ARTICLES BY Ndiamon

The longest day of the year. The first day of summer. The 21st of June. National Aboriginal Day.

The longest day of the year. The first day of summer. The 21st of June. National Aboriginal Day. I have a problem with National Aboriginal Day. I can never remember when it is. Unlike Christmas (Jesus’ birthday) or Hallowe’en (Satan’s day), I would like to remember. Then I could go to ... read more ››

National Aboriginal Day

The longest day of the year. The first day of summer. The 21st of June. National Aboriginal Day. I have a problem with National Aboriginal Day. I can never remember when it is. Unlike Christmas (Jesus’ birthday) or Hallowe’en (Satan’s day), I would like to remember. Then I could go to ... read more ››

…As I was saying. It’s better to be paranoid than sorry.

…As I was saying. It’s better to be paranoid than sorry. September 11 had everyone asking, where were you when…? For the Cree(p)s, another event deserved the question: Where were you when the Chiefs signed the Agreement in principle? I was puttering around my apartment when the phone started vibrating like crazy. ... read more ››

I am often asked by friends, acquaintances and other interested parties what I like.

I am often asked by friends, acquaintances and other interested parties what I like. To enlighten them more I prefer to tell them, with gusto, of my dislikes. It don’t rhyme well but rap with me anyway. I don’t like cheese. Except in pizza, cheesecake and I forget what else. I don’t ... read more ››

The events of the past two days made Nemaska seem like a genuine capital with a capital C.

The events of the past two days made Nemaska seem like a genuine capital with a capital C. High political drama or comedy, depending on how you look at it. The Gang of Five’s breakup letter is finally brought up at a public chiefs’ roundtable. No locked doors at this ... read more ››

The dark days that have too long hung like thick black smog over Creeland are over.

The dark days that have too long hung like thick black smog over Creeland are over. Everything is hunky friggin’ dory. There is no bad news to report. The Nation’s work here is done. We might have to pack up the tools of our trade and move on. No bad news ... read more ››

Hello. My name is Neil and I am an alcoholic.

Hello. My name is Neil and I am an alcoholic. I took my first drink when I was four years old. My young brain thought it was fruit juice but in truth it was this really sweet sherry that I haven’t been able to find since then. It was after dinner and ... read more ››

se choices you made, oh Cree voters. All 3,123 of you.

Wise choices you made, oh Cree voters. All 3,123 of you. And a strong message you’ve sent to those who would tear our Nation asunder, Cree or otherwise. I have to admit I was a bit worried there for a few days. Even when most of my politically savvy acquaintances predicted ... read more ››

We are witnessing a revolution…

We are witnessing a revolution in Cree politics with this election in more ways than one. Or is your head so far up your butt that you didn’t notice the election styles becoming more and more like the US presidential and the Canadian campaigns. Check out the candidate’s ads in this ... read more ››

By the time you read this…

By the time you read this, community delegates will be nervously writing their speeches for the 25th Annual General Assembly in Whapmagoostui. The UFO capital of Eeyou Astchee, according to our readers’ poll, by the way. This year’s theme is… drum roll… Cree Government. Or lack of, to be more ... read more ››

We are aboard the Polar Bear Express…

We are aboard the Polar Bear Express, George and I. There are no polar bears to speak of on this line that runs daily between Moosonee and Cochrane every summer. They named this train run so because polar bears were considered more glamorous and exotic than the black bears that ... read more ››

People deserve the politicians they elect.

People deserve the politicians they elect It’s election year for the Cree Nation(s). People who are interested in such things have been wondering who’s in the running this year. Is Matthew Coon Come running again? Does he have the desire? Is Kenny Blacksmith already positioning himself? He’s been extremely vocal of ... read more ››

My father celebrated his birthday a few days ago.

