One of the last hunting trips I took with my father Marius Kataquapit was out onto our traditional lands next to the opening of the Attawapiskat River on the James Bay coast. Dad had injured his foot that winter and although he had a cast on, he insisted on heading out for Niska Tah-mah-nah-oon, (the goose hunt) with myself and my two younger brothers Joseph and Paul. To my dad, it was an easy and short trip as the ride was only an hour snowmobile ride away.
We camped out there for a couple of weeks and dad taught us through his example how to locate our blinds on potential ponds and openings that would form on the land. He instructed us on how and where to place our Niska-kan, (goose decoys) and even showed us how we could make our own decoys by charring round logs cut into the shape of a goose and then wedging a blackened branch in the shape of a head and long neck onto the top of it.
My brothers and I were teenagers and dad had to push us to rise very early every morning to catch the first flights of geese every day. He let us know that geese are most active at first light, then grow quiet and rest all day until they become active again as the sun is about to set.
Like a choir master, he taught us how to Keh-tweh-skeh, (to call geese) and encouraged us to raise our voices, call louder, longer and with more force, then told us to temper our calls by showing us that geese talk to each other in rhythmic patterns. He often said that geese were intelligent enough creatures to know who was calling and that if we didn’t call or speak to them properly, then they would never approach our blinds.
Some days dad would sit with all of us together and other times, he would make us our own blinds and leave us on our own. It was good to have many blinds.
Goose hunting is not as exciting as one could imagine. Much of the time is spent just quietly sitting in a lonely blind by yourself, watching the horizon for something to come your way. On most days, especially when it became overcast and cold with a wind, nothing would fly and we would spend the entire day without seeing anything.
I haven’t been out to hunt for many years but whenever this time of year comes around, I’m always reminded of heading out on the land. These days this is a worrying time because there is so much danger and potential for so many things to happen when people head out on the remote land and wilderness.
Traditional hunters and travellers have to balance the dangers of going out on the land as the snow and ice melts. They have to constantly gauge where and when they are safe to go out on the land. The dangers are further increased due to the effects of climate change. It is becoming more and more difficult to know when it is safe or not when the weather is constantly moving between extreme cold and sudden warming trends.
The hunting season is also affected by modern dangers with faster and more modern snowmachines. Another danger is in the use of helicopter travel. People along the coast have been hiring helicopters since the 1980s but it has only been in the past decade that it has become more popular and frequent. A chopper landing at a designated airport or landing pad is dangerous enough but out on the land, challenges are increased as pilots have to land in rough terrain with people working in a very noisy and chaotic environment.
This year the Rickard family of Attawapiskat recently held a memorial for the tragic loss of their son Joseph (Nabash) Rickard last year due to a helicopter accident on Akamiski Island. It was a deep shock to the community and a reminder for everyone to be even more careful and cautious this year.
Many families still take part in the annual spring goose hunt along the the James and Hudson Bay coast including in Attawapiskat, Peawanuck, Peetabek (Fort Albany), Kashechewan and Moosonee. This year many of my young relatives are going on their first big hunt and I remind everyone to take special care. It feels good to know they are out there on our traditional lands. I am concerned that they can stay safe and also hopeful that they will bring back a bounty of food for their families, all while learning the culture, traditions and language of our people like our ancestors have for thousands of years.
I wish everyone a happy safe hunting season.