Greetings dear mortals. Allow me to welcome you to this page. One that, with your assistance, cooperation and blind obedience, will flourish and live on in our pages, hearts and minds for as long as is humanly possible. We all know how all of Creedom loves gossip, rumours and truths even. So I command you to contact “Rez Notes” by letter, fax, phone, ESR classifieds or by any other means you can dream up c/o The Nation for all of the above and much hilarity will, no doubt, ensue. Bear in mind that the juiciest stories cannot be published in a family magazine such as this but send them in anyway. Without further ado and in alphabetical order (snicker, snicker).
WASKAGANISH- Billy Diamond was elected, for the umpteenth time it seems, Chief by acclamation. Is there no worthy successor? Jimmy Trapper captured the Deputy Chief title. Coming in third was Billy’s son, Ian. Meanwhile, on the other side of the tracks, the community’s waste water treatment plant is slated to be in operation sometime in October and construction of the community gathering place has started. No nasty rumours to pass on. Yet.
EASTMAIN- “Business as usual,” our roving operative reports. He also spotted three caribou on the Eastmain highway “within killing distance” but, alas, he was unarmed.
WEMINDJI- Huge dance competition in town a while back with the Mistissini team and Waastuuskun Youth sharing first place in the youth groups category. In the youth couples category Evelyn and Eddie Shecapio took first place. For the adult couples class Tanya Visitor and Bruce Hughboy of Wemindji danced their way to gold. Margaret Weistche bested all in the female adult singles competition while Leslie Shecapio triumphed in the male adult singles. Other champs include Evelyn Shecapio, Joseph Shecapio Jr. and the team of Kashechewan- Kash Quan-Nusk.
“Nothing unusual” in the way of sightings, UFO or otherwise, reports our informant but promises to keep us posted.
CHISASIBI- UFO’s spotted in the skies above Chisasibi a while back. Some were convinced they were of the extra-terrestrial variety only to learn later that they were only government search and rescue crews.
NEMASKA- All was well but quiet in Nemaska during “Culture Week” a.k.a “Moose Week.” Most residents including the Chief and students were “in the bush” but no moose have yet been killed. They were spotted but weren’t in range.
MONTREAL- By the time you read this the Native Friendship Centre will have had its annual festival at Vanier College. Motorcyclist Katejun Coonishish of Ojay and his entourage were in town for the moto-x competitions at the bigO. He captured third place in the pee wee category. The Gazette even published a piece on him a day or two before the race. In a totally unrelated story, a reporter asked David Cliche, after his presentation at the Eeyou Astchee Commission, if the Quebec government has a “military plan” for dealing with the Crees in the event of the province separating. Cliche responded with a disdainful look that said how dare you, you little insect VAL D’OR- Rumour has it that Wachiya is reopening its doors for the bustling Val d’Or tourist market The Moose! is still open in the city that never sleeps.
ELSEWHERE- Erland Campbell, a cousin of North of 60’s Tina Keeper, tells me Keeper is “getting married to some Chief in Northern Manitoba.” He’s still waiting for his invite.
