Lenny Carpenter — Wawatay News

When 14-year-old Colby Moose of Poplar Hill First Nation made his first toss in a softball throwing competition in Lac Seul, Scott Haines could not believe it.
“Holy smokes,” said Haines, a track and field coach who coached Team Ontario at the last two North American Indigenous Games.
“When it left his hand, it just launched.”
The competition was part of an event organized by Haines to qualify the local youth to compete in the Hershey Track and Field Games (HTFG), a North American youth sports competition in Hershey, Pennsylvania where 480 athletes compete.

In 2003, hundreds of people gathered in Moose Factory to celebrate the inaugural Creefest event along with Moose Cree’s Gathering of Our People.
A decade later, the two cultural festivals will combine again to celebrate Mushkegowuk traditions in northeastern Ontario from July 25-28 in Moose Factory.
Since its inception, Creefest has taken place in each of the seven Muskegowuk communities, which includes Attawapiskat, Kashechewan, Fort Albany, Taykwa Tagamou, Chapleau Cree, Missanabie Cree and Moose Cree.

Kashechewan First Nation has elected Derek Stephen as their new chief on Aug. 2.
Stephen beat out incumbent Jonathan Solomon to be the new leader of the community of about 1,700 members.
Since 1996, Stephen has worked on various small community projects. He has also served as deputy chief of the community for two terms and was CEO of Five Nations Energy Inc. for a year.
Stephen said he had been approached by community members on running for chief.

For the first time in 60 years, Pikangikum First Nation will have a new school built in the community after the federal government announced on Aug. 9 that it has committed funds for the project.

The beauty of Moose Cree was featured in a fashion show during the Creefest and Gathering of Our People (GOOP) festivals.
On July 26, 14 models consisting mostly of Moose Cree ladies walked down the runway during Unity Through Fashion, a fashion show that displayed the work of First Nation designers Tracey Toulouse of Swirling Wind Designs and Bruno Henry.
Thalissa Linklater said she heard about the fashion show through her aunt and uncle, who knew Toulouse and Henry.