#25: When discussing LGBTQI issues, always include two-spirited peoples (LGBTQI*2S). 

What a great day for this post, it's Pride in Fort McMurray. We attended to celebrated, as allies, the positive stance against discrimination and violence toward lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and two-spirited (LGBTQI*2S) people. The ultimate goal of events similar to today's gathering is to promote equal rights, increase visibility, build community, and celebrate sexual diversity and gender variance.  

Much evidence indicates that many Indigenous societies, prior to colonization, believed in the existence of cross-gender roles, the male-female, the female-male, what is now considered a two-spirited individual. The duality is one that is encouraged and revered. Today, the "Two Spirit identity is about circling back to where we belong, reclaiming, reinventing and redefining our beginnings, our roots, our communities, our support systems and our collective and individual selves” (Alex Wilson). 

While I believe the Pride celebrations have done a wonderful job of bringing attention to LGBTQI*2S issues, we can always do better and ensure that our everyday rhetoric is considerate and inclusive. So I ask you to be inclusive of two-spirited individuals when referring to LGBTQI*2S. Here are some other tips for practicing allyship:

• Educate yourself on the experiences and perspectives of Two Spirit people.
• Identify relevant resources out there and be ready to  refer someone in need. 
• Reflect stereotypes and assumptions you hold on LGBTQI and Indigenous peoples
• Know how to intervene when racism, homophobia, biphobia and transphobia happen.
• Remember the *2S

For more information about how you can support the human rights of all LGBTQI*2S people, especially those who are marginalized and systemically oppressed, please visit Egale Canada Human Rights Trust. Their vision is a Canada, and ultimately a world, without homophobia, biphobia, transphobia and all other forms of oppression so that every person can achieve their full potential, free from hatred and bias.

Generally, I prefer to post after I have accomplished one of the 150 everyday acts for reconciliation. This will be the exception, as I'll be asking you to join me in the TRC Reading Challenge and the TRC Reading Club at the Nistawoyou Association Friendship Centre starting on Thursday, September 21, 2017 from 6:30pm to 7:30pm. I'm hoping that we can have the report completed by the end of the year so will likely be meeting every two to three weeks but would like to discuss what a reasonable timeline is with the participants. 

Want to participate? Here are the steps:

1. sign up for the TRC Reading Challenge at www.trcreadingchallenge.com
2. sign up for the reading club by ​calling the Friendship Centre at (780)743-8555, or emailing me at [email protected], or filling out the form below. 
3. start reading the first three sections (preface, intro and commission activities) of the TRC Final Report, you can buy the book version on indigo here, read online here, or listen to it here.  

For the first meeting, please read in advance the first three sections of the report and reflect on what aspects of Canadian society today relates to the era of residential schools. Consider current affairs, specifically the race tensions in the USA. 

#110: Is there any public art by Indigenous artists in your area? If so, visit it and learn about the artists.

My lunch date with Ralph today consisted of a lovely walk around the Total Aboriginal Trail, a collection of public art installations on MacDonald Island Park. I'll be honest I am very biased when it comes to this project as I was on the planning committee (to be clear my small contribution paled to that of Alice Martin, Buffy Cheecham, Ana Maria Mendez and the other committee members).

The theme of the trail is the Seven Sacred Teachings of love, respect, courage, honesty, wisdom, humility and truth. After receiving amazing submissions, the committee chose artistic concepts from three local Indigenous artists from the Wood Buffalo region (Treasure Cooper, Frederick McDonald, Christopher Hamacher) and four Canadian Indigenous artists (Jason Carter (Canmore), Susan Point (Vancouver), Heather Shillinglaw (Edmonton), and Carey Newman (Victoria)). While familiar with two of the artists' works quite well, I was really looking forward to this opportunity to get to know more about the five other amazing Indigenous artists. Here are very short snapshots of all the artists who contributed to the Total Aboriginal Trail:

1. Treasure Cooper is a self-taught Metis artist who is a staple in many local art shows and volunteers for the Metis community from arts and crafts with children to beautiful mixed mediums and paintings.
2. Frederick McDonald, who's name you should definitely recognize is the most revered artist and poet in the region. His family inhabited McDonald Island itself, and he was born in Fort McMurray. In his early years they lived along the Athabasca River following the traditional way of life of his ancestors. Hunting and trapping was an important part of his life until finishing high school. He then worked in the oil industry and after many years left his home to travel and to pursue an Arts degree at the University of Calgary. Frederick's work is concerned about the written and visual history of his people in Canada; he believes it is time the Aboriginal people tell their own story.
3. Christopher Hamacher is a bit of an unknown to me but I'm looking forward to seeing his future work. His sculpture of the Elder discovering the Great Truth is captivating.
4. Jason Carter is one of my favourite sculptor and painters on the planet and hails from Little Red River Cree Nation. I had the opportunity about a decade ago to attend the opening of the Nanabozho Trickster Rabbit show in Edmonton. His detailed but minimalist approach allows him to communicate humour and beauty so clearly.
5. Susan Point is a descendant of the Musqueam people. She draws inspiration from the stories of her ancestors and commences the use of non-traditional materials and techniques, therefore inspiring a whole new generation of artists. Her bench is one of my favourite pieces of this installation, people have an opportunity to interact and contemplate the love that they are surrounded with.
6. Heather Shillinglaw, is a Metis artist from Edmonton who shares the knowledge of her proud heritage and the lessons she’s learned from her Elders, grandparents and those she’s met in her travels to far-away places. The abalone shell is done with such beauty and grace, it is the one piece that holds the most mystery for me.
7. Carey Newman is a Kwagiulth artist. A dedicated artist, Carey's goal is to follow the footpaths of his mentors: his father, for his belief in artistic integrity, quality, and self-respect, and Bill Reid, for his ability with many mediums. The Humble Frog shows continual respect and honest introspection, and reminds me of the scorpion and the frog story, that speaks to pride's downfall and the need for humility.

