10/23/2017 2 Comments #134: Support Land-Based EconomiesWhat do you think of when someone mentions land-based economies? To be honest the first thing I think of is real estate and farming. For Indigenous people who live on the land, most would first think of land based livelihoods such as hunting, trapping and gathering. Ralph and I had the absolute privilege to spend the weekend with one of the most incredible Dene Elder, Roy Ladouceur, who lives full time in one of the truly remote First Nation reserves along the Athabasca River. A tiny community where there are but two full time homes and a handful of cabins, accessible only by boat or off roading (with a guide and only as a permitted guest). The homes are completely off the grid and dependent on constant maintenance and careful planning. This very special individual, who maintains areas along the river that were beacons of survival prior to and during the fur trader, is a purveyor of Indigenous land-based economies providing guiding and transportation along the river, hunting, trapping and in our case, he was also an incredible host and chef. Instead of making his way to the grocery store on a weekly basis, as we do, he spends his days from early light to sunset thoughtfully tracking and patiently observing the movements of moose, deer and spruce hens. Roy's place was amazing, with every comfort of home you could imagine due to his ingenuity and imaginative use of technology. On Saturday night, our meal consisted of Moose backstrap, garden potatoes and a cut up green pepper someone had gifted him. There is nothing quite like moose streaks cooked to perfection and excellent company to share them with. Afterwards we were treated to a few tunes on the guitar, one in particular stood out, his rendition of the “Lonesomest Lonesome” by Ray Price made me think about my mosom Harvey. All evening I felt surrounded by his spirit maybe it was the smell of the wood burning stove and delicious food or maybe the old country hits but I felt completely grounded. How do we support land-based economies? Well for this weekend we provided the quads, brought supplies and provided him with compensation for his time. At the end of the trip he gifted Ralph with a beautiful beaver hat, which Ralph now refuses to take off (if you can't tell by his smile how excited this man is, give him a call and ask him about his new hat, a tirade of praise will quickly follow). We all have a part to play to ensure that our ecosystem remains balanced and that Indigenous land based economies persist. A few ways we can all take part is below:
- purchase goods, such as fur hats, directly from trappers and Indigenous artisans, - stay away from identified traplines (many are clearly marked), - report poachers at 1-800-642-3800, - if you are a hunter yourself, educate yourself on how to use 100% of the animal so there is no waste.
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In many areas, that is the Native Friendship Centre.
The Friendship Centre Movement started in the 1950s as a reaction to the large movement of Indigenous people moving from reserves to urban centres for a variety of reasons, largely health care and employment. In the 1970s a National organization was established to ease the communication with the Federal Government. The mandate of the Friendship Centres is to provide the services and programming that the urban Indigenous people are in need of in that particular area and to bridge the gap between non-Indigenous and Indigenous people. Two of the my absolute favourite things about Friendship Centres is that they are a status blind and non-partisan organizations. By leaving the government appointed identities and politics at the door, it provides the space needed to focus on better the lives of all who walk through those very doors. Two weeks ago, I was very fortunate to be one of four individuals that were acclimated to the board of the Nistawoyou Association Friendship Centre in Fort McMurray. Friendship Centres have been a major part of my life since 1999. As an urban First Nation person, who has spent relatively little time on my reserves which are located in Desmarais, Alberta and Calling Lake, Alberta (Bigstone Cree Nation is quite spread out), I struggled like many to connect with my culture and sought it out, as my identity was developing as a youth. My first recollection of the Athabasca Native Friendship Centre was when I was a small child and my mother brought me into this little store front shop where the Friendship Centre was at the time located (this would be around 1990) to show me a quilt made by Bertha Clarke Jones. I'll remember that quilt until the day I die, it was huge and there was a big maple leaf in the middle. Soon afterwards we moved to Montreal, and every time I saw a bright red maple leaf, I thought of that quilt. When I moved back to Athabasca, the Athabasca Native Friendship Centre invited me in, a misfit from Montreal in the little farming town of Athabasca. The staff and Elders became my extended family, in particular three women: the two amazing Executive Directors during my high school years, Maxine Boisvert and Penny Van Vliet and the attached Riddles Second Hand Store manager Liz Deisting. They were all three strong women who cared deeply about the Indigenous people in Athabasca and taught many non-Indigenous people about how we can all open our eyes, ears and hearts to each other despite how far from one another we may currently feel. Those three women believed in me and supported me as I joined the Provincial Aboriginal Youth Council and eventually the National Aboriginal Youth Council in 2005. We were provided with extensive leadership and board training, with the hope that when we grew up we would volunteer our time at the our local Friendship Centres. I'm pretty sure it is the best leadership sustainability model on the planet, empowering youth to ensure educated and passionate leadership a decade later. Guess what, I'm now on my local board 12 years after I sat on the National Youth Council. I'm looking forward to being apart of that vision and invite every one of you to join as a member. If you do not live in Wood Buffalo seek out the Friendship Centre nearest you, there are 21 across Alberta alone! |
About me
I grew up in Athabasca, AB and have spent the majority of my life in Northern Alberta or Montreal, PQ. My husband has been in Fort McMurray since the 70s and continues to love this town and all that it has to offer. We are avid outdoor enthusiasts, spending our summer weekends quadding and camping. As Opimian members we thoroughly enjoy wine pairings and tastings and are working on our wine collection. Ralph is a carpenter by trade and has framed more houses in Fort McMurray than I could count and knows the city inside and out. I work all throughout the region from the NWT to Janvier for the tribal council. My passion is doodling and photography which is featured throughout the website (various mediums), writing, Indigenous studies, and learning in general. Categories |