Tragically Hip and Joseph Boyden in Fort Albany
Lenny Carpenter — Wawatay NewsOver 500 people from the James Bay coast turned up to see the Tragically Hip perform in Fort Albany First Nation on Feb. 16.
The Canadian rock band and award-winning author Joseph Boyden were in Fort Albany First Nation to take part in the Great Moon Gathering that focuses on both traditional and contemporary aboriginal education
“The moment I first stepped foot on the shores of James Bay, I knew the Tragically Hip had to go there, to the birthplace of our country,” said Hip lead singer Gord Downie in a Feb. 1 press release. “The band’s excited. We’re going to hang out, talk, and listen. We have a fresh batch of songs we want to play, for both old friends and new.”
Like most northern communities, the teachers who are contracted to teach in the Mushkegowuk communities are often non-Aboriginal, straight from university or college, and have little knowledge of the local traditions and culture.
Organizer Edwund Metatwabin said the Great Moon Gathering is way for the community to share its traditional knowledge and culture with the educators.
“If we can give them the tools, if we can be kind to our teachers, and care for them and watch for them, they in turn can pass on these things to our children,” Metatawabin said.
Boyden was a teacher himself in the James Bay area, as he taught at the Northern College satellite campus in Moosonee. His two acclaimed novels, Three Day Road and Through Black Spruce, feature Cree people as the main characters and take place in the region.
“Recent coverage of reserves such as Attawapiskat only captures one part of a story that’s much deeper, nuanced, and beautiful than most Canadians know,” Boyden said in a press release. “The Hip and I are coming up to James Bay to show our love and support for a people and a culture that transcends so many of the negative stereotypes that have been floated the last months.”
The concert, which took place at the Peetabeck Academy gymnasium, was streamed live online. The workshops continue to be streamed in the last day of the gathering, which can be viewed at www.peetabeck.com.
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