Nickel Belt News Volume Volume 58 59 Number • Issue 2011
Friday, 16, 2018 Friday,March May 17, 2019
Thompson, Manitoba Thompson, Manitoba
Servingthe theNorman Norman Region 1961 Serving Regionsince since 1961
Providing you with expert advice & friendly service. Book online at speedyglass.ca or try our free app on your iPhone
We look forward to serving you. Ϳͷ-A Kelsey Bay Thompson, MB R;N ͷS Ph: Ͷͺ-ͽͽ;-ͽͶͺ; Fax: Ͷͺ-ͽͽ;-ͽͷͺ
Book a way to preserve and pass Cree filmmaker showcases the on importance ofgrowing preserving movies memories of uphome in Churchill
Addictions Foundation of Manitoba northern director Gisele deMeulles has written a book about her experiences growing up, mostly in Churchill. BY IAN GRAHAM
Nickel Belt News photo 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 to figure out. It’s pretty clear I have all these stories and to do but I jumped at it. I that Churchill residents and the dangers of polar 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 a book about her experienDeMeulles said she wrote my grandchildren really until the plane landed and easier to live. had been viable she would ces growing up in Churchill, her book, titled Whispers in because they will be lost if they started throwing the “To say, ‘Those people have moved back to ChurchAddictions Foundation of the Wind: Stories from the I don’t.” fuel off and I realized, ‘Holy choose to live there. They ill in a heartbeat. Manitoba northern director North - Life in Churchill for She also has a reputation cats, I was probably sitting should just leave,’ Nickel is quite “I miss shoreline, Belt News photo the by Kyle DarbysonI Gisele deMeullesJennifer said writcoupleup of areasons. as screening a storyteller on a bomb.’” simplistic. It’s quite session. disre- miss the rock, I miss the Cree filmmaker Dysarta wraps short documentary at herself. the Thompson Public Library May 14 with a question-and-answer ing wasn’t something she “I just sort of thought, “I had such a varied hisAnother thing that spectful. If we were in the polar bears even though as possible. ing to lifeher in Canada. Return home as often and as I BY KYLE DARBYSON always thought she would chives you know what, this his- constructed. tory and I would tell people spurred on was the “Kewekapawetan: same boat in another area turning they’re very dangerous KYLE@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET “Typically, For example, Dysart’s Between January and After which can to share with do. tory, this stuffwhen that’speople in my stories times facing Churchill I thinkthe weFlood,” would scream I really missmy thework Hudson and they would go, hard Jennifer they titled “Caribou Home Made Visible the displacement andsays. my “When family Iand “In my Dysart youth screened I never think ‘That’swork, not true, is it?’ I’d go, June, about that so why don’t they people Bay,” she go head, of it’sarchives going to be think gone latest since the Hudson Bay Rail- details six short government ar- in the it’s Archive,” relies go, on has or will screen of South Indian to Lake resi- the community.” felt gooddocumentary at writing,”films she of if I official don’t write it down,” she ‘Yeah true.’ They’d have the option do that? backlarger home, standing on the wayscreened suspended operations at the Thompson Li- chives or corporate footage the these films inlast 11spring. cities dents to now government Anyone who missed said. “But whenPublic I moved ‘You didn’t do all from that, did said. “My kids are archives not go- archival north of Gillam I thinkdue right they’re Hudson Bay looking outout on brary May 14 astopart the that Filmgot Board Can- across the country, to Thompson getofinto ing toare getvery it if Istructured, don’t do it National you? You’ve to beofreally “It used to be aincludreally interference. feeling like they’re pawns on theTuesday’s bay, it justscreening gives youcan an national Home little intimidating family’s own ing Edmonton, Halifax and in Moving her watch allsense. of theYou featured the school of Made socialVisible work, maybe and it’sasomething I’ve al- ada old.’ and I washer like, ‘No, actually thriving large community a politicalforward game andinthat’s incredible feel so archival project. the average Dysart hopes to con-I shorts on you the feel Thompson at that point I had to write to ways wanted person,” my momsaid to grainy I did allhome that movies before Ifrom was Toronto. and it’s just dwindled down career, really sad for them because small and great.” hosting similar Dysart. “And an so elder this proto tell the‘What?’” story of to Dysart digging into various Public computforAfter university and realized, do. My mom’s and the 27,’1990s and they went such a was smallinstrumental population tinue think the people of ChurchNow Library’s that she’s got events Sioux and ject to reimagine hunting in in bringing this film tour to archives find interesting ers throughout the her nextbelt, two ‘Holy, in I’m not Lookout bad at this, she’sseeks an artist, she’s got an so a woman now,” deMeulles says. book under Looking back,caribou some of ill reallytowant to thrive. one Thunder Bay, Ontario, the archive of the future that’s Manitoba. having and maintain a close weeks. right?’ I certainly developed many wonderful stories be- Northern those experiences are things Thompson, Though she’s notplenty there stories They’ve built their worlds deMeulles says she may try Cree to the acause little more open and a little The restnot of do these shorts of to Northher communbeen maka lot filmmaker of skill in came university she always tells her she might again. anyconnections longer, her parents and connection there. Howtowould we feel to Dysart producehas another. Hub of theout North on Tuesof the in terms subject mat- ern Manitoba through her ity at the same time. since 2005 and came of there with more storiesrepresentative at Parks Canada in vary “I did someofpretty bizarre her sister and other family if someone came to you and ing“I films have another bookand in day to spread program’s Canadians.” “There’s a long history York “It’s University’s a very strongtheskill in my diversity Churchillof and I’ve always ter, stuffranging like fuelfrom haulsintimate into the family’s ‘I’m sorry, you have of to received me,” she says. a darker members history still are. in South said, message of confi encouraging As such,her, Tuesday’s pieces like “Porgoingcommunity into small master’s thesis prizepersonin 2014 writing and dence in hounded ‘Please, slate just character high Arctic at -35,” said Indian “My Lake. cousin owns the academics leave your home story, more about Indigenous and of films Iall of a Zamboni Driver” to hardware Severalstore yearsthere,” ago she communities makingand “Kewekapamy writing.residents I write very putshorts it on tape, willrevolved write it trait deMeulles. “It didn’t dawn she Indigenous and we’re going to displace for al growth struggles. members of other minority footage, stories like “Arrival stuff away, never the clear and that’s it. It’s there. around for youfound because your either story broader on me until after. That was a used says. the Thompson Pub- and you taking somewhere else and all wetan: Maybe inReturn the nextAfter five years communities to digitize as as a theme or in terms of Archives” that documents lic Library to screen her to return again,” she said. Flood.” She currently lives Some people say it’s kind of is going to be lost,’ and she’s very dangerous thing to do. Because of that, your loved ones and your it’s something I’ll focus on much of direct. their personal ar- how eachit and narrative is how footage documentary I make a point of re- in Hamilton, Ontario. blunt or I don’t tend never done I thought, Beingnewcomers on a plane are fulladjustof fuel found deMeulles finds it hard to “So history is gone?’” doing.” EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET