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Comedians talk laughter, humour and Anishinaabe DNA PAGE 14
KI Chief awarded Queen’s Diamond Jubilee medal PAGE 6 Vol. 39 No. 25
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August 16, 2012 Northern Ontario’s First Nation Voice since 1974
www.wawataynews.ca
Pushing forward
New chief grilled by student reporters
NAN declaration continues to set direction after 35 years Joyce Hunter Special to Wawatay News
Before the creation of Nishnawbe Aski Nation there was not a lot of funding to go around, save for a few very small programs at the community level, recalled Eabameetong’s Harvey Yesno. “Our focus at the time was bringing basic services like policing, housing and electrification into our communities,” said Yesno. Yesno had arrived onto the political stage in the late 1970s as a young chief after serving as his community’s economic development officer and band manager. By that time, many family groups had already moved off the land from their traditional trap lines and onto reserves. The reserves had very little infrastructure or programs and services. Many communi-
ties did not have airports, social programming or reliable access to the outside world. First Nations had recently been granted the right to vote in Canadian elections, and were only recently able to step off reserve lands to go hunting without permission from the minister of Indian Affairs. Children were still required by law to attend residential schools, and many were being taken from their communities and adopted into white families as per the federal government’s policy of assimilation. By then Native peoples had begun to speak of their desire for the recognition of their inherent right to selfgovernment and access to programs and services that would improve their quality of life. See NAN on page 8
Submitted photo by Barbara Halsig
Fort Albany’s new chief, 27-year-old Rex Knapaysweet, right, did not waste any time jumping into the fire. Just days after being elected for the first time, Knapaysweet sat down with an intrepid team of student reporters from the community for a round-table interview. From questions such as why did you become chief, what changes are you going to make in Fort Albany and when are you going to build an arena for Fort Albany, Knapaysweet was put to the test by the students. See full interview on page 10.
