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Fort Albany man to release memoir PAGE 3 Vol. 41 No. 16
James Street bridge still unresolved PAGE 3
Youth take part in Photovoice PAGE 12 8000 copies distributed
August 7, 2014 Northern Ontario’s First Nation Voice since 1974
www.wawataynews.ca
The heart of a runner Roxann Shapwaykeesic Wawatay News
Roxann Shapwaykeesic/Wawatay News
Gavin Jayvin Wesley of Kashechewan First Nation was among about 400 young athletes of Team Ontario that competed at the North American Indigenous Games from July 20-26. Wesley ran in several competitions and was winless before his final competition. Bearskin Lake’s Derek Fox wrote about the value of sport for youth on page 4. Also see photos of the Games on page 12.
“My calves are killing me,” said Gavin Jayvin Wesley as he sat on a bench, dusk falling on the final day of the North American Indigenous Games (NAIG) in Regina. The Kashechewan member had just participated in the 800 metre, 1500 metre, 3000 metre, 4 x 400 metre relay and the eight-kilometre races. It was warm in the large open courtyard where earlier hundreds of athletes practiced during all hours of the day, a natural gathering for anybody looking for a place to rest or play. Gavin’s journey to the Games began in April, when Team Ontario coach Scott Haines called and spoke with Gavin’s father to invite the 15-year-old. He had been spotted at a OFSAA Cross Country race held in November 