Volume 8, Issue 15

A Tale of Four Towns

It’s the Cree community that’s the most northern-most, but it’s more than that. It’s the town that has more than one name. Yes, we visited Great Whale, or Whapmagoostui, or Post-de-la-baliene, or Kuujuaraapik. It makes no difference what you call this town because every name is legitimate. It is the ... read more ››

Coming Out Of The Smoke

Cigarette smoking has been in the headlines lately with a focus on young people who are starting the habit. I met up with a few friends of mine recently who still smoke. I was really shocked when they showed me their cigarette packages with gross pictures of the results of ... 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 ››

Crees Helping Crees

It’s been said that every cloud has a silver lining. This is certainly the case when it comes to the state of emergency that was declared in Nemaska on May 26th. From within the billowing smoke that threatened the community, a story emerged of Crees helping themselves and each other. ... read more ››

In the Belly of the Whale

This is the first in a Nation series featuring our nine communities. We will, if you let us, come into your lives, your homes, businesses, band offices, centres, camps, restaurants, bars, radio stations, airports, teepees, canoes, armed encampments, and Whapmagoostuis. We will also surprise you with some things you never ... read more ››

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 ››

Nation Interview: Alec Tuckatuck

Tuckatuck is the president of the Sakkuq Land Holding Corporation. He is also a ranger for the Canadian Armed Forces helping to keep the true north strong and free. What are your duties in the Rangers? We’re an eye and an ear for Canadian defense. We keep an eye on unusual activities ... read more ››

Nation Interview: Chief David Masty

Chief Masty has been the Cree Chief Whapmagoostui for a year and 8 months. He has served as a board member for the Board of Compensation and the Grand Council/CRA. How do you find it being the chief of the northern-most Cree community? I feel honoured to have been given that responsibility ... read more ››

Nation Interview: Deputy Grand Chief Matthew Mukash

Deputy Grand Chief Mukash was one of the instrumental people involved the campaign to save the Great Whale River from hydro-electric development back in the early nineties. He is also a past chief of Whapmagoostui. What are some of your earliest memories of Whapmagoostui? The place was practically barren of buildings. There ... read more ››

Nation Interview: Lukassie Inukpuk

Inukpuk is the mayor of Kujuaraapik. He has a beautiful camp just outside of the community that we visited to talk with him informally. He took us up on a hill to show us where his family used to live in the traditional way. There was no sign of their ... read more ››

Nemaska Evacuated

With a nearby forest fire posing an immediate threat to the community, a state of emergency was declared in Nemaska on Saturday, May 26th. According to local economic development officer Lawrence Jimikin, the fire had started Thursday morning (May 24th) at his brother’s hunting camp, at the southwest end of ... read more ››

Out of the Closet

Many a time Will has wished to go up north to the fabled Great Whale River community, a land he had heard of only in whispers from Neil Diamond’s and Wernie’s corner of the office. So it was decided that Will would go to Whapmagoostui under the guise of creating ... read more ››

Ripped off But Still Riding Strong

Shortly after being featured on the cover of the Nation (volume 8, no. 13), young moto-cross racer Nathaniel Bosum was temporarily grounded by car thieves. His father Abel’s pick-up truck and 16 foot trailer were stolen from a parking lot near the Sheraton Hotel in downtown Montreal, either late Friday ... read more ››

Why National Aboriginal Day?

What’s the deal with national Aboriginal Day? When did it start and what’s it all about? National Aboriginal Day was first proclaimed by the Canadian government on July 13, 1996. The official proclamation announced that, “the Constitution of Canada recognizes the existing rights of the Aboriginal people of Canada,” and that, “aboriginal ... read more ››