Art inspires dialogue and change, just what we need for reconciliation. One of the highlights of today's walk was the opportunity to meet two wonderful women and discuss reconciliation and a little bit of history. I think of other walks we take, where I likely wouldn't have stopped and had a meaningful conversation about the art along the way.

Today, Ralph and I had the opportunity to stop in at the Experiential Learning Initiative (ELI) Gathering in Janvier. This gathering is made possible by the Sustainable Communities Initiative (SCI), previously called OSLI. This particular culture gathering focuses on the traditional knowledge transmission from Elders and Knowledge Keepers to Indigenous youth, most of whom come from Janvier and Fort Chipewyan. At the gathering, the youth had the opportunity to enjoy traditional foods, learn how to catch and prepare fish, speak Cree and Dene languages, create beautiful beadwork and antler jewelry, as well try their hands at wilderness survival. The two communities groups who are supported by this industry led initiative is Fort Chipewyan's Lake Athabasca Youth Council and Janvier’s Sekweha Youth Centre, for more information about SCI check out their website. 

#93: If you actually want to see the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people change, and commit to making reconciliation a part of your every-day ethos.

Number 93 is a challenge for me. Ethos is a greek method to appeal to another through persuasion. I'm not sure if I am necessarily qualified to tell you that reconciliation will make Canada a better place to live for everyone, but that won't stop me from trying. It gives me great comfort to know that three people, the most qualified people on Turtle Island, are saying that very same thing. Take a minute and read about the Commissioners of the Truth & Reconciliation Commission and their amazing achievements here, and then think about how their qualifications impact your perspective of the TRC. It adds immense credibility in my mind.

A CBC senior manager, a judge, a world class athlete, Honourable Justice Murray Sinclair, Dr. Marie Wilson and Chief Wilton Littlechild respectively have done it, surpassed it and created new definitions of success for Indigenous people. I trust that they collectively, after hearing thousands of testimonies and coming to the table already equipped with expertise, have created recommendations that will have such a powerful effect on the cultural arena the dictates the everyday lives of Canadians. In western culture, it is dismissive to think that culture is only a reflection of the underlying social conditions. In fact, culture is a force in and of itself that shapes how we lead our daily lives, our economic systems and our political realm. While academia is leading the conversation of reconciliation, I believe that it needs to be infused in both non-academic and academic spaces. I'm really more interested in how reconciliation is discussed in the day-to-day conversations.

Ethos, as one of Aristotle's appeals, is mostly used in academic or legal debates. Most people don't think everyday conversations are using appeals, but they do. A very good example is advertising. As a classic consumer, I'm easily persuaded to purchase a new pair of running shoes because a famous athlete endorses them (ethos); or, hotdogs which are my favourite, show me a commercial of someone eating a hot dog (logos) and their satisfied smile immediately appeals to my desire to be happy and not hungry (pathos).

How do we apply Aristotle's art of persuasion to reconciliation? Well, we have three options:

Ethos (prior knowledge) - is the perspective that others have of you and how it allows you to exert your influence over your audience. The TRC Commissioners are seen by Canadians and Indigenous people as being experts and therefore their collective voice gives credibility to the report and the Calls to Actions.

Pathos (emotional appeal) - in my personal opinion emotional appeals related to residential schools is what leads to the laying of guilt so perhaps not the best approach in some circumstances, but in others yes.

Logos (scientific data) - written records and scientific data relating to the facts of colonization (statistics about generational trauma, educational achievement, incarceration, health).

After all that non-Indigenous based philosophical theory, here is my final interpretation of the Act of Reconciliation #93:

In order for reconciliation be successful, we all need to be equipped with prior knowledge about the history and effects of colonization in Canada, in order to speak with credibility and authority about reconciliation which will allow us to be agents of change to shape our every day culture and society.

I chose to read Morningstar Mercredi's autobiography.  Her account of her young life, although filled with pain, abuse and alcoholism was told with such clarity and almost sharpness (but not in a bad way) that allowed you to hear her voice. As I read more I could almost hear her as a young girl, a youth and woman grow, finding her way in an uncertain world. The poetry throughout was mesmerizing, connecting the reader to a spiritual realm that was just on the periphery of the story. 

