A groundbreaking ceremony was held October 1 for a new land-based camp to be built on an island in Lake Opataca, about a 45-minute drive from Ouje-Bougoumou. Water taxis made the 20-minute trip from “Gerry’s Camp,” where guest speakers, storytellers and a delicious lunch awaited community members.
As a youth development coordinator for many years, Brenda St-Pierre would often hear people express their desire for a camp to host cultural, healing and wellness programs. After a location on Lake Opataca was identified around 2020, an annual general assembly further defined the project before St-Pierre was hired in June 2023.
“I wanted to spearhead this project because it was brought up so often,” St-Pierre told the Nation. “The core of this project is to promote, preserve and practice our Cree culture in all programming. The healing, sense of identity and pride that our land gives.”
The selected island has a special healing energy and cultural history. It was home for the late Robert Bosum and his wife, Emily Capissisit, who adopted many children of the community in the traditional way and treated them as their own, including a non-Native person. One of the carpenters on the construction team was born there 52 years ago.
St-Pierre was happy that Bosum family members were present for the land acknowledgement ceremony, among approximately 50 attendees. The weather was pleasant but windy, making a cold and bumpy ride to the island. The “light lunch” that had been announced turned out to be an extravagant feast with fish and beaver.
Surrounded by mountains, Opataca is one of the lakes at the head of the Broadback River in the Assinica Wildlife Reserve, a popular fishing destination of Mistissini’s Nibiischii Corporation. Part of the island’s appeal is its seclusion, with no traffic noise or the potential for unexpected arrivals and departures during programming.
“It eliminates the possibility of just quitting and driving off,” explained St-Pierre. “When we’d ask the surrounding territories and camps about bringing in a program, sometimes there wouldn’t be enough space, sometimes there were safety issues, and all of these camps were beside a road.”
The camp will host diverse programs for all ages, from family-oriented events that revitalize Cree language and culture to healing retreats for those struggling with drugs and alcohol addiction. Future partnerships with the Cree school, health and justice departments will be explored.
“Our Elders Council has expressed they don’t want to see programs just for Ouje,” said St-Pierre. “It will be open for other members of the Cree Nation. This could be somewhere people who have come from long-term treatment or who have been incarcerated could stay to reintegrate themselves back into the community.”
While the current capacity is 30, St-Pierre said that best practices for land-based healing retreats suggest capping attendance at 16. Plans are to finalize construction in the next fiscal year to open for programming next fall and winter, likely becoming fully operational year-round in 2026-27.
The next phase will be to construct two main camps with two sheds, four washrooms, two larger cabins and one small office for one-on-one counselling. St-Pierre is currently finalizing proposals for Phase 3, involving the construction of 10 lodging cabins, and working with consultants to solidify the governance structure.
Roundtable discussions at this past summer’s AGA considered aspects to include in its operating policies and funding alternatives. Before running any programs, certain equipment and training will need to be established with safety and emergency protocols created and communicated.
“We need to have that safety net built in and known by the staff, partners and participants,” St-Pierre said. “We’re looking at how we can eventually move away from being operated by the band to become its own organization. The Elders want to operate full-time.”
While the new camp will offer holistic healing sessions, there’s no intention of duplicating the ceremonial approaches currently available at Ouje-Bougoumou’s Maamuu Lodge. As not everyone goes to traditional ceremonies, programming will be “people-focused” with no overt spirituality or religion.
“If people want to bring their smudges, you probably need to ask who you’re rooming with to show respect, but we’re not going to invite a pastor to do a sermon,” explained St-Pierre. “From what I’ve heard from Elders, the land takes care of one’s spirit.”
The most recent traditional healing land-based retreat took place at Maamuu Lodge about a week before the groundbreaking ceremony. In association with the Cree Health Board (CBHSSJB), sweat lodge ceremonies and a fasting/vision quest were led by Ernie Herodier and Marjorie Icebound.
The Nishiiyuu Council of Elders led the integration of traditional Cree healing methods into CBHSSJB services in 2019, including their connection to long-suppressed spiritual traditions. While the health board celebrated this year’s Indigenous Peoples Day by introducing traditional healers and knowledge keepers into their system, it seems not everyone approves.
Icebound recently posted that they are “not here to recruit followers of the traditional ways.” Clarifying that you don’t need to be “traditional” to purify the mind, body and soul in a sweat lodge, she quoted the late Elder Job Bearskin: “The ceremonies and the drum will come back, the priests will accept them, but it will be our people that won’t.”
CBHSSJB chairperson Bertie Wapachee asserted that they’re not imposing anything but only providing what the people are asking for. While the enduring influence of colonizing Christian missionaries remains strong in many Indigenous communities, he believes the Nation is on the right path to healing and that nobody has the right to tell others they’re worshipping the wrong god.
“When I see people sober up and follow the traditional path, I’m happy for them. Just as I’m happy for people who turn Christian and clean up their life,” Wapachee said. “I’m not concerned about the colonial mindset. It will eventually disappear. As long as people are healing, let them be.”