In the beginning there was Chief Billy Diamond, Chief John Kitchen, Chief Walter Hughboy, Chief Kenneth Gilpin. They tumbled down like a string of dominoes.
Who’s next? Chiefess Violet Pachano? Chief George Wapachee? Chief Kenny Loon?
Noted and much beloved warmonger and mass murderer Henry Kissinger came up with The Domino Theory to illustrate the potential fall of countries in Asia to Communism during the Vietnam war. What we are seeing with all these incumbents losing elections or simply stepping down could just be that, the domino effect.
Billy Diamond, after years and years of being King, decides not to run. Not surprising with a deficit of ten trillion zillion dollars. I would have left after a mere million. There was that clause that said a chief may not hold more than two consecutive terms. Some people think that’s why dear Billy didn’t run again but I am told this is not so. It hadn’t come into effect yet. He is replaced by a youthful Robert Weistche, present Chairman of the Cree School Board.
Iron man Walter Hughboy decides it’s great to be King and that the people of Wemindji still love him like they used to and throws his baseball cap into the ring and dies a miserable death at the polls, getting a measly 35 percent of the unpopular vote. After 20-some years, Wemindji residents are now going through withdrawal, cold turkey.
Kenneth Gilpin shocks everyone by not even running. Shocked because of his speech that mercilessly killed an anti-hydro resolution at the AGA in Whapmagoostui.
John Kitchen decides to go for a higher power by running for Deputy Grand Chief and, like Hughboy, dies an even more miserable death. He is still awaiting a date with a judge for allegedly drinking, driving and executing a spectacular 360 on the highway between Waswanipi and Desmaraisville.
If Kissinger’s theory holds any water, Violet Pachano will be next. Violet is a card-carrying member of the Old Boys’ Network even though she would never be mistaken for a boy. People are still grumbling about her having been Deputy Grand Chief and Chief of Chisasibi.
George Wapachee, another Iron Man Chief, will also have to face the inevitable election. He stands a better chance of holding on than any of the other fallen Chiefs because he didn’t put his John Henry on the Dear John letter to the Grand Chief Dr. Matthew Coon Come. Sometimes it’s better to stay neutral in coups and wait out the results. Smart.
Chief Kenny Loon candidate for Grand Chief has earned himself the reputation as a poor loser. After the election results were in he allegedly went on the air for his “concession” speech and proceeded to berate his public for not choosing a Grand Chief with a degree and promised to resign. And forgot to congratulate Grand Chief Ted Moses. The very next day he went back on the air and admitted that maybe his remarks were made in haste and promised to stay on as Chief. Presumably everyone listening that day kissed their radios and cheered.
That, loyal Nation readers, is the ugly continuing story of the state of Cree politics. I need a drink.