The book is aptly titled "A Warrior's Spirit". She is a warrior, having survived extreme generational trauma caused by the residential school system,  been subjected to sexual and emotional abuse, and overcoming alcoholism. The strength coming from the positive and loving relationships she had with her grandparents, who often cared for her in Fort Chipewyan. Her memoir is a living example of how systemic racism in Canada has impacted the lives of so many, from generation to generation. Indigenous women in particular are the victim of colonial patriarchy, seen as lesser than beings, and preyed upon.

Her life story took place mostly in Fort Chipewyan, Fort McMurray, Uranium City, Edmonton and some time in Saskatchewan. It helped me to understand the life of many people who due to their parent's addictions and trauma based behaviours were moved from community to community cared for by family or friends. The inconsistency of her life was the only constant. I'm so fortunate to have always had a place to call home, never fearing where I would next rest my head. Her son, Matthew, she didn't provide that same consistency initially but grew as a mother and overcame so much to provide him with that consistent and loving home. Her love for her son, showing such incredible personal strength is what I believe will begin to heal the trauma that residential schools left upon families. 

One story in particular fascinated me, her account of her mother's use of cleaning as an unspoken punishment or penance. Speaking with former students from the same school, Convent of Holy Angels Indian Residential School, they too recounted that cleaning was often used as punishment at the school and they themselves often used cleaning as a disciplinary parenting strategy. It was at that moment that I began to self-reflect on my childhood and how clean my father always kept everything. His desk perfectly organized, pens lined up neatly beside each other. I don't know if it is something that was impressed upon him by my grandmother who attended residential school (not necessarily as a punishment) but as something that we are all impacted by in some way. 

Throughout the book, I felt very honoured that she chose to share her story, as terrifying and sad her early life had been, she made a choice and today lives by that choice. All of our parents, who didn't have parents in some cases, chose to parent differently. We are so fortunate to be the generation after that generation, all of whom are warriors in my eyes.

Here are the links to buy her book: Amazon and Indigo

Maskêkopakwa – Muskeg Tea

I chose to feature Muskeg Tea because it is probably the most versatile plant and flower in the North, it's Ralph's favourite and it's also our 3rd wedding anniversary (we had sprigs of muskeg tea in some of the flowers arrangements).

You may recognize this plant as Labrador Tea but here in Northern Alberta we call it Muskeg Tea. Likely we call it that because we have much of Canada's wetlands; and that my friend is where Muskeg Tea thrives. You don't often find a campfire that doesn't have muskeg tea brewing in the tea pot, at least I don't but that's because Ralph makes it into a tonic for medicinal reasons. It's caffeine free but has an aromatic and slightly bitter taste similar to black tea. One of the major benefits is that it is accessible all  year long because the leaves never die off all at once and when they do die will generally stay attached to the stem. If you need to, you can dig it out of the snow and boil it to your heart's (excellent for increased circulation) content. 

It has a vast number of medicinal uses. This little plant is an alterative, analgesic, diaphoretic, diuretic, pectoral and tonic.  It can be made into essential oil, hydrosol, infused oil, ointment, poultice, sauna herb, spice, tea and tincture. 

Here a (just) a few things you can use it for:

 How to repel ghosts:
Hang bundled dried plants in your closet, it also found to do a good job of repelling moths. 

How to make tea:
Steep one heaping teaspoonful of leaves or flowers per person in boiling water for 5 minutes. The colour should be a clear, pale amber-orange. It can also be used to stretch black tea for a more aromatic drink. It can make you very drowsy and is a strong diuretic so use infrequently.  

How to make infused oil:
1 cup (250 mL) tea flowers
1.5 cups (375 mL) jojoba oil or any oil that you have on hand

Gather flowers before the heat of the day. Place flowers in a jar and cover with oil. Infuse for up to 4 weeks, shaking daily.

How to use as a spice:
You can use the whole leaves as a substitute for a bay leaf in stews, sauces and soups. You can also crush or grind the leaves to add to meat dishes or in a salad.My mom found me Wild Muskeg Spice by Laughing Lichen which is mixed with Sweet Gale (that you can also get in delicious tea form by Algonquin Tea Co.). Or go pick yourself and make your own delicious creations. 

There are a few ways to acknowledge the present and past Indigenous land title and territories. I've used several in the past but to prepare for this blog post I spent some time understanding some of the underlying meanings behind every word. Through that research I've changed how I will acknowledge land moving forward and offer them to the world wide web.  Before you skip ahead, hear me out as to why I will now be acknowledging Métis territory as a separate entity from Treaty territory. They are different (not one above the other, but equally important and deserving of acknowledgement) and here are a few initial reasons as to why:

