ARTICLES BY Neil Diamond

It’s in the Hole

Golf was born on the windswept highlands and fields of Scotland long, long before today’s pristine fairways, finely trimmed greens, titanium clubs, shaded golf carts and Tiger Woods. The Scots imported many things to the Cree in James Bay when they first arrived with the Company: fiddling, brandy, watchia, syphillis, ... read more ››

Cree at Large

We met Natazia Mukash quite by accident when we went to interview Matthew Mukash. As we were about to leave, the Deputy Grand Chief introduced us to Natazia, his daughter. Natazia led us into her basement studio. Her walls are adorned with her drawings and paintings. Massive, dream-like works in progress, ... read more ››

You Can Lead a Crazy Horse to Water But…

Ancestors of the great Sioux warrior Crazy Horse have won a major battle in their war against an American brewery. John W. Stroh III, of the Stroh Brewing Company (which brews Crazy Horse Malt Liquor), agreed to settle part of the lawsuit with 63-year-old Seth Big Crow, a descendant of Crazy ... read more ››

Blood, Sweat and Tear Gas in Quebec City

Quebec City turned into a war zone during the Summit of the Americas. Thousands of people marched to the gate where they were met by the RCMP and the Surete Du Quebec armed with tear gas, plastic bullets, German shepherds and high pressure hoses. The younger protesters taunt police through the ... read more ››

Ottawa, the city that fun forgot

Ottawa, the city that fun forgot. We drive in, call Kenny Blacksmith and ask for directions on how to get to the Assembly of First Nation annual general assembly. We learn it’s being held at Lansdowne Park, home of the Roughriders and the 67s. We stride into the conference center and campaign ... read more ››

My work here is done. I think.

My work here is done. I think. The sun is up. Finally. The entire publication is up on the wall, ready for the printer. Ready for our reading public. I hope they like it. What can I tell you that you don’t already know. I’ve been away working, playing, thinking of things ... read more ››

“Let there be a Millennium Issue!”

Someone said at one of our meetings, “Let there be a Millennium Issue!” There was one and we saw that it could be good. That was a long long time ago. Another meeting was scheduled. The second of many to come. It was decided we have the “best of The Nation.” ... read more ››

I was one of the billion or so people who were watching the Academy Awards several nights ago.

I was one of the billion or so people who were watching the Academy Awards several nights ago. I don’t really care which film or actor wins an Oscar. But I do have my favorites and I try to see as many of the nominated films as I can. This ... read more ››

A friend of mine went to a fortune teller in Chinatown.

A friend of mine went to a fortune teller in Chinatown. I know this to be true because I was right there encouraging her to pay the twenty dollars to have her palms read. Her palms say that she would be wise to start a business with her husband after she’s ... read more ››

I have no social life to speak of…

I have no social life to speak of but I like the freedom I have to get one should I choose to. Lately, come Friday night, I can be found at home, usually freezing cold, reading a book, watching a video, making a lonely meal, calling people on the phone ... read more ››

Listen to that song playing on the radio.

Listen to that song playing on the radio. What’s it about? Pick out a book on the shelf. What’s it about? That movie you’re watching. What’s it about. Pick up that newspaper. What’s the story about? Chances are they are about love. Okay, maybe not the newspaper story. It’s probably ... read more ››

It is not the Nation’s standard policy…

It is not the Nation’s standard policy, nor that of most newsmagazines, to reply to letters, whether they are critical or full of praise. But whoever accused The Nation of being your run-of-the-mill newsmagazine. So in this case we decided to make yet another exception and answer the letter’s questions, ... read more ››

www.apocalypse.com?

Hello. Can you hear me? I am sitting here talking into a microphone. Actually, into a computer. And that computer is typing whatever I am saying. I know. I’m lazy. My punishment for sloth will probably be that I will be sitting here emailing a love letter New Year’s Eve at 11:59:59, ... read more ››

“Neil, you’re going to write about the things you like, right?”

Someone smiled, with the tiniest tinge of sadness, and asked after reading the last issue, “Neil, you’re going to write about the things you like, right?” I admit my list of things I don’t like was cynical, cold, childish, petty, slightly piggish. You will spy a few inconsistencies from my hate ... read more ››

Wayne Polson: Artist

Algonquin artist Wayne Poison smiles when recalling his first sale: a wooden Indian face trimmed with beaver fur. The American tourist’s well-spent three dollars were well-spent in turn by the six-year-old artist at the local chip stand. Poison began carving at the impossibly young age of five in his hometown of ... read more ››

cree@large (March 26, 1999)

Thirty years ago in Maniwaki, Quebec a policeman shot and nearly killed a fleeing 15-year-old Indian boy who had stolen a light bulb from an outdoor display. That fateful night inspired an angry young Willy Mitchell to pen his first song, Big Policeman, while recovering from a .38 calibre bullet ... read more ››

Rez notesF

You know how people always complain about how expensive Christmas can be? It doesn’t have be that way. Christmas was meant to be joyful and merry. Here are some gift ideas for the financially challenged. Lottery tickets are a great idea and cost virtually nothing. If you buy 20 of them ... read more ››

Catch, Twist, Roll, Drop…

Winnipeg at present is a headline writer’s wet dream.” Red River Rising, The Exodus Begins, 20,000 Set To Flee, Flood Of The Century, Higher And Higher. Gates Of salvation, From Bad To Worse” And the latest,” 10,000 Winnipeggers On Evacuation Alert” Just days from now the name of the city will once ... read more ››

Rez Notes

It was a year ago this issue that Rez Notes’99 was launched. We had no clear mandate. Just like the Grand Ol’ Council. It was more of an “almost anything goes” type of deal. Along the way way we have, I am proud to say, made many friends, mistakes and, ... read more ››

Power

“Power” is not the first and probably not the last, version of the James Bay Cree story to be told. But it may be the best told thus far. Speaking of course as a completely biased viewer. With its fly on the wall, warts and all perspective, the film delves ... read more ››

Let’s Rock & Roll!

It is a cold and windy morning when athletes from four Cree communities gather by the shores of Champion Lake to vie for the title of the fittest in the Cree Nation. This is the first event of its kind since the strongman competitions at the “pow wows” in the seventies ... read more ››

Higher, Faster, Stronger

The most enduring images of the Olympic games are usually of African-Americans, and more recently African-Canadians, setting records in track and field, Kenyans leaving other competitors in the dust in distance running, pixieish young girls performing seemingly impossible tumbles and twists in front of adoring throngs. The names, some of ... read more ››

We’re back with a new and hopefully much improved and less fattening Rez Notes.

We’re back with a new and hopefully much improved and less fattening Rez Notes. I trust much merry-making ensued over your holidays and our old pagan friend brought you all that you wished for. I don’t mean to be ungrateful but he wasn’t very generous to me this year. No ... read more ››

Rez Notes

You are no doubt wondering why Rez Notes did not appear in our previous issue. I could give the excuse that the poem printed in its place was so deep we just had to put it on page four. The truth is that I was on a drinking binge discussing the ... read more ››

Rez Notes

Welcome to another edition of Rez Notes where our quest is to answer that age-old question, “What the hell is goin’ on?” Yes, our spies have been working overtime and keeping their eyes and ears alert for all the weird goings on the world over. We begin. WASKAGANISH- Be afraid, be ... read more ››

Rez Notes

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 ... read more ››