I think all of us northerners are fed up with this long and dismal winter. The misery is made because so many people in my life have passed away this winter...
The historic Hudson Bay Company has been diminished and the company is on its way to becoming lost to the history books. Starting this past month in March...
This weekend I was working on a little bit of an electrical problem as one of my lights was not working and it ended up being a connection. While I was trying to figure out this little problem I thought back in time and recalled all the interesting electricians I had met over the years. One fellow came to mind immediately, Jimmy Bigelow of Iroquois Falls.
The Wabun Youth Gathering for Juniors, ran July 16 to 20 at the Ramada Hotel in Timmins with teachings in traditional language, Indigenous historic games, dance and culture. The event in its twelfth year drew 64 youth under the age of 13 from Wabun Tribal Council First Nation communities.
Due to the active forest fires near the original venue in Elk Lake Ontario, a last minute change was made to host the gathering in Timmins.
I have always found it a natural part of my life to want to head out into the wilderness to be surrounded by pines, to be next to a river or lake and to feel the cool northern air about me. My first instinct in this setting is always to start a fire and to sit by its warmth, listen to the crackling flames and smell the scent of fresh cut pine and the burning embers. No matter where I seem to find myself in my life often I take a break to head out on to the land. I get this craving to spend time in the northern mushkego wilderness I was raised in.
We are all coming out of a very long and hard winter here in Northern Ontario. Elders tell me that this winter is similar to the ones they experienced growing up 50, 60 and 70 years ago. Winter and the snow came early to us in the north and actually right across most of Canada. It has also taken its time leaving us and it seems that we are between two weeks and a month late for spring.
Brunswick House First Nation, located near Chapleau Ontario, celebrated the inclusion of a collection of birch bark containers and model canoes at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) in Toronto on March 13, 2018. The 16 birch bark containers and two model canoes were hand made in the 1940s and 1950s by Joseph and Clara Candassie, who were original First Nation Ojibway citizens of Brunswick House First Nation.
A trio of eagles in flight greeted the Seventh Annual Mattagami First Nation Pow Wow, which took place on August 19 and 20 in the community. Elder Mike Naveau, pointed out that the three eagles had been over the community leading up to the annual gathering. Locals took it as a sign of good fortune as the eagle symbolizes strength and vision. They visit every year.
The Wabun Youth Gathering celebrated its 11th year with venues at Laurentian University in Sudbury for seniors and the wilderness lake side resort setting of Horwood Lake Lodge, west of Timmins for juniors. More than 36 senior youth participated in the educational focused event July 24 to 28 at Laurentian University while 56 Wabun junior youth attended the event at the wilderness gathering July 17 to 21. The event was sponsored by Wabun Tribal Council Health Services based in Timmins and Health Canada.
My night in Paris started with myself and my friend standing on Boulevard Henri IV, a little lost while looking for the Bastille. From our pause on the corner we were looking at a map in the middle of the hustle and bustle of Parisians making their way along the busy street at the end of the day. All of a sudden a hand reached up out of the crowd of passersby and touched my shoulder. I turned with the touch and came face to face with a very old gentleman who looked a little like Peter O'Toole and he asked in perfect Londoner English, “Can I be of some service?
I think all of us northerners are fed up with this long and dismal winter. The misery is made because so many people in my life have passed away this winter...
The historic Hudson Bay Company has been diminished and the company is on its way to becoming lost to the history books. Starting this past month in March...