1. The Métis scrip that was peddled throughout Saskatchewan and Alberta during the signing of Treaties 8 and 10 (Alberta, Northwest Territories, Saskatchewan) did not specify that they were meant to permanently extinguish Aboriginal title.
2. The only place that Métis are included in the numbered treaties is Treaty 3.
3. Métis are distinct, but the federal government has the same fiscal ability to provide assistance as they have for Indians under the Constitution Act (1867) (not the Indian Act) Additional clarification to reason #3: Many people assume that the supreme court ruling added Metis to the Indian Act, however that is not the case. Essentially it says that the federal government can no longer use the excuse that they do not have constitutional jurisdiction (however didn't clarify whether that is specific or broad fiduciary responsibility) to Metis and non-status. A really good article that clarifies the judgement can be found here.
4. In Alberta, Métis lobbying led to the Métis Population Betterment Act (1939) which created 12 Métis colonies (four dissolved in the 1950s). This is the only constitutionally-protected Métis land base in Canada. Métis own their land in fee simple (strongest land right) and have a measure of self-government. However, this doesn't mean that all Métis ​land need to go this route.

In order to make a claim for Aboriginal title, an Aboriginal group must satisfy the following criteria: (i) the land must have been occupied prior to sovereignty, (ii) there must be a continuity between present and pre-sovereignty occupation, and (iii) at the time of sovereignty, that occupation must have been exclusive. You may be asking, how can Métis have Aboriginal title, aren't they are result of the fur trade? Well they are but the fur trade began a hundred years before Canada became a sovereign nation (which varies province to province). Canada is 150 years old, the Métis became a Nation about 200 years ago, and the fur trade began roughly 250 years ago. When Rupertsland was sold to become Canada, it was done so without either the Métis, First Nation or Inuit Nations' consent and without extinguishment of their Aboriginal title. If you'd like to learn more about intricacies of Métis land title click here. 

Why did I go on that tangent? It's now my personal opinion that any land acknowledgment should be reflective of the unique and unceded territory of the Métis people. I am by no means an expert so if you disagree with my conclusion please feel free to correct me. To be fair, an act a day doesn't exactly allow for extensive research. 

Land Acknowledgements:

• I'd like to start by recognizing that we have gathered today in Treaty 8, the traditional territory of the Cree, Dene and Métis people. 
• I'd like to acknowledge that we are within Treaty 8, the traditional territory of the Cree and Dene Nations as well as the unceded territory of the Métis people.
• Click here for a list of the land acknowledgments by post-secondary institutions across Canada. 

This past weekend I had the opportunity to travel to Fort Chipewyan to attend the last two days of the Holy Angels Commemoration Memorial. While the Residential School building is no longer standing, the impacts it left on the community and generations of former students is undeniable. This school was called the Convent of Holy Angels Indian Residential School and was open from 1902 to 1974 (a smaller school was started earlier though). It's others names were Holy Angels Indian Residential School, Our Lady of Victoria Indian Residential School, Fort Chipewyan and École des Saints-Anges. Every one of its names are forever etched in my mind. It was operated by the Grey Nuns and Oblates of the Roman Catholic Church, the sisters and brothers mostly originated from Montreal, where the majority of the records about this school are currently located (and should be handed over to the Truth and Reconciliation Centre). The sole purpose of the Holy Angels school was to assimilate children of their Cree, Dene and Metis culture and language in North Eastern Alberta. It is important to note that some students from the region were sent further to other residential schools (St. Henri in Fort Vermillion and Blue Quills in St. Paul).

Today, the site of the Holy Angels Residential School has been repurposed and reclaimed for community celebrations and cultural retention. Aside from the arbour, the rest of the area is practically frozen in time. Wherever you walked, you are surrounded by barbed wire fences, serving as a stark reminder that the school was a prison and those fences were there to keep children, as young as 6, imprisoned. Having visited some of the homes along the Athabasca River, I think of how quiet and sad the communities and homes of parents and grandparents would be. There are several books that consider what life would be like if birth rates declined or just stopped (Children of Men and Handmaid's Tale). I have trouble imagining what my street would sound like without the laughter and shrieks from the neighbourhood children.

Healing is slow, but it underway, this weekend was an example of the incredible strength of former students and their families. We sat in talking circles and listened to their stories and about how they found a way to love and be loved despite being brought up without compassion or parents. Having the gathering at the site of the school and taking it back as a place to share traditional ways of life such as feasting, beading and speaking Indigenous languages is testament to this communities' cultural endurance. It is an honour and privilege to have been welcomed into this community for the last seven years. If you are reading this and want to take a trip to Fort Chipewyan please do, you can go by boat, plane or on the winter road. Go for a day or overnight and see for yourself how this incredible Indigenous community continues to thrive.

The second podcast was the first episode of Kanada Pod hosted by Lisa Gibrav recorded on the unceded Coast Salish Territory at the Kanata Festival in Vancouver. In this episode, Ryan McMahon and Gibrav talked in depth about Canada 150, Canada 300 and what needs to happen in between.

