Xavier Kataquapit

Over the years, leaders from First Nation communities in the north like Attawapiskat, have fought hard for many of the basic services and programs that currently exist. However, I can understand my peoples’ frustration when at times, it feels like progress is actually falling back and we are losing what little we gained. In the end many issues negatively affect the overall Native community in terms of chronic health problems, unemployment and social issues such as addictions, violence and suicide.

Here we are again in the middle of winter. This year up north, I am hearing lots of reports of snow and freezing temperatures. Last week, the temperatures with wind chills were in the minus 40 to 50 range in many places across the country. However, all this started late with a mild fall. 
Right now, as we head into February, I understand that the really frigid temperatures have given way to freezing rain in many areas in northern Ontario. None of the Elders I talk to remember such turmoil and ups and downs in the weather systems. 

As Native people we have to deal with so many addictions. That makes life more difficult than it should be. We are relatively new to the concept of money as compared to other cultures who have been dealing with financial systems for hundreds if not thousands of years.
One of the big obstacles in our way has been a very naive understanding of how the money system works.

I can’t believe I am writing words dedicated to the passing of my dad, Marius Kataquapit (October 26, 1938 – March 13, 2013). His death of a heart attack has left a hole in me that I know will never be fully healed but will get better with time. Dad was very much a bigger than life, fun filled character in the life of my family and whenever we were with him, he often found it necessary to punctuate our time with laughter and lots of smiles.

I find travelling liberating. When I first started to visit other countries I did so with a minimal knowledge of history. The more I travelled, I realized I wasn’t getting a good sense of where I was. It was wonderful to climb up to the Acropolis and view Athens from the ancient ruins but I did so initially without really knowing much about where I was.