this, she’s an artist,Sinclair-Kasshe’s got so Looking some of now,” deMeulles says. ill really want to thrive. one book under her belt, describesstories this book the specificsareofthings what apartment age not 22. there They’ve built their worlds deMeulles says she may try ity to live independently at pick right?’ I certainly developed manyalso wonderful be- down those experiences Though at she’s as a “form of communicathis new work to be any longer, her parents and there. How would we feel to produce another. 22.lot of skill in university cause a she always tells her she might not is dogoing again. tion” toatbring more awarethesome 63-year-old author her her new as afamily pub- if wesomeone arrive in,” saidand on as “I a person. I’m proud I was “By the time I got intowith my stories and came out of there Parks Canada in about, “I did pretty bizarre sisterplatform and other cameshe to you have another book in to theand unique to expand on lished author continue to March “Through dosays. just “It’s that aand I’m early I already knew a very20s, strong skill in my ness Churchill I’vestruggles always said stuffshe likewants fuel hauls into the said, ‘I’m20. sorry, you havemy to able me,” to she darker members stillto are. by Indigenous people like dating and said how preach I steadily and dili- fine with whoabout I am.”personpsychologically emowriting and confiand dence in faced hounded her, ‘Please, just subjects high Arctic at -35,” “My empowerment cousin owns and the early leave years your home community story, more withitdisabilities. to hang onto jobdawn as a hardware self-acceptance. gently worked within myself al Anyone in readtionally that I Imade that put my writing. writeit,very on tape, I will write it deMeulles. “Ityour didn’t store there,” she and we’re going to displace growthinterested and struggles. long Indigenous person withafter. disabilities. “It is beyond our control you to accept the bodyelse I received ing TheinMountain in I’m going to continue on for“For clear and that’s it. It’s there. you too because your story on me until That was a says. somewhere and all Maybe the next fiWithin ve years Otherwise, Sinclair-Kaswe come into birth, and ones to accept of full can order a copy through living life,” she “AndofI people Some people saysaid. it’s kind is goingliving to bewith lost,’disabilities and she’s very dangerous thing to do. how Because ofthe world, that, at your loved and all your it’s something I’ll focus on have been pick said going to fuel use deMeulles and even more so what body me and is notgone?’” feel diminished doing.” mcnallyrobinson.com. thought shouldI really blunt or‘Idirect. don’t write tend never doneunacknowledged it and I thought, Being on ashe’s plane full of finds it hard to history


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