On July 1, 1867 the Eastern British colonies united without the proper consultation with Indigenous people, which was followed by the Western provinces joining the nation we now know as Canada. 150 is a celebration of the 150 years sovereignty over the land mass of Canada. What that celebration is missing is recognition of the original inhabitants, their dispossession and genocide within that 150 years and the treaty promises and contractual obligations of Canada. McMahon reminded us about the two row wampum treaties, where both parties agreed to co-exist in harmony but separately. His analogy was "you stay in your canoe and I'll stay in mine". These foundational agreements that led to prosperity through the fur trade was swiftly forgotten with the establishment of the Canadian government. It's subjugation and enslavement of Indigenous communities and the cowardly targeting of Indigenous children had one goal: to espouse colonial assimilation and break the bond of uncivilized lifestyle.

Gibrav and McMahon discussed how Indigenous people turtle island wide all saw the plans for 150 and asked how could we possibly celebrate colonization and the systemic attack on Indigenous way of life. An example was the 66 year ban on potlatches or the residential school system. McMahon sounded encouraged when he described the Indigenous response to 150, describing Indigenous people as having become "emboldened" and the opportunity we have to align our priorities and discourse. The challenge is now that the year of 150 has commenced, which he identifies rightly as July 1, 2017 to July 1, 2018, how are we as Indigenous people are going to ensure the conversation about decolonization and Indigenous liberation continues throughout the full year, setting the foundation for the next 150.

The vision for Canada 300 is a celebration of the diversity within Canada, that before 2167, we similar to Europe, encourage the exploration within Canada and the difference Nations here - there are 64 different language groups in Canada, each with numerous languages, and future each language their own songs, laws, traditions and civilizations . I'm from Northen Alberta myself and I've always wanted to learn more about Dakota or Blackfoot cultures this is my opportunity to explore the diversity within Alberta itself, in Wood Buffalo we have Metis, Dene and Cree as well as visitors from other Indigneous nations within our region - let's celebrate our Indigneous diversity.

Both McMahon and Gibrav agreed that for the next 150 years to see positive change that non-Indigneous Canadian "keep and open heart and mind to Indigneous liberation". We are the strongest we have ever been as Indigneous people, with more Indigneous university students than ever. with more doctors and lawyers than ever and with people returning to the land. Opportunities such as urban reserves and resurgence of Indigneous languages will give our youth the foundation they need to forge their way forward. McMahon's vision for the next 150 is a safe place to live for our youth, Gibrav expanded on that vision challenging the country and Indigenous sovereign governments to address (instead of coping with) the underlying societal problems that have led to those safety concerns. Further they challenged Indigneous people and allies, those with "a strong heart to come up to the front of the line" of #resistance150.

Crystal Fraser is a PhD Candidate in History at the University of Alberta and Gwichya Gwich’in from Inuvik and Dachan Choo Gèhnjik, Northwest Territories. Her research focuses on the history of residential schools in the Canadian North during the postwar period. Dr. Sara Komarnisky is a post-doctoral fellow in History at the University of Alberta and is of Ukrainian settler heritage. She is an anthropologist currently researching art and craft made by Indigenous patients at Canadian “Indian Hospitals” from the 1940s to the 1960s. Together they have developed a list of 150 Acts of Reconciliation for the remaining 150 days of 2017. (http://activehistory.ca/2017/08/150-acts-of-reconciliation-for-the-last-150-days-of-canadas-150/) 

I accept the challenge to complete the list and document my learnings from each everyday act. So far I've complete #118 by sharing this list on Facebook and for #150 a week ago I made a list of 25 acts of my own making (duplications are bolded). 

