PM#0382659799 979 99
Geese return north, but warm spring has th them scattered PAGES 8-9 Vol. 39 No. 10
Huge fuel cache near Sachigo Lake finally getting cleaned PAGE 3
Indigenous foods feed the world PAGES 10-11 9,300 copies distributed $1.50
May 3, 2012 Northern Ontario’s First Nation Voice since 1974
www.wawataynews.ca
Nation mourns MoCreebec Chief’s passing Lenny Carpenter Wawatay News
Members of the MoCreebec Council of the Cree Nation and First Nations leaders are mourning the loss of a chief described as a well-respected and dedicated leader. MoCreebec Council of the Cree Nation Chief Randy Kapashesit, 51, died of a massive heartattack on April 25 while visiting family in Minneapolis, MN. While what led to the heart attack has yet to be determined by a coroner, MoCreebec Chairman Allan Jolly said that Kapashesit had previously been diagnosed with a thrombotic disorder and required blood thinner medication. Kapashesit’s path to becoming chief began when he was a York University student studying political science. At the time, MoCreebec was a young organization led by Jolly. “He made the initial contact with me, and he expressed interest and wanted to be involved with MoCreebec,” Jolly said. Members of MoCreebec trace their ancestry to the people along the east coast of James Bay in Quebec. However, they were not signatories to Treaty 9 and do not receive any governmental funding. In 1980 Jolly formed MoCreebec to represent the interests of its members, but he had no political background and needed someone with a greater understanding of politics to help guide the organization.
Making youth voices heard
“When (Kapashesit) told me he was a political science major, I said ‘You’re just the kind of guy we’re looking for,’” Jolly said. In a tribute to Kapashesit on the MoCreebec website, Jolly wrote: “It wasn’t long after joining MoCreebec that his peers/colleagues noticed his intelligence, his ability to express and articulate ideas, his skill to understand aboriginal issues of the day and to formulate strategies in how best to approach in dealing with those issues especially as it concerned MoCreebec.” Upon graduating in 1986, Kapashesit joined the organization full-time and used his education, intelligence, and perseverance to help guide MoCreebec politically and economically, Jolly said. Kapashesit was instrumental in drafting the constitution that would form the basis of how MoCreebec Council of the Cree Nation would operate and function as a political organization, which was based on the cultural history, traditions, values and beliefs as central in the political, social and economic life of the MoCreebec people. When the constitution was signed in 1993, Jolly recommended that Kapashesit be chief, a position he would hold for 25 years until his passing. As chief, Jolly said, Kapashesit helped in advancing the profile and plight of the MoCreebec people at the local, regional, national, international levels.
Photo by Brent Wesley/Sioux Lookout First Nation Health Authority
Wab Kinew, host of CBC’s documentary 8th Fire, performed and spoke to youth during the Pelican Falls youth conference in Sioux Lookout from April 26-28. See story and more photos from the conference on page 15.
See Community on page 7
ᐊᐧᐃᔦᑲᒪ ᐅᑭᒪᑲᐣ ᐸᑯᓭᐣᑕᑦ ᒥᓇᐊᐧ ᒋᑕᑲᐧᐠ ᐸᑭᑕᐦᐁᐧᐃᐧᐣ ᕑᐃᐠ ᑲᕑᐃᐠ ᐊᐧᐊᐧᑌ ᐊᒋᒧᐃᐧᓇᐣ
ᐊᐧᐃᐧᔦᑲᒪ ᐅᑭᒪᑲᐣ ᐱᔦᕑ ᒪᐧᕑᓱ ᑭᑲᑫᐧᑌᐧᐸᐣ ᑭᐡᐱᐣ ᒥᓇᐧᐊ ᒋᑭᐊᔭᒪᑲᑭᐸᐣ ᐸᑭᑕᐦᐁᐃᐧᐣ ᐃᒪ ᐅᑎᐡᑯᓂᑲᓂᐠ. “ᑭᔭᐱᐨ ᐃᑐᐠ ᑭᓄᔐᑐᐠ,” ᑭᐃᑭᑐ ᒪᐧᕑᓱ, ᒥᐊᑯ ᐁᔑᒋᑫᐸᐣ ᑲᐯᐱᒥᑯᓇᑲ ᐁᐸᑭᑕᐦᐁᐸᐣ ᐊᑯᓇᐠ ᒣᑲᐧᐨ 1980 ᑲᐱᒥᔭᑭᐊᐧᓂᐠ. “ᒪᐊᐧᐨ ᓂᒥᓴᐁᐧᐣᑕᒥᐣ ᒥᓇᐊᐧ ᐅᐁᐧ ᒋᑭᒪᒋᒋᑲᑌᑭᐸᐣ ᑫᐃᐧᓇᐊᐧ ᑭᑐᐡᑲᑎᓯᒥᓇᓂᐠ ᐅᐁᐧᓂ ᒋᑭᐃᔑᒋᑫᐊᐧᐸᐣ.” ᒪᐧᕑᓱ ᑭᐃᑭᑐ ᐅᐁᐧ ᐸᑭᑕᐦᐁᐃᐧᐣ ᑭᐳᓂᒋᑲᑌᐸᐣ ᐅᑕᔑᑫᐃᐧᓂᐠ ᒣᑲᐧᐨ ᐊᐱ 198- ᑲᐱᑭᔭᑭᐊᐧᓂᐠ ᐁᑲ ᐊᐱᐣ ᐊᐊᐧᔑᒣ ᑲᑭᐸᑭᑎᓇᑲᓄᐸᐣ ᔓᓂᔭ ᑫᐅᐣᒋ ᑎᐸᐦᐃᑲᑌᑭᐣ ᐸᑭᑕᐦᐁᐃᐧ ᐊᐸᒋᒋᑲᐣ ᒥᓇ ᐳᓯᑕᓱᐃᐧᐣ ᑲᐃᓇᑭᐣᑌᐠ ᐁᑲᐧ ᒥᓇ ᐁᑲ ᑲᑭᐅᐣᒋ ᓇᐱᐨ ᒥᐢᑕᐦᐃ ᐃᓇᑭᓱᐨ ᑭᓄᔐ.
