I’ve been filled with a renewed sense of hope for the future through the work of filmmaker Jeronimo Kataquapit, who has made it his mission to highlight the connection that the people of Attawapiskat have to the land and its waters.
Jeronimo is the son of my cousin James Kataquapit and Monique Edwards. His grandparents Alex and Susan Kataquapit and Daniel and Elsie Edwards have always represented traditional Cree families who are deeply connected to the land.
Jeronimo, his brother Jonathan and their parents have been sharing a series of video logs on a recent trip from Attawapiskat west along the river to highlight the land they come from. It is part of a protest against the Ontario government’s Bill 5 and the federal government’s Bill C-5. You can follow their journey on Facebook at “Here We Stand – Call to Action”.
They hosted a series of gatherings in Attawapiskat to allow young people to paint and share a family flag to symbolize their participation. Jeronimo and his family plan to take the flags and post them on the Attawapiskat River to show how our people are still connected to the land.
They hope to travel as far as the Muketei River, 200km inland and connect with allies in Neskantaga First Nation, an Ojibway community on Attawapiskat Lake, 400km from James Bay. Their journey will be joined by supporters from other James Bay communities who will meet them at different points using floatplanes.
According to a Chiefs of Ontario statement, Bill 5 ignores “First Nations involvement, threatening sovereignty, land stewardship, and ongoing reconciliation efforts.”
Regarding Bill C-5, the Assembly of First Nations has “strong concerns over the rushed legislative process, lack of meaningful consultation, narrowly defined national interest that excludes First Nations priorities and perspectives, a failure to support First Nations priorities such as closing the infrastructure gap, and the broader implications for rights and jurisdiction.”
First Nation leaders and advocates are fighting back against both government power grabs, which threaten to override First Nation rights over the land they live on. Bill 5 allows the Ontario government to designate special economic zones that would allow companies to bypass regulations that protect the environment and ensure consultations with First Nations. Ontario is focusing its attention on the Ring of Fire mining zone west of James Bay and at the headwaters of the Attawapiskat River.
During their first video posting, the group stopped at the confluence of the Attawapiskat and Lawashi rivers at a place called Mahkehshekamik, or the Fox Channel. I was happy to see them there as it was one of the places I had visited with James and family many years ago in the summer to fish and gather logs.
It felt good to see the pictures of the majestic red-hued water as the channel can narrow down to wild rapids between the rocks and then open up to wide expanses of water lined with pristine forests.
I felt happy when James and Monique spoke Ininewmoon (Cree) to share how they spotted moose, geese and even a set of giant pelicans. This is the magic of the land.
Every mile of this great river has a story of how it fed people, adventures and those who had been lost to the land. The river has seen centuries of travel by canoe, portages – and in winter –by dog sled, snowshoe and snowmobile to and from fishing areas, hunting camps, traplines, birthplaces and burial grounds.
These lands are not just a place for resource developers to invade and tear apart. This land is our home and has been since the dawn of time. It is who we are as a people.
I was deeply moved by Jeronimo’s direct action to spend time on the land he and his family want to defend. The journey is only part of the protests against Bill 5 and Bill C-5 across the province and country.
Meegwetch to all who are standing up for the land.