150 Acts of Reconciliation

1. Learn the land acknowledgement in your region.
2. Find your local reconciliation organization.
3. If there isn’t one, consider joining together with others to start one.
4. Attend a cultural event, such as a pow wow (yes, all folks are invited to these!).
5. Purchase an item from an Indigenous artist. For instance, if you are interested in owning a dreamcatcher or a pair of moccasins, find an Indigenous artist who can craft these items for you and provide you with information about these special creations.
6. Download an Indigenous podcast, like Ryan McMahon’s Red Man Laughing or Molly Swain and Chelsea Vowel’s Métis in Space.
7. Read an autobiography written by an Indigenous person. A couple of ideas include Augie Merasty’s The Education of Augie Merasty, Maria Campbell’s Halfbreed, and Mini Adola Freeman’s Life Among the Qallunaat.
8. Find out if there was a residential school where you live.
9. Memorize its name and visit its former site.
10. Watch CBC’s Eighth Fire.
11. Choose one plant or flower in your area and learn how Indigenous people use(d) it.
12. Visit your local museum, particularly its section on Indigenous people. If it does not have one, ask the staff why not.
13. Learn a greeting in a local Indigenous language.
14. Register for the University of Alberta’s online MOOC, called “Indigenous Canada,” for free.
15. Initiate a conversation with a friend about an Indigenous issue in the news.
16. Support Black Lives Matter.
17. Eat at an Indigenous restaurant, café, or food truck.
18. Read about the Cornwallis Statue in Halifax.
19. Seriously consider your own position as a settler Canadian. Do you uphold practices that contribute to the marginalization of Indigenous peoples?
20. Learn why headdresses are not appropriate to wear at music festivals (or outside of Indigenous ceremony).
21. Find a book that delves into Indigenous local histories. (Mark of the Metis)
22. Donate to the Emerging Indigenous Voices award.
23. Although Gord Downie significantly contributed to the conversation about residential schools, consider why some Indigenous people might not support his project.
24. Visit a local Indigenous writer- or artist-in-residence.
25. When discussing LGBTQ issues, always include two-spirited peoples (LGBTQ2S*).
26. Invite your local reconciliation organization to hold a KAIROS Blanket Exercise at your place of employment.
27. Buy some books for your children that explain the histories and legacies of residential school (see CBC’s list of suggestions).
28. Ask yourself if stereotypes about Indigenous people align with your beliefs (for more on stereotypes, refer to Chelsea Vowel’s Indigenous Writes [2016]).
29. Educate yourself around the issue of carding and consider why this is an important issue for urban Indigenous populations.
30. Learn your family history. Know where your ancestors came from and when they arrived in Canada.
31. In addition, understand how your family story is part of a larger system that sought to dispossess Indigenous people from their ancestral lands.
32. Listen more. Talk less.
33. Ask your child’s school to give a daily land acknowledgement. If the Canadian national anthem is sung at their school, ask that the acknowledgement come before the anthem.
34. Acknowledge that as a nation, Canadians choose which histories are celebrated and which ones are erased.
35. Learn the difference between Indigenous, Aboriginal, First Nation, Métis, and Inuit.
36. Support local Indigenous authors by purchasing their books.
37. Research why Joseph Boyden is not Indigenous.
38. Watch an educational documentary, such as We Were Children or The Pass System.
39. Gently counter racist or stereotypical comments with fact-based information whether you are at a party, the office, or the gym.
40. Write your local councilor, MLA, or MP about the flying of Indigenous flags at local, provincial/territorial, or federal buildings.
41. Understand and acknowledge that Canada’s first prime minister, Sir John A. Macdonald, was an architect of genocide. Say that aloud with us. “John A. Macdonald was an architect of genocide.”
42. Write a letter to your local RCMP Officer in Charge or local Police Chief to inquire about how the police force is actively engaged in fostering connections with local Indigenous communities. If they are not doing so, ask that they start.
43. Show your support on social media. ‘Like’ pages and ‘share’ posts that support Indigenous endeavours.
44. Listen to Indigenous music. If you do not know any, listen to CBC’s Reclaimed. Or start with an album by Tanya Tagaq or Leonard Sumner.
45. Find the Indigenous section at your local library.
46. Read the TRC. Seriously. Start with the Calls to Action, then the Executive Summary. You can even listen to it online at #ReadtheTRC. Better yet, invite your friends or colleagues to read it with you.
47. Go and see Indigenous scholars and intellectuals speak.
48. Hire Indigenous people for positions at your workplace.
49. If you live in an area where there is a Treaty relationship, read the treaty document.
50. Write to your municipal, provincial, and federal representatives and ask them how they are implementing the Calls to Action.
51. Follow up with your representatives about the Calls to Action.
52. Read Marilyn Poitras’ reasons for resigning her Commissioner’s position with the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls’ Inquiry.
53. Find an organization locally that has upcoming programming where you can learn more. In many areas, this is the Native Friendship Centre.
54. Learn about how the child welfare system is failing Indigenous families. Write a letter to your elected representative asking for change (or be apart of the change and become an Indigenous foster/adoptive home)
55. Remember when Stephen Harper’s government sent body bags to the Wasagamack First Nation during the H1N1 influenza outbreak instead of trained medical professionals with vaccines?
56. Did you know there was a separate and inferior health care system for Indigenous peoples? Read Maureen Lux’s book, Separate Beds (2016).
57. Be aware that Indigenous people were restricted from voting in federal elections until 1960.
58. Do you have access to clean drinking water? You are lucky. Also, ‘luck’ really has nothing to do with it; these conditions were historically engineered.
59. In a country that is ‘safe,’ such as Canada, 57% of Indigenous women are sexually assaulted during their lifetimes.
60. Recall that First Nations people were forced to choose between maintaining their Status under the Indian Act and going to university or serving in the armed forces, and women lost their status by marrying a non-Indigenous person.
61. Find out who was forced out of your area before you moved there, whether centuries ago or more recently with new housing developments.
62. Imagine living for six weeks on a hunger strike, with no sustenance but broth. To get a meeting with the prime minister. Hello, Chief Theresa Spence.
63. Write to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and ask that the government implement the promises he made to Indigenous people in the 2015 election.
64. Does your child have a school nearby? Realize that it receives better funding that on-reserve schools. By at least 30%.
65. Actively seek out Indigenous heroes and role models. How about Dr. Nadine Caron, the first First Nations woman to become a surgeon? Or Métis artist, Christi Belcourt? Or a historical figure, such as Thanadelthur?
66. Do you have an Indigenous political candidate in your area? Even though they might not be affiliated with your political party of choice, phone or email them and start a conversation.
67. Who was the last Indigenous person to win the Polaris Prize?
68. Support the rights of Indigenous nations to exercise their sovereignty. For example, learn about the Haudenosaunee Confederacy passport.
69. Recognize that Indigenous legal orders and laws guiding society existed in this land before the authority of the Canadian nation state.
70. When travelling, know whose land you are visiting while on vacation or travelling for work.
71. Do more than google.
72. If you are talking about or researching Indigenous peoples, have you included any of their voices?
73. Support Indigenous parents by learning the issues that they are faced with, which are often scenarios that settler Canadians take for granted. For instance, the use of Indigenous names on government documents and how that can be problematic. But also how these ‘issues’ can be resolved by speaking out!
74. #NODAPL.
75. Yes, this all might seem scary! Keep going, if you are committed.
76. Acknowledge that current (and sometimes vexed) First Nations politics are governed by the Indian Act.