Chief Pierre Morriseau of Weagamow talks to Liberal MP Carolyn Bennett.
“ᐅᓴᑦ ᑲᔦ ᒥᔑᓇᐧ ᑭᐊᔭᓂᑫ ᒪᒪᒋᓂᔕᐊᐧᐊᐧᐠ ᐁᒪᐧᔦ ᐊᓂᑕᑯᐃᐧᓂᑕᐧ ᒪᔭᑦ ᑲᑭᐃᔑᐃᐧᓂᑕᐧ ᑭᓄᔐᐠ ᒥᑕᐡ ᐁᑲ ᓇᐱᐨ ᑲᑭᐅᒋ ᑭᐁᐧᐱᒋᑫᔭᐣᐠ,” ᑭᐃᑭᑐ ᒪᐧᕑᓱ. “ᒥᐱᑯ ᑲᐃᐧᐣ ᐃᐧᑲ
ᑭᑭᐅᒋ ᑌᐱᐅᐣᑕᒋᐦᐃᑎᓱᓯᐣ. ᐊᐱ ᑲᑭ ᑭᐡᑭᓂᑲᑌᑭᐸᐣ ᐅᐁᐧ, ᒥᔑᐣ ᐊᐃᐧᔭᐠ ᐅᑭᔭᓂᐳᓂᑐᓇᐊᐧᐸᐣ ᐅᐸᑭᑕᐦᐁᐃᐧᓂᐊᐧ.” ᒪᐧᕑᓱ ᑭᐃᑭᑐ ᐊᑎᐟ ᐊᐃᐧᔭᐠ ᓄᒪᑫ ᐅᑭᒥᒋᒥᓇᓇᐊᐧ ᐅᐸᑭᑕᐦᐁᐃᐧᓂᐊᐧ, ᔕᑯᐨ
ᐱᓂᐡ ᓇᓇᑫ ᐊᐱᐣ ᑭᔭᓂᐳᓂᒋᑫᐊᐧᐠ. “ᑭᐃᔑᓇᑕᐁᐧᐣᑕᑲᐧᐣ ᒋᑎᐱᑲᒋᑎᓇᑕᐧ ᑭᓄᔐᐠ ᒥᓂᑯᐠ ᑫᑭᐅᐣᒋ ᑭᐁᐧᐱᒋᑫᔭᐣ,” ᒪᐧᕑᓱ ᑭᐃᑭᑐ. ᒪᐧᕑᓱ ᐃᑭᑐ ᐁᓇᑕᐁᐧᐣᑕᐠ ᐯᔑᑲᐧᐣ ᒋᐃᔑᑭᐁᐧ ᒪᒋᒋᑲᑌᓂᐠ ᐅᑕᓇᐠ ᑲᑭᐱᔑᐱᒧᒋᑲᑌᑭᐸᐣ ᐸᑭᑕᐦᐁᐃᐧᐣ, ᐯᑭᐡ ᐁᑭᐅᒋᐃᐧᐣᑕᐠ ᒪᐊᐧᐨ ᐁᑭ ᐃᐧᒋᐦᐃᑯᐨ ᐅᐁᐧᓂ ᑲᑭᐱᐸᑭᑕᐦᐁᐧᐨ. “ᐣᑭᐸᐸᒥ ᐸᑭᑕᐁᐧᓇᐸᐣ ᐅᒪ ᓴᑲᐦᐃᑲᓀᓴᐣ ᐁᑲᐧ ᒪᐊᐧᐨ ᐣᑭᓴᑭᑐᐣ ᐅᐁᐧ ᐁᑐᑕᒪᐣ,” ᑭᐃᑭᑐ ᒪᐧᕑᓱ. ᓫᐃᐳᕑᐊᕑ ᐅᑭᒪᐃᐧ ᐊᓄᑭᓇᑲᐣ ᑫᕑᐅᓫᐃᐣ ᐯᓂᐟ ᐅᑐᐣᒋᐃᐧᒋᐦᐊᐣ ᑲᐃᔑ ᐸᑯᓭᓂᒧᓂᐨ ᒪᐧᕑᓱᐊᐧᐣ ᒣᑲᐧᐨ ᐊᐱ ᓂᑭᑯᐱᓯᑦ 5 ᑲᑭ ᑭᐅᑭᐸᐣ ᐊᐧᐃᐧᔦᑲᒪᐠ ᐁᑲᐧ ᐊᔑᐨ ᑭᒋᐅᑭᒪᑲᐣ ᐢᑕᐣ ᐯᕑᑎ ᒥᓇ ᐱᑯ ᐸᐸᑲᐣ ᑲᑭᐅᐣᒋᐊᐧᐨ ᐅᑎᐸᒋᒧᐠ. “ᐣᑕᒥᓀᐧᑕᒥᐣ ᒋᑭᐊᔭᐊᐧᑭᑕᐧᐸᐣ ᑭᑭᓄᔐᒥᐊᐧ ᔕᐊᐧᓄᐠ,” ᐃᑭᑐ ᐯᓂᐟ. ᐯᕑᑎ ᑭᐃᑭᑐ ᓇᐊᐧᐨ ᐅᑕᑭᐅᐣᒋ