2013. Gavin ran a 5.20K race with Midget boys and placed 17th out of 253 runners with a time of 19:05. Gavin started running on his own when he was 12 years old. “I was always getting teased about my weight. At first it was really hard but fun. I started one kilometre at a time.” By Grade 7, he had lost the weight and instead of being criticized about his weight, his peers
started to notice how fast he was. Later, at 14 years old, he was back and running at his home community of Kashechewan First Nation. He would run a five-kilometre loop around the dyke which was just dirt and rock at least five times a week, sometimes with his principal Haydn George. He also had support from his teacher Andy Fehst who told him: “You’re fast and if you keep training you could do something with running.” The deputy chief and band office sponsored his travel to Regina where he stayed in the University of Regina dorm rooms where he says, “It was a unique and fun experience staying with people from different parts of Ontario”. At the Games, Gavin found out he would be running against boys four years his senior. He was placed in the 19 and under category. “I was really nervous everyday, everyone was older than me.” On July 23, he ran the 3,000 metre race against nine other boys. “It was difficult running a short distance, I’m not used to such a fast pace and short distance.” Even though he came in fifth he said, “I was very disappointed. It was my mothers birthday and I wanted to win a medal for her.” See ‘I AM’ on page 10
ᓂᐱᓇᒥᐠ ᐅᐡᑲᑎᓴᐠ ᐱᑲᐧᑕᑭᐃᐧ ᑭᑭᓄᐦᐊᒪᑫᐃᐧᐣ ᑭᑐᒋᑲᑌ ᐊᐦᑭᐃᐧ ᓇᓇᑲᒋᒋᑫᐃᐧᐣ ᕑᐃᐠ ᑲᕑᐃᐠ ᐊᐧᐊᐧᑌ ᐊᒋᒧᐃᐧᓇᐣ
ᑭᐸᑭᑎᓂᑲᑌ ᐱᑲᐧᑕᑭᐠ ᑲᐊᔭᒪᑲᑭᐣ ᒥᓇ ᑲᓂᐸᑲᓂᐡᑲᒪᑲᐠ ᑲᐊᐃᔑᐁᐧᐸᐠ ᑭᑭᓄᐦᐊᒪᑫᐃᐧᐣ ᐃᐧᓇᐊᐧ ᐃᑭᐁᐧᓂᐊᐧᐠ ᑲᑭᐱᐃᐧᒋᑕᐧᐊᐧᐨ ᑭᑭᓄᐦᐊᒪᑫᐃᐧᓂ ᐊᐦᑭᐃᐧ ᓇᓇᑕᐃᐧᑭᑫᒋᐃᐧ ᐊᓄᑭᐃᐧᓂ ᑲᑭ ᑭᑭᓄᐦᐊᒪᐃᐧᑕᐧ ᐅᐡᑲᑎᓴᐠ ᐊᔕ ᓂᑯᑕᓱᔕᐳ ᓂᐱᐣ ᐅᐁᐧ ᑲᑐᒋᑲᑌᐠ ᓂᐱᓇᒥᐠ ᐅᐡᑲᑎᓯᐃᐧ ᐱᑲᐧᑕᑭᐃᐧ ᑭᑭᓄᐦᐊᒪᑫᐃᐧᐣ. “ᓂᑭᐅᐣᒋ ᓇᓇᑲᒋᑐᒥᐣ ᑲᔦ ᐊᓂᐣ ᐁᓇᑲᒥᐠ ᓂᐱ,” ᐃᑭᑐ ᐦᐊᕑᐃ ᐸᐣᑎᐣᐠ, ᐱᐊᐧᐱᑯᑲᓂ ᐊᓄᑭᐃᐧᐣ ᐊᓂᔑᓂᓂᐃᐧ ᑭᑭᓄᐦᐊᒪᑫᐃᐧᐣ ᑲᐅᒋ ᒪᒪᐃᐧ ᐱᒧᒋᑲᑌᐠ ᐊᐦᑭᐃᐧ ᓇᓇᑲᒋᒋᑫᐃᐧᐣ ᑲᐱᒥ ᑭᑭᓄᐦᐊᒪᑯᓯᐨ ᐁᐧᑎ ᑲᐧᐣᐢᑎᐣᐢ ᓴᑲᐃᑲᓂᐠ ᐁᐅᐣᒋᐨ. “ᐁᑲᐧ ᒥᓇ ᐸᑭ ᓂᑭᑐᑕᒥᐣ ᐁᑭᓇᓇᑲᒋᑐᔭᐠ ᐱᑲᐧᑕᑭᐠ ᑲᐊᔭᒪᑲᑭᐣ, ᐁᑭ ᑭᑭᓄᐦᐊᒪᐧᐊᑭᑕᐧ ᐅᐡᑲᑎᓴᐠ ᑫᑯ ᑐᑲᐣ ᒪᓂᒍᔕᐠ ᑲᐊᔭᐊᐧᐨ, ᐊᓂᐣ ᐁᔑᓂᑲᓱᐊᐧᐨ.” ᐸᐣᑎᐣᐠ ᐃᑭᑐ ᒪᐊᐧᐨ ᐁᑭᒪᒥᓀᐧᑕᐠ ᑲᑭᐸᑭᑎᓇᐠ ᐅᑭᑭᓄᐦᐊᒪᑫᐃᐧᐣ ᐱᑲᐧᑕᑭᐃᐧ ᐅᐡᑲᑎᓯᐃᐧ ᑭᑭᓄᐦᐊᒪᑫᐃᐧᓂᐠ, ᐁᑲᐧ ᓇᐣᑕ ᐱᑯ 90 ᐅᐡᑲᑎᓴᐠ ᐃᒪ ᑭᐱᒋᐃᐧᓇᑲᓄᐊᐧᐠ ᐅᐡᑲᑎᓴᐠ ᓂᐱᓇᒥᐠ ᑲᐅᒋᐊᐧᐨ ᒥᓇ ᑯᑕᑭᔭᐣ ᑕᓇᐱᐃᐧᓇᐣ ᐯᔑᑯᐊᐧᑲᓭ ᐱᒥᔭᓂᐊᐧᐣ ᒋᒪᓂᐠ ᑲᐃᔕᓂᐊᐧᐠ
ᐱᑲᐧᒋᔭᐦᐃᐠ ᑲᐅᒋᒪᒋᓂᐊᐧᐠ ᐃᒪ ᒪᑕᐊᐧ ᑕᓇᐱᐃᐧᓂᐠ. “ᑲᐧᔭᐠ ᑭᐊᐃᓯᓭ ᒥᓇ ᒪᐊᐧᐨ ᓂᑭᒪᒥᓀᐧᑕᐣ ᒣᑲᐧᐨ ᐁᐧᑎ ᑲᑭᐊᐣᑕᐃᐧᐊᔭᔭᐣ,” ᐃᑭᑐ ᐸᐣᑎᐣᐠ. “ᓂᑭᒥᓀᐧᑕᐣ ᑲᑭ ᑭᑭᓄᐦᐊᒪᐃᐧᔑᐊᐧᐨ ᑭᒋᔭᐦᐊᐠ, ᒥᓇ ᐅᐡᑲᑎᓴᐠ ᒥᓇ ᐱᑯ ᒥᓯᐁᐧ ᑕᔑᑫᐃᐧᓂᐠ.” ᐸᐣᑎᐣᐠ ᒥᓇ ᑯᑕᑭᔭᐠ ᐊᐦᑭᐃᐧ ᓇᓇᑲᒋᒋᑫᐃᐧᐣ ᑲᐱᒥ ᑭᑭᓄᐦᐊᒪᑯᓯᐊᐧᐨ ᑭᐃᔕᐊᐧᐠ ᐅᐡᑲᑎᓯᐃᐧ ᐱᑲᐧᑕᑭᐃᐧ ᑭᑭᓄᐦᐊᒪᑫᐃᐧᓂᐠ ᐁᑲᐧ ᑕᑯ ᓂᐃᐧᐣ ᒪᑕᐊᐧ ᐊᐦᑭᐃᐧ ᓇᓇᑲᒋᒋᑫᐃᐧ ᐊᓄᑭᐃᐧᐣ ᑲᐊᓄᑲᑕᒧᐊᐧᐨ. “ᐣᑐᓇᑐᒥᐣ ᑭᑭᓄᐦᐊᒪᑫᐃᐧᓀᓴᐣ ᒋᐅᒋ ᐊᐧᐸᑕᐦᐃᑕᐧ ᐊᐊᐧᔑᔕᐠ ᑫᐃᐧᓇᐊᐧ ᒋᑭᐅᒋ ᑭᑫᐣᑕᒧᐊᐧᐸᐣ ᑭᐡᐱᐣ ᐃᐧᔭᓂᓇᓄᑭᐊᐧᐨ ᐊᐦᑭᐃᐧ ᓇᓇᑲᒋᒋᑫᐃᐧ ᐊᓄᑭᐃᐧᓂᐠ,” ᐃᑭᑐ ᓭᕑᐊ ᑲᐧᑯᕑᑕᐣ, ᑲᐅᑭᒪᐃᐧᐨ ᐊᐦᑭᐃᐧ ᓇᓇᑲᒋᒋᑫᐃᐧ ᐊᓄᑭᐃᐧᓂᐠ. “ᐅᒪᒧᔕᑭᓇᐊᐧᐣ ᓂᐱᐃᐧᒪᓂᒍᔕᐣ ᒥᓇ ᑫᑯᓂ ᐅᑕᑐᓇᐊᐧ ᓂᐱᑲᐠ ᐁᑲᐧ ᒥᓇ ᑲᑕᔑ ᓇᓇᑲᒋᒋᑲᑌᑭᐣ ᑕᓇᓄᑭᐊᐧᐠ ᒥᓇ ᐅᓇᓇᑕᐃᐧᑭᑫᓂᒪᐊᐧᐣ ᑫᑯ ᑐᑲᐣ ᔑᑯᐱᐠ ᐁᔭᐸᒋᑐᐊᐧᐨ ᑲᐸᔭᑌᔭᐸᒋᑫᒪᑲᐠ.” ᐁᑲᐧ ᒥᓇ ᐅᑭᑐᑕᓇᐊᐧ ᐁᑭᐸᑭᑎᓇᒧᐊᐧᐨ ᑭᑭᓄᔑᓄᐃᐧ ᑭᑭᓄᐦᐊᒪᑫᐃᐧᓂ ᐁᑭ ᑭᑭᓄᐦᐊᒪᐃᐧᑕᐧ ᐅᐡᑲᑎᓴᐠ ᒣᑲᐧᐨ ᐁᐧᑎ ᐱᑲᐧᑕᑭᐃᐧ ᑭᑭᓄᐦᐊᒪᑫᐃᐧᐣ ᑲᑭᑐᒋᑲᑌᐠ.
100% First Nations Owned
“ᒪᐊᐧᐨ ᐊᑯ ᓂᒪᒥᓀᐧᑕᒥᐣ ᐅᐁᐧ ᑲᐃᔑᒋᑫᓇᓂᐊᐧᐠ,” ᐃᑭᑐ ᑲᐧᑯᕑᑕᐣ. “ᑫᒋᐊᐧᐠ ᐃᑯ ᓂᓇᐃᐧᐟ ᓂᐸᑭᑎᓇᒥᐣ ᑫᑯᓇᐣ ᑲᐃᔑ ᑲᑭᑭᓄᐦᐊᒪᑫᔭᐠ, ᒥᑕᐡ ᑲᐅᐣᒋ ᒪᒥᓀᐧᑕᑲᐧᐠ. ᑭᐸᐸᑯᐱᐊᐧᐠ ᑲᔦ ᐁᑲᑫᐧ ᑲᒋᑎᓇᐊᐧᐨ ᒪᐣᒍᔕᐣ ᑲᐸᐸᒪᑕᑫᐧᓂᐨ ᐁᑭᑲᓇᐊᐧᐸᒪᐊᐧᐨ ᐃᒪ ᑲᐸᔭᑌᔭᐸᒋᑫᒪᑲᐠ.” ᑲᐧᑯᕑᑕᐣ ᐃᑭᑐ ᐅᑐᑕᓇᐊᐧ ᑲᔦ ᐁᐅᒋᑲᑫᐧ ᔕᔑᑭᐡᑲᐊᐧᐊᐧᐨ ᑲᐅᐡᑲᑎᓯᐊᐧᐨ ᒋᑲᑫᐧ ᑭᒋᓀᑕᒧᐊᐧᐨ ᐊᐦᑭᐃᐧ ᓇᓇᑕᐃᐧᑭᑫᒋᑫᐃᐧ ᐊᓄᑭᐃᐧᓂ ᒋᑭᔭᓂ ᐅᑕᐱᓇᒧᐊᐧᐸᐣ ᐃᐡᐱ
ᑭᑭᓄᐦᐊᒪᑫᐃᐧᓂ ᐁᐧᑎ ᐊᓂᓂᑲᐣ. “ᐃᐁᐧ ᑕᐡ ᒪᐊᐧᐨ ᑲᑭᐃᔑᒥᓄᓭᐠ ᓄᑯᑦ ᑲᓂᐱᐠ ᐅᑯᐁᐧᓂᐊᐧᐠ (ᐊᐦᑭᐃᐧ ᓇᓇᑲᒋᒋᑫᐃᐧ ᑭᑭᓄᐦᐊᒪᐊᐧᑲᓇᐠ) ᐃᐧᓇᐊᐧ ᐱᑯ ᑫᒋᐊᐧᐠ ᐁᐸᑭᑎᓇᒧᐊᐧᐨ ᑭᑭᓄᐦᐊᒪᑫᐃᐧᓂ,” ᑲᐧᑯᕑᑕᐣ ᐃᑭᑐ. “ᒥᑕᐡ ᐁᔑᐸᑯᓭᑕᒪᐠ ᐅᐡᑲᑎᓴᐠ ᒋᔑᐊᐧᐸᑕᒧᐊᐧᐨ ᐁᑲ ᐃᐧᐣ ᓂᓇᐃᐧᐟ ᐃᒪ ᐁᐅᒋᒪᑲᐠ ᑲᐃᔑ ᑭᑭᓄᐦᐊᒪᑫᔭᐠ ᐊᓂᐡ ᒥᐦᐃᒪ ᑫᑭᔭᓄᒋᒪᑲᓂᐠ ᐊᓄᑭᐃᐧᓇᐣ. ᐅᑕᑭᐅᐣᑎᓇᓇᐊᐧ ᐊᓄᑭᐃᐧᓇᐣ ᐊᐱ ᑭᔭᓂᑭᔑᑐᐊᐧᐨ ᐅᑭᑭᓄᐦᐊᒪᑯᐃᐧᓂᐊᐧ.”