77. Learn about why the opinions of Senator Lynn Beyak are problematic.
78. Consider the diverse family forms that existed here before settlers arrived. This included strong matrilineal families in various forms, such as polyamorous relations.
79. Did you know that in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, territorial law acknowledges Indigenous custom adoptions?
80. Write Robert-Falcon Ouellette a letter of support for speaking Cree in the House of Commons.
81. This year was the twenty-seventh anniversary of the so-called ‘Oka Crisis.’ What do you know about it?
82. Ever wonder why only English and French are Canada’s official languages when there are at least sixty Indigenous languages in this land?
83. Read about the Daniels Decision and why it is important.
84. Learn about Chanie Wenjack’s story by watching this Heritage Minute. Know that his story was shared by thousands of other Indigenous children.
85. Remember that good intentions can be harmful too.
86. Did you know that Indigenous peoples had sophisticated ways of caring for our landscapes to prevent massive fires, floods, and other natural disasters? Learn more about these methods.
87. That fish you are going to catch during this long weekend? Learn the Indigenous word for it and local teachings about it.
88. Did you know that two remarkably successful Hollywood films included Indigenous actors? Watch The Revenant’s Melaw Nakeh’ko and Wonder Woman’s Eugene Brave Rock!
89. Watch Alethea Arnaquq-Baril’s Angry Inuk.
90. Hold businesses accountable to your personal ethics and ideologies.
91. Do not assume that you are entitled to attend a local sweat or other spiritual ceremony.
92. BUT if you are invited to ceremony – definitely go. This is an honour!
93. If you actually want to see the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people change, and commit to making reconciliation a part of your every-day ethos.
94. When visiting a museum, do so critically. Ask who tells the story, how that item got there, and what processes are in place around repatriation.
95. Consider the line between cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation. Chelsea Vowel has a good blogpost about this.
96. Follow @Resistance150 on Twitter and learn why Canada 150 is not something to celebrate for many Indigenous peoples. After all, Canada does not celebrate the fact that Indigenous Nations have existed in this land since Time Immemorial.
97. Observe what is celebrated and recognized in the monuments, parks, and street names in your city. Think about how public history could be told differently.
98. Learn the original names of places. Learn what places were and are important to Indigenous people.
99. Discover the world of Indigenous blogging. Zoe Todd, Erica Violet Lee, Billy-Ray Belcourt, and Chelsea Vowel are among the best.
100. Consider the words that you use. For example, do not call your group of friends a “tribe,” describe a meeting as a “pow-wow,” or call a non-Indigenous leader “Chief.”
101. Learn the stories behind some of your favourite music. For example, read about how Lillian Shirt’s grandmother may have inspired the song “Imagine” by John Lennon.
102. Visit the website of the nearest First Nation(s) or Indigenous communities. Read their short introduction and history.
103. Find opportunities to learn about how Indigenous people experience the place where you live. Look for a local speaker’s series or an online resource.
104. Volunteer your time to an Indigenous non-profit organization.
105. Support Indigenous media (newspapers, radio stations, social media sites, and TV stations).
106. If you read a news story that feeds into stereotypes, write a letter to complain and ask for Indigenous perspectives on local, national, and international news.
107. Read the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Our government has committed to implementing it.
108. Read the Indian Act.
109. Read the report on the Royal Commission of Aboriginal Peoples.
110. Is there any public art by Indigenous artists in your area? If so, visit it and learn about the artists.
111. Read In This Together: Fifteen True Stories of Real Reconciliation (2016) and write down your own “lightbulb” moment when you realized the harsh reality of colonization in Canada.
112. Make reconciliation a family project and complete items on this list together. Bring your children to events, learn words in an Indigenous language together, and organize a youth blanket exercise, for example.
113. Start your own Heart Garden with messages of support for residential school survivors.
114. Start to learn and understand cultural protocol. Know this will change according to Indigenous nation and region.
115. Commit to being a lifelong student beyond Canada 150.
116. Look up and learn about an Indigenous athlete. We have NHL players and Olympians among the mix!
117. The Bering Land bridge is one way of telling migration history. But Indigenous people have their own explanation of ancient histories and that needs to be respected. Read about these conversations here and here.
118. Share this list on social media.
119. Look for and share the positive stories about Indigenous people, not just the negative ones.
120. Invite local Indigenous people in to your event or organization.
121. Know that when you are inviting an Indigenous person in, they are often overburdened and overworked.
122. Give an honorarium if you expect an Indigenous person to contribute their time and effort.
123. Cite Indigenous authors and academics in your work.
124. Consider using Indigenous research methodologies in your work. Linda Tuhiwai Smith’s Decolonizing Methodologies (1999) is the singular most important book for this.
125. Want to incorporate Indigenous elements or policies into your workplace? Hire an Indigenous consultant.
126. Ask yourself how to support Indigenous families who have lost loved ones as the Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls unravels.
127. Seek opportunities to collaborate that span forms of both Indigenous knowledge and western knowledge.
128. Update your email signature to reflect the territory you live and work on.
129. Encourage the institution you work for or study at to formally acknowledge the territory.
130. Check out Remember, Resist, Redraw: A Radical History Poster Project. Find more about the project here and support the cause here.
131. Make a financial donation to a local Indigenous organization.
132. Get behind the initiatives to rename Langevin Block and Ryerson University and learn why this is important.
133. Support initiatives to change the racist names of sports teams. Learn why this is so important to many Indigenous people.
134. Support and celebrate the persistence of land-based economies, such as the seal hunt.
135. Read fiction by Indigenous authors. A good place to start is the most recent copy of The Malahat Review, which you can read online for free, here.
136. If you own property, revisit the documents that gave you ‘title’ to your land. Think about who has the authority to grant this title and who does not.
137. Order a “Colonialism 150” t-shirt here.
138. Next time you want to talk to an Indigenous person about their background, try your best not to frame the discussion in terms of blood quantum (i.e. how “much” Indigenous or white blood they have). Instead, ask what community they belong to and learn the name of their people.
139. Actively commit to eliminating stereotypes about Indigenous identities by gently correcting people. For instance, being “mixed blood” does not make one Métis.
140. Make a financial or in-kind contribution to the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation.
141. Contact your alma mater and inquire about the number of Indigenous people on the Board of Governors or the Senate.
142. Check out some of the videos by the 1491s for a laugh.
143. Visit Walking With Our Sisters website and discover if they are coming to your region.
144. Read about the story of one missing or murdered Indigenous woman in your region.
145. Memorize her name and learn about her life.
146. Familiarize yourself with Cindy Blackstock’s important work.
147. Find out if your local hospital has an All Nations Healing room or something similar. If not, ask your employer to help fund one.
148. Here is a shout out to all the amazing aunties, kokums, jijuus, and aagaas! Hai cho’o for your continued guidance and support.
149. Understand that reconciliation is not about “feeling guilty.” It is about knowledge, action, and justice.
150. Why stop at 150? After all, Indigenous nations are celebrating millennia on this land. Build on this list or start and share your own.