My father celebrated his birthday a few days ago. My sister baked him a cake, decorated it and we lit the tiny candles that covered the entire cake. His lungs are still powerful, considering he’s been a smoker for most of his adult life, and he blew out all 78 ... read more ››

I was sitting here in front of the keyboard…

I was sitting here in front of the keyboard for I don’t know how long wondering which of my email buddies I would write to first. Then in a true eureka moment I thought I would reply to my emails, this one time, through The Nation. It’ll save time and ... read more ››

Too many of my plans never seem to pan out.

“Life is what happens while you’re busy making plans.” John Lennon Too many of my plans never seem to pan out. My life plan when I was younger was that by age 35, maybe even 30 if I was lucky, I would have my own house with the proverbial white picket fence, ... read more ››

War games were big when we were small.

War games were big when we were small. I don’t mean those tame cowboys and Indians games with cap guns popping or even today’s fancy computerized versions of W.W.II. Oooh noooo, these were fierce medieval-style battles on recess grounds inspired by those old films they’d screen in St. Philip’s chapel every ... read more ››

I have a friend whose birthday falls on April 1st. April Fool’s day.

I have a friend whose birthday falls on April 1st. April Fool’s day. A few people, in his 38 something years, have called my friend fool to his face for no reason other than he’s made some mistakes in his life, and these people just couldn’t tolerate mistakes cause you ... read more ››

I was on a search…

I was on a search for some long-lost explorer last week (details in a far-off issue). And what better place to go look for long-lost explorers than cash-poor Waskaganish. My search in cash-starved Waskaganish failed miserably when I almost died from exposure while completely stoned… on four Tylenols and a ... read more ››

One of the first lessons you learn in scuba diving is never, ever hold your breath.

One of the first lessons you learn in scuba diving is never, ever hold your breath. Pretty hard to remember when you jump into 60 feet of water with massive waves and the first sign of life you see is a shark circling 10 feet below you. We are aboard the ... read more ››

Indians don’t make the news anywhere in this country unless…

Indians don’t make the news anywhere in this country unless they come screaming out of their isolated worlds masked, armed with automatic weapons threatening to steal headlines and slowing down traffic for thousands of commuters. Like a lot of things in this life, it’s actually a blessing in disguise. At ... read more ››

We were going to do it the hard way.

We were going to do it the hard way. We were going to massacre a herd of caribou the way our forefathers used to do it, the traditional way, or as traditional as you can get in 20th century Creeland. There we were, four city slickers on the kangaroo express through ... read more ››

I remember years and years and years ago…

I remember years and years and years ago when I was about nine or 10 calculating how old I’d be when the year 2000 would finally come around. I remember thinking how far off it was and how old I’d be. In case you’ve only just finished your New Year’s ... read more ››

The voices and applause of 18,000 fans rose…

The voices and applause of 18,000 fans rose as the the lights dimmed and the band made its way to the revolving stage at centre ice. An announcer’s voice boomed across the arena, “Ladies… and… Gentlemen… The Molson Centre is proud to present… NEEEIIIILLL DIIIAAAMMONDDD!!!!!” There I was, arms raised in ... read more ››

Rez Notes

Our story begins sometime last April. SKAL (Swedish for “Manly Love,” according to someone in our office who doesn’t speak Swedish) contacted someone who’s supposed to be in charge of tourism at the Grand Council headquarters. As is always the case for these things, it sat on someone’s desk for ... read more ››

Rez Notes

Hallowe’en started out, like many holidays and festivals, as a pagan get-together where it was not unusual for the ancients to sacrifice animals and nubile young virgins to the gods, hold massive orgies and party like it was 999. All Hallow’s Eve is a few notches above even Christmas as a ... read more ››

Rez Notes

I wasn’t paranoid after all. It wasn’t all that medication I was on. Just kidding. Seriously, I wasn’t kidding. Every theory… okay, most of them… fear, offhand remark, accusation I made, seemingly in jest, on this humble page has come confirmed. Sort of. What is it they say about bearers of ... read more ››