ᑲᐧᑯᕑᑕᐣ ᑭᐃᑭᑐ ᐊᐦᑭᐃᐧ ᓇᓇᑲᒋᒋᑫᐃᐧ ᑭᑭᓄᐦᐊᒪᐊᐧᑲᓇᐠ ᐅᑭᐅᓇᑐᓇᐊᐧ, ᑲᐧᔭᒋᑐᓇᐊᐧ ᒥᓇ ᐅᑭᑐᑕᓇᐊᐧ ᐅᑭᑭᓄᐦᐊᒪᑫᐃᐧᓂᐊᐧ ᐁᐧᑎ ᐅᐡᑲᑎᓯᐃᐧ ᐱᑲᐧᑕᑭᐃᐧ ᑭᑭᓄᐦᐊᒪᑫᐃᐧᓂᐠ. “ᒥᐦᐅᐁᐧᓂ ᐯᑭᐡ ᐊᔑᐨ ᑲᑭᐃᔑ ᑭᑭᓄᐦᐊᒪᐃᐧᑕᐧ ᒋᒪᒪᒐᐊᐧᐨ ᒥᓇ ᒋᐱᑭᐁᐧᐃᐧᑐᐊᐧᐨ ᐊᓂᐣ ᑲᑭᐃᔑ ᑲᑭᑫᑕᒧᐊᐧᐨ ᓂᐦᓱᐱᓯᑦ ᐃᔑᐅᑕᓇᐠ,” ᑲᐧᑯᕑᑕᐣ. ᐁᑲᐧ ᒥᓇ ᑲᑭᐊᐧᐃᐧᐣᑕᒧᐊᐧᐨ ᑲᑭᐊᐃᑐᑕᒧᐊᐧᐨ ᑲᑭᑭᓄᐦᐊᒪᐊᐧᐊᐧᐨ ᐅᐡᑲᑎᓴᐣ, ᐅᑯᐁᐧᓂᐊᐧᐠ ᐊᐦᑭᐃᐧ ᓇᓇᑲᒋᒋᑫᐃᐧ ᑭᑭᓄᐦᐊᒪᐊᐧᑲᓇᐠ ᐅᑭᑐᑕᓇᐊᐧ ᐁᑭᓇᓇᑲᒋᐦᐊᐊᐧᐨ ᑲᑕᓭᐧᑭᓇᑯᓯᐊᐧᐨ ᑭᓄᔐᐠ ᐃᒪ ᐊᐧᑲᐦᐃ ᑕᔑᑫᐃᐧᓂᐠ. “ᐣᑭᒥᑲᐊᐧᒥᐣ ᓇᒣᐱᓇᐠ, ᐊᑎᑲᒣᑲᐧᐠ, ᐅᑲᓴᐠ, ᓇᒣᐊᐧᐠ,” ᐃᑭᑐ ᐸᐣᑎᐣᐠ. “ᒪᐊᐧᐨ ᐃᑯ ᑭᔐᔕᐃᐧᓯᐊᐧᐨ ᒥᓇ ᑭᒥᓄᔑᔑᐊᐧᐠ. ᑲᐃᐧᐣ ᑫᑯᐣ ᒋᑭᐅᐣᒋ ᐊᔭᒪᑲᓂᐠ ᑫᐅᐣᒋ ᒪᒋᑐᑕᑯᐊᐧᐨ ᒪᔑ.” ᐸᐣᑎᐣᐠ ᑭᐃᑭᑐ ᑭᓄᔐᐠ ᒪᐡᑯᐨ ᐱᓂᐡ ᐅᑲᓂᒪᒋᑐᑕᑯᓇᐊᐧ ᐃᒪ ᑲᐃᐧᔭᓂᔑ ᑭᒋᐱᐊᐧᐱᑯᑲᓂᑲᓄᐊᐧᐠ ᐁᐧᑎ ᒣᑲᐧᐨ ᑲᐱᒥᔭᓂᒧᒋᑲᑌᐠ ᓄᑯᑦ ᑲᑭᔑᑲᐠ. “ᓂᒥᓀᐧᑕᐣ ᐁᐧᑎ ᑲᑭᐃᔕᔭᐠ ᐅᑕᓇᐠ ᑲᑭᐱᒥᑯᓇᐠ ᐁᑭᐅᐣᒋ ᓇᓇᑲᒋᑐᔭᐠ ᐊᓂᐣ ᐁᓇᑲᒥᐠ ᓂᐱ,” ᐃᑭᑐ ᐸᐣᑎᐣᐠ. “ᒣᑲᐧᐨ ᑲᐃᐧᐣ ᓇᐣᑕ ᒋᑭᒪᒐᑲᒥᐠ.”
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