 
 

My dreams have a way of pulling me in, sometimes to my own horror. Lately I've been having a lot of dreams that would terrify me so much that I couldn't return to sleep. At 2:30 a.m. in the morning you are shining the dim light from your iPhone at the dark corner to see if any monsters are lurking there. I don't know where the dreams come from, or why they come all at once for a time. Maybe they are a way of telling me that something is wrong that needs to be righted.

Many Cree people believe that spirits visit us in our dream state. Especially those spirits that have departed from our world. Separation from the body does not necessarily mean that all ties to loved ones are disconnected. It is believed that spirits have the power to manifest themselves in other forms. Take the Northern Lights, as an example, there is a believe that it is our ancestors dancing. My grandparents were big dancers so I love that particular thought.

Various Spirits such as the Old Woman, the bear or the buffalo often enter the Sweat Lodge during prayer. At other times, depending upon our need, particular Spirits are called upon to provide us with assistance. I must need to be scared half to death. 

University of Alberta PhD candidate Crystal Fraser is releasing 150 acts of reconciliation on August 4th, 2017. ​This wonderful initiative will provide activities that anyone can do to move forward reconciliation.

I strongly believe that for reconciliation to be successful it must take place at the individual level. Imagine how far reconciliation would go if all 36.29 million people in Canada did one act each? While many are focused on organizational culture shift, we haven't put the same onus on individuals. The work of Ms. Fraser gives me hope that reconciliation will not sit on the shelf (forever floating in policy reform), instead it will be a culture resurgence. In my opinion policy does not beget culture shift, but rather culture shift must have already began in order to influence policy.

Consider the Lego movie and just swap out instructions for policies. Are we all ok being dictating to for all aspects of our lives? No, of course not! Society already has a foundation of understood laws and behaviour that pre-existed the rules of law as we know them in written form. We don't have to wait for a policy or written documentation (ahem... instructions) to begin reconciling at the individual level, we can start today (or if you want, wait until August 4th). 

I'm starting today, because I can't wait that long. I have shamelessly made my own list of twenty five acts (with handy dandy links) that we can do from home and some of which are specific to our region. We'll see how many, if any, will be duplicates with her list. 

Elena's 25 Acts of Reconciliation

1. Read about one of the forty two Truth & Reconciliation Commissions that has