Volume 3, Issue 8

A Tale of Insurance

The Waswanipi band was in for a surprise after a series of fires forced them to take a closer look at their new insurance policy. A fire in the community’s cafeteria put the fryer out of commission and cost the band a couple of thousand dollars. A house caught fire with ... read more ››

Buffie Sainte Marie: Blazing New Trail with Technology

Buffy Sainte-Marie, Up Where We Belong, 1996, EMI With a whirlwind of interviews and photo ops at the Native Friendship Centre Buffy St. Marie came to Montreal to promote her new album. Her latest has proven she is embracing technology and pushing its limits. Her latest album is nothing short of ... read more ››

Bumpy ride for Chisasibi’s new chief

Six months after being elected chief of Chisasibi, Charles Bobbish says the job is harder than he ever imagined. Bobbish is struggling to find ways to cope with alcohol abuse in the community and is pushing for more action by police and the band. At the same time, he has walked into ... read more ››

Chief on trial

Chief John Kitchen has entered a not-guilty plea to charges of drinking and driving stemming from an incident last summer. Kitchen was taken into police custody after a van he was driving went off the highway near Waswanipi’s Band Council office. Three passengers were in the vehicle at the time of ... read more ››

Crees Unite on Development

Ouje-Bougoumou Elder Jimmy Mianscum remembers a time when fish, game and animals were abundant on his hunting ground and the environment was undisturbed. Today, most of his traditional territory is clearcut, roads and transmission lines zigzag across his land. Gold and copper mines were developed and abandoned, his lakes and ... read more ››

DIRECTIONS FOR HOCKEY IN THE CREE NATION

During the last couple of years, people in the Cree Nation have been working hard to establish a higher level of hockey for our youth. Their aim was to establish a position supported by the Cree Regional Authority and the nine communities. On Feb. 12, I was hired as the technical ... read more ››

Funding cuts spark B.C. hunger strike

Four Native students and two non-Natives in Victoria, B.C. went on hunger strike on Feb. 16 to show their opposition to the lack of federal funding for First Nations education. “The government is going against its promise to give First Nations students the right to education,” says Gwen Bridge of the ... read more ››

I’ll never diet again!: TIPS FOR LOSING WEIGHT

If you’ve been wondering how you’re ever going to get rid of those extra pounds you gained over Christmas, here’s the good news. Diets don’t work. Why not? Because people hate diets. Once you crack — and sooner or later everyone does — you take revenge on the hated diet ... read more ››

Laura Bearskin was 16 and eight months pregnant when her father died.

Laura Bearskin was 16 and eight months pregnant when her father died. “It was very difficult for me, losing my father and having a baby at such a young age,” she said. Before he passed away, Laura’s father suggested he call her child Billy, if it was a boy. Today, at 26 and ... read more ››

Peltier support mounts

The campaign to get Leonard Peltier out of jail is being stepped up as the number of people signing petitions and letters on behalf of the AIM activist tops 30 million. Twenty years ago, Peltier was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences for allegedly killing two FBI agents in a shootout ... read more ››

Smoking is so Glamorous!

FROM THE HOME OFFICE IN RADISSON, QUEBEC: THE TOP 10 LIST OF WHY SMOKING IS SO COOL 10 hurting children whose lungs are so much more vulnerable 9 Expensive. If you start smoking at 13 and smoke a pack a day, by the time you turn 30 you will have spent around ... read more ››

The New Chisasibi Restaurant Brings You Great Spaghetti!

This quick and easy spaghetti recipe uses less fat. As you know, too much fat in your diet is bad for your health. You can make it with fresh vegetables or canned. Fresh is better. And healthier too! Serves eight people: 100 gr mushrooms 2 green peppers 6 tomatoes 3 celery stalks 3 onions 2 carrots 1 lb medium ground beef 1 ... read more ››

Tourney Action

By the grace of fax technology, the results from the 13th Annual Chisasibi Invitational Hockey and Broomball Tournament, held Feb. 29 to March 3, have generously been made available to us, The Nation. We now pass them on to you, our gentle readers. Broomball Champs: Waskaganish Starlites, 2, $3,000 Finalists: Wemindji Wolverines, 0, ... read more ››

We haven’t much time, dear readers…

We haven’t much time, dear readers, and we’re not getting any younger so pay attention. A quiz will be administered in a future installment. We come to you for the first time from one of the Cree communities. It is on a “need to know” basis so I can only ... read more ››

Work can be a real scream!

A typical day at Dream Catcher Incorporated, James Bay’s leading manufacturer of… you guessed it… dream catchers Diane arrives a few minutes late and full of life as usual Hi gang! Hi Diane! Diane s mood plummets when she sees the mountain of work piled high on her desk AARGH! Just then her boos, who holds ... read more ››

Youth to survey youth

Youth councils have been active in the Cree communities for only a few short years, but youth leaders want to take a second look at their mission and get an idea of how the councils are perceived by Cree youth and political leadership. Rhonda Oblin, a Cree student taking public relations ... read more ››