It’s a strange thing to look back on a year’s events as if a period of 365.25 days is a self-contained phenomenon. As if human history in each January-to-December trip around the sun wasn’t part of a longer continuum of related events and evolution. On the last point, however, it’s not hard to see that the past year showed unmistakable signs of devolution.
The sound of Christmas and holidays is everywhere, making me wish for things I can’t afford and for time off from the daily workload. But the bells keep chiming (or tolling) to lift my spirits higher than usual. I suspect it’s subliminal uplifting music drifting in and out of my subconsciousness that is driving me to work harder.
I truly feel like the Cree Nation has failed Palestinians, especially since October 7. It’s easy to sweep it under the rug that we don’t need to pay attention to what happens thousands of miles away from Eeyou Istchee, but I think it matters. Also, if our leadership can call for the observance of the death of Queen Elizabeth II through a minute of silence, I think it can – and should – position itself against genocide.
I was working on my tent-frame cabin, which was due for some maintenance, to put some tiles on the wooden floor. When I gazed upwards to inspect my threadbare canvas roof, I noticed it had a long tear. Back in town that evening, I found someone tall enough to help me.
Winter is fast approaching, and I worry about family members and friends in northern Ontario who deal with the treacherous conditions on our highways during the snowy season.
I am feeling a little better about the state of democracy these days thanks to the election of Wab Kinew as Canada’s first Anishinabe Premier. He was elected recently with a majority government in Manitoba. So, congratulations to Wab and his New Democratic Party team and thanks to all those members of the voting public who made their decision based on values that have to do with social democratic ideals of sharing, openness, tolerance and caring for everyone, the environment and the future of our planet.
It’s been a while since I got up before sunrise, but it’s getting easier with the shorter days. Looking over social media, I see that it snowed south of here, which is to be expected. At the 55th parallel, winter doesn’t usually set in until Halloween night, then the stone-cold wintry weather ices us in the following day. No November rain for us, it’s straight to skating.
In 1998, the Grand Council of the Crees published a book titled Never Without Consent: James Bay Crees Stand Against Forcible Inclusion into an Independent Quebec. This book looked the referendum on October 24, 1995, asking whether the Crees would join an independent Quebec if the province voted yes in the provincial referendum to be held a week later.
I’ve been spending time in Winnipeg for work, and it has allowed me to check in with the large Indigenous community here. A few steps away from my hotel, at the forks of the Assiniboine and Red rivers, stands Camp Marcedes in honour of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. It’s named after Marcedes Myran, whose remains are believed to be at the Brady Landfill.
At least once a year I venture out of our traditional territory to wreak a little havoc in the lands of our southern brethren, the Hurons. It’s not really to wreak havoc but to learn and trade information for business development, something that’s kept me busy for the last 30 years.
