This past month, I was happy to attend two Pow Wows I hadn't been to in years. I attended the Mattagami First Nation Pow Wow and the Matachewan First Nation...
I was happy to see my home community of Attawapiskat on the James Bay coast announce the opening of the new St Francis Xavier Parish Church on August 25....
Christmas is just around the corner and already I see the sales push everywhere I go.
I have never really enjoyed this time of the year because more and more I realize that it is mostly about a huge push to market products to we, the consumer. That brings about a lot of stress. Christmas has become more or less a money time of the year.
There are many people I have known throughout my life that have had a positive influence on me. Some have affected me in ways I never really understood until recently.
Most mornings, one of the first things I do is to read the various online media that I prefer.
A lot of it is mainstream and some of it would be considered alternative. I noticed a story the other day in Wawatay News, an Aboriginal newspaper that serves northern Ontario, that featured coverage of a group of walkers from Attawapiskat. They were on a mission to walk to the parliament buildings in Ottawa to lobby the federal and provincial governments to meet with First Nations and address the issues concerning housing, suicide, education and health care.
Recently I had to deal with a tooth pain so I looked up a dentist in the area and made an appointment.
Like most people, I dread going to see the dentist and that is a shame.
Thankfully, my original problem was not too far gone but after my initial examination, the dentist realized that I had better schedule myself in for basic teeth cleaning and a further examination.
There is an epidemic happening in First Nation communities.
I know first hand that this epidemic is a killer and it is debilitating for many of my people. The epidemic is diabetes.
When I was a child growing up in Attawapiskat, I knew nothing about good nutrition or healthy eating.
My mom and dad made sure that we always had food on the table and at the best of times, it was nourishment from the land. At the worst of times, it was a sugary cereal, processed meats, canned foods and way too many chocolate bars, cookies, pastries and chips.
Congratulations to the Omushkegowuk Walkers for making their trek to Ottawa all the way from Attawapiskat.
These walkers represent our ability to exercise our democratic right to protest peacefully.
Making a living as an artist is not an easy thing to do but most of the time the rewards are amazing.
As a writer I understand that money is not the big motivation to write. Most writers in this country just get by. However, even if the monetary rewards are not great I find there is a lot of satisfaction in being able to work at something I have a passion for. I believe that is the case for most artists whether they are writers, visual artists, performance artists, dancers or musicians.
A flock of great white tundra swans fly overhead.
These Wah-pee-soo, (Cree for swan) are easy to spot with a large body and long neck. They are majestic as they move through the air under the power of their great wings. In the north it is rare for us to spot these beautiful and graceful birds during the spring migration. I am amazed as I watch this group of birds landing on a farmer’s field here in southern Ontario.
They join a greater flock of hundreds of other tundra swans as they noisily gather and collect the waste corn from last fall.
Janelle Golinowski, a member of Mattagami First Nation, will be showcasing her talents as a traditional dancer at the Miss North Ontario Regional Canada Pageant 2014.
The 18-year-old explained that she is proud yet humble to have been selected to represent her community for the pageant scheduled to be held May 1 to 3 at the Fraser Auditorium, Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario.
If the comings and goings of people can be compared to a pebble tossed into a lake and the resulting ripples that radiate infinitely, then I would say that the passing of John R. Bradley, a member of Six Nations, will bless many with a spirit of good nature and humour for generations.
His life was all about sacrifice, dedication and doing his very best for family and friends. He passed away on April 1, 2014 at the age of 94.
This past month, I was happy to attend two Pow Wows I hadn't been to in years. I attended the Mattagami First Nation Pow Wow and the Matachewan First Nation...
I was happy to see my home community of Attawapiskat on the James Bay coast announce the opening of the new St Francis Xavier Parish Church on August 25....