ᐃᐧᒋᐦᐃᑯᓇᐊᐧᐸᐣ ᐅᐸᑭᑕᐦᐁᐃᐧᓂᐊᐧ ᑭᐡᐱᐣ ᑫᒋᐊᐧᐠ ᐃᔑᓂᔕᐦᐅᒥᑎᐸᐣ ᐅᑭᓄᔐᒥᐊᐧ ᒪᔭᑦ ᑲᐅᒋᐊᑕᐊᐧᓱᐊᐧᐨ ᐁᐧᑎ ᔕᐊᐧᓄᐠ ᑲᐊᔭᒪᑲᑭᐣ ᐃᐧᓯᓂᐃᐧᑲᒥᑯᐣ ᑐᑲᐣ ᑲᐊᔭᑭᐣ ᑭᒋᐅᑌᓇᐠ. “ᐊᑎᑲ ᐁᐧᑎ ᑕᐣᑐᕑ ᐯ ᒥᔑᐣ ᑲᐃᔑᐊᔭᑭᐣ ᐃᐧᓯᓂᐃᐧᑲᒥᑯᐣ ᒪᐊᐧᐨ ᐊᑯ ᐅᓇᑕᐁᐧᓂᒪᐊᐧᐣ ᑭᓄᔐᐣ ᑲᐅᐡᑲᒋᑲᒋᑎᓂᑕᐧ ᑲᐸᑫᐧᔑᑲᓂᑭᔑᑲᓂᐠ,” ᐃᑭᑐ ᐯᕑᑎ, ᐁᑲᐧ ᒥᓇ ᑭᐃᑭᑐ ᐁᐧᑎ ᑲᔦ ᑐᕑᐊᐣᑐ ᒥᓇ ᑲᐅᒋᐯᔓᓇᑲᐧᑭᐣ ᑯᑕᑭᔭᐣ ᑭᒋᐅᑌᓇᐊᐧᐣ ᑲᐊᔭᑭᐣ ᑭᒋᒧᑯᒪᐣᐊᑭ ᒥᐦᐃᒪ ᑲᔦ ᑫᑭᐃᔑᐊᑕᐊᐧᓇᐊᐧᐸᐣ. ᐁᑲᐧ ᓄᑯᑦ ᐅᐁᐧ ᑭᓄᔐᐃᐧ ᐊᑕᐁᐧᐃᐧᐣ ᑲᐃᐧᐣ ᒋᐊᔭᒪᑲᐠ ᐅᒪ ᐅᐣᑌᕑᐃᔪ, ᐯᕑᑎ ᑫᐃᐧᐣ ᐅᐸᑯᓭᐣᑕᐣ ᒋᐅᒋ ᐃᐧᒋᑐᐨ ᐊᐧᐃᐧᔦᑲᒪᐠ ᑲᐃᔑᐸᑯᓭᓂᒧᐊᐧᐨ ᒋᔭᓂ ᑲᑫᐧᐊᑕᐊᐧᑫᐊᐧᐨ ᑭᓄᔐᐣ.
First Nations Youth Aviation Camp 2012 Aviation Centre of Excellence - Thunder Bay, ON - July 23rd - 27th
For more information please contact Kerry Wabange at 807-474-2353 or email kwabange@wasaya.com
1.877.492.7292 • www.wasaya.com
ᐃᓇᐱᐣ ᐸᑭᑭᓂᑲᓂᐠ 6