ᓂᓯᑕᐃᐧᓇᑲᐧᐣ ᐊᓂᐣ ᐁᔑᐸᑭᑌᐡᑲᑯᐨ ᐊᓂᔑᓂᓂ ᐁᐧᐡᑲᐨ ᐃᐡᑯᓄᐃᐧᐣ ᑲᑭᐱᑕᑲᐧᐠ ᐃᒪ ᑭᓇᐧᕑᐊ ᑭᐸᐦᐅᑐᑲᒥᑯᐠ ᓫᐁᓂ ᑲᕑᐱᐣᑐᕑ ᐊᐧᐊᐧᑌ ᐊᒋᒧᐃᐧᓇᐣ
ᑲᑭᐸᐦᐅᐣᑕᐧ ᐃᒪ ᑭᓇᐧᕑᐊ ᑭᐸᐦᐅᑐᑲᒥᑯᐠ ᑭᑎᐸᒋᒧᐊᐧᐠ ᑲᑭᐱᐃᓯᓭᐊᐧᐨ ᒣᑲᐧᐨ ᑲᑭ ᑲᓇᐁᐧᐣᑕᑯᓯᐊᐧᐸᐣ ᐃᐡᑯᓄᑲᒥᑯᐠ ᐊᐱ ᐅᑯᐁᐧᓂᐊᐧᐠ ᑲᐸᐸᒥ ᓇᓇᑕᐃᐧᑭᑫᑕᒧᐊᐧᐨ ᐁᐧᐡᑲᐨ ᐃᐡᑯᓄᐃᐧ ᐃᓯᓭᐃᐧᓇᐣ ᐅᒪ ᑲᓇᑕ ( TRC) ᐁᑭ ᑭᐅᑌᐊᐧᐨ ᑭᐸᐦᐅᑐᑲᒥᑯᐠ ᒣᑲᐧᐨ ᐅᐸᐅᐃᐧᐱᓯᑦ 8 ᒥᓇ 9 ᑲᐃᓇᑭᓱᐨ. ᐊᐧᐁᐧ ᑕᐡ ᒪᔭᑦ ᑲᓂᑲᓂᐡᑲᐠ ᓇᓇᑕᐃᐧᑭᑫᐣᒋᑫᐃᐧᓂᐠ ᐅᓇᑯᓂᑫᐃᐧᑭᒪ ᒪᕑᐃ ᓯᐣᐠᓫᐁᕑ ᑭᐃᑭᑐ ᑲᓇᑕ ᐊᐦᑭᐠ ᑲᐊᔭᒪᑲᑭᐣ ᑭᐸᐦᐅᑐᑲᒥᑯᐣ ᐃᐧᓇᐊᐧ ᒪᐊᐧᐨ ᑭᒋᒥᔑᐣ ᐊᓂᔑᓂᓂᐊᐧᐠ ᑭᐸᐊᐧᐊᐧᐠ. ᐁᑲᐧ ᒣᑲᐧᐨ ᒥᑭᓯᐃᐧᐱᓯᑦ 2011, 85% ᓇᐯᐊᐧᐠ ᐃᒪ ᑭᓇᐧᕑᐊ ᑲᑭᐸᐦᐅᐣᑕᐧ
“ᑲᐃᐧᐣ ᐃᑐᐠ ᒪᐡᑯᐨ ᑯᑕᑭᔭᐠ ᑐᑲᓂᐃᐧᓯᑐᑫᐧᓇᐠ ᐊᐃᐧᔭᐠ ᐅᒪ ᑭᑕᑭᒥᓇᓂᐠ ᐁᐱᒋ ᓂᓯᑕᐃᐧᓇᑲᐧᐠ ᐊᓂᐣ ᐁᐧᐡᑲᐨ ᐃᐡᑯᓄᑲᒥᑯᐣ ᐁᓂᔑᐱᒥ ᐊᔭᓂᑫ ᓂᔑᐊᐧᓇᒋᐦᐃᑯᐊᐧᐨ.”
ᑭᐸᐦᐅᑐᑲᒥᑯᐠ ᑲᑭᓇ ᑭᐊᓂᔑᓂᓂᐃᐧᐊᐧᐠ ᐁᑲᐧ ᒥᓇ ᑲᑭᓇ ᐃᑫᐧᐊᐧᐠ ᑲᑭ ᑭᐸᐦᐅᐣᑕᐧ ᑭᐊᓂᔑᓂᓂᑫᐧᐃᐧᐊᐧᐠ. ᒥᑕᐡ ᑲᑭᐃᓇᑭᐣᒋᑫᐊᐧᐠ ᐅ ᓇ ᓇ ᑕ ᐃ ᐧ ᑭ ᑫ ᐣ ᒋ ᑫ ᐠ
ᐅᑭᐃᔑᐊᐧᐸᐣᑕᓇᐊᐧ 93% ᒥᓂᑯᐠ ᐊᓂᔑᓂᓂᐊᐧᐠ ᐁᑭᐸᐦᐅᐣᑕᐧ ᐃᒪ ᒥᓯᐁᐧ ᑭᐸᐦᐅᑐᑲᒥᑯᐠ. ᐃᒪ ᑲᐊᔭᒪᑲᐠ ᑭᐸᐦᐅᑐᑲᒥᐠ ᑌᑎᐸᐦᐃ ᑭᓇᐧᕑᐊ ᑲᐃᐦᑯᑎᐯᐣᒋᑫᒪᑲᐠ ᐅᐣᒋᐱᒧᒋᑫᒪᑲᐣ, ᐃᒪ ᓇᐣᑕ 30
ᐊᓂᔑᓂᓂᐃᐧ ᑕᔑᑫᐃᐧᓇᐣ ᒥᐦᐃᒪ ᐁᔑᐃᐧᓂᑕᐧ ᒋᐃᔑᑭᐸᐦᐅᐣᑕᐧ. “ᑲᐃᐧᐣ ᐃᑐᐠ ᒪᐡᑯᐨ ᑯᑕᑭᔭᐠ ᑐᑲᓂᐃᐧᓯᑐᑫᐧᓇᐠ ᐊᐃᐧᔭᐠ ᐅᒪ ᑭᑕᑭᒥᓇᓂᐠ ᐁᐱᒋ ᓂᓯᑕᐃᐧᓇᑲᐧᐠ ᐊᓂᐣ ᐁᐧᐡᑲᐨ ᐃᐡᑯᓄᑲᒥᑯᐣ ᐁᓂᔑᐱᒥ ᐊᔭᓂᑫ ᓂᔑᐊᐧᓇᒋᐦᐃᑯᐊᐧᐨ,” ᑭᐃᑭᑐ ᓯᐣᐠᓫᐁᕑ ᑲᑭᐸᑭᑎᓂᑲᑌᐠ ᑎᐸᒋᒧᐃᐧᐣ. ᒥᐦᐃᒪ ᓂᐢᑕᑦ ᑲᑭᐃᔕᐊᐧᐨ ᑭᓇᐧᕑᐊ ᑭᐸᐦᐅᑐᑲᒥᑯᐠ ᐅᑯᐁᐧᓂᐊᐧᐠ ᑲᐸᐸᒥ ᓇᓇᑕᐃᐧᑭᑫᐣᒋᑫᐊᐧᐨ. ᕑᐊᔾ ᒪᐧᕑᐊᐣ, ᒪᔭᑦ ᑲᓂᑲᓂᐡᑲᐠ ᑲ ᐃ ᔑ ᒪ ᐊ ᐧ ᑐ ᓂ ᑲ ᑌ ᑭ ᐣ ᑎᐸᒋᒧᐃᐧᓇᐣ ᒪᒪᐃᐧᐡᑲᐃᐧᓂᐠ, ᑭᐃᑭᑐ ᐊᔕ ᐁᐧᑎ ᐅᑕᓇᐠ ᐅᑭᐅᐣᒋ ᒪᒥᑐᓀᑕᓇᐊᐧᐸᐣ ᒋᐊᐃᔕᐊᐧᐨ ᑭᐸᐦᐅᑐᑲᒥᑯᐣ ᒋᐃᔑ ᓇᓇᑕᐃᐧᑎᐸᒋᒧᐃᐧᓀᐊᐧᐨ. “ᐣ ᑭ ᑲ ᑫ ᐧ ᒋ ᒥ ᑯ ᒥ ᓇ ᐸ ᐣ ᐅᑭᒪᐃᐧᓂᐠ ᑲᐅᐣᒋᑲᓇᐊᐧᐸᑕᐠ ᐊᔭᑲᐧᒥᓯᐃᐧᓇᐣ ᒥᓇ ᑲᐅᒋ ᐱᒥᓇᓇᑲᒋᐦᐃᑕᐧ ᑲᑭᒪᒪᓂᐊᐧᐨ
(ᒋᑭᐃᔕᔭᑭᐸᐣ ᑭᓇᐧᕑᐊ ᑭᐸᐦᐅᑐᑲᒥᑯᐠ)” ᑭᐃᑭᑐ ᒪᐧᕑᐊᐣ. ᐊᓇᐃᐧᐣ ᒪᐧᕑᐊᐣ ᐅᑎᔑᐊᐧᐸᐣᑕᐣ ᒥᔑᐣ ᐃᑭᐁᐧᓂᐊᐧᐠ ᑭᐸᐊᐧᑲᓇᐠ ᐁᐅᐡᑲᑎᓯᐊᐧᐨ ᐁᑲ ᐃᐧᓂᑯ ᐁᑭᐅᐣᒋ ᐃᔕᐊᐧᐨ ᐃᐡᑯᓄᑲᒥᑯᐠ ᑲᐃᔑᑲᓇᐁᐧᐣᑕᑯᓯᐊᐧᐨ, ᑭᐃᑭᑐ ᑕᐡ ᔕᑯᐨ ᐅᑭᐱᓇᑭᐡᑲᓇᐊᐧᑐᐠ ᐃᒪ ᐃᓀᑫ ᐁᑭᐅᐣᒋ ᑲᑲᐧᑕᑭᑫᓭᐊᐧᐨ ᐅᓂᑭᐦᐃᑯᒪᑲᐠ ᐁᑲ ᑲᐧᔭᐠ ᐁᑭᑲᓇᐁᐧᓂᒥᑯᐊᐧᐨ, ᑲ ᑭ ᐊ ᐧ ᓂ ᑐ ᐊ ᐧ ᐨ ᐅᑕᓂᔑᓂᓂᐊᐧᑎᓯᐃᐧᓂᐊᐧ, ᐊᑲᐧᑎᓯᐃᐧᐣ ᐁᑲᐧ ᒥᓇ ᒪᐡᑭᑭᑫᐃᐧᐣ ᒥᓇ ᒥᓂᑫᐧᐊᐧᐱᓀᐃᐧᐣ. “ᑫ ᐃ ᐧ ᓇ ᐊ ᐧ ᐃᒪ ᐅᑐᐣᒋᐸᑭᑌᐡᑲᑯᓇᐊᐧ ᐁᐧᐡᑲᐨ ᑲᐱᐅᐣᒋ ᐊᓂᑫᐊᓂᒥᐦᐃᐁᐧᒪᑲᐠ ᐃᐡᑯᓄᐃᐧᐣ ᐁᑲᐧ ᑕᐡ ᐊᒥ ᑲᑭᐅᐣᒋ ᐃᓀᐣᑕᒪᐣᐠ ᒋᐊᔑᑎᓂᑕᐧ ᒋᑎᐸᒋᒧᐊᐧᐨ,” ᑭᐃᑭᑐ. ᒥᑕᐡ ᑲᑐᑕᒧᐊᐧᐨ ᑲᐸᐸᒥ ᓇᓇᑕᐃᐧᑭᑫᐣᒋᑫᐊᐧᐨ ᐸᐯᔑᐠ
Sale t a e S d n e k e e W y a D r u o 12 b La travel from September 4, 20 for 12 20 , 24 st gu Au til un s Purchase reservation
ᑭᐸᐊᐧᑲᓇᐣ ᐁᑭᐅᓇᐱᐦᐊᐊᐧᐨ ᒋᑎᐸᒋᒧᓂᐨ. ᑭᒥᓇᑲᓂᐃᐧᐊᐧᐠ ᑭᐸᐊᐧᑲᓇᐠ ᒋᐅᓀᐣᑕᒧᐊᐧᐨ ᐃᒪ ᐱᐣᑌᐁᐧᓯᒋᑲᓂᐠ ᓇᐣᑕ ᒪᓯᓇᑌᓯᒋᑲᓂᐠ ᒋᔑᑎᐸᒋᒧᐊᐧᐨ, ᐁᑲᐧ ᐊᐱᐣ ᒋᒥᓂᑕᐧ ᐯᔑᐠ ᐃᐁᐧᓂ ᐃᐡᑲᐧ ᐱᑌᐁᐧᔑᒥᑕᐧ. ᐅ ᑕ ᑯ ᓯ ᐊ ᐧ ᓄ ᑭ ᑕ ᒪ ᑫ ᐠ ᑫᐃᐧᓇᐊᐧ ᐃᒪ ᑭᐊᔭᐊᐧᐠ ᒋᐅᒋ ᐊᓱᐡᑲᒪᐊᐧᐊᐧᐨ ᐃᒪ ᐃᓀᑫ ᒧᔑᐦᐅᐃᐧᓂᐠ. ᒪᐧᕑᐊᐣ ᑭᐃᓇᑭᐣᒋᑫ ᐃᒪ ᐱᑯ ᓇᐣᑕ 20 ᑎᐸᒋᒧᐃᐧᓇᐣ ᐁᑭᒪᐊᐧᐣᑐᓇᒧᐊᐧᐨ ᒣᑲᐧᐨ ᓂᔓᑯᐣ ᑲᑭ ᑭᐅᑌᐊᐧᐨ. ᐁᑲᐧ ᑲᔦ ᑭᐃᓇᒋᑫᐊᐧᐠ ᑯᑕᑭᔭᐣ ᑭᐸᐦᐅᑐᑲᒥᑯᐣ ᒋᔭᓂᐊᐃᔕᐊᐧᐨ ᐁᐧᑎ ᐊᓂᓂᑲᐣ. ᒪᐧᕑᐊᐣ ᑭᐃᑭᑐ ᒣᑲᐧᐨ ᐊᐱ ᐊᐧᑌᐸᑲᐃᐧᐱᓯᒧᐣ ᐁᐧᑎ ᑕᐃᔕᐊᐧᐠ ᔦᓫᐅᓇᔾᑊ ᐸᑕᑭᐁᐧᑎᓄᐠ ᐃᓀᑫ, ᒥᓇᐊᐧ ᑕᐡ ᑌᑎᐸᐦᐃ ᐅᒪ ᑲᓇᑕ ᑕᔭᓂᔕᐊᐧᐠ.
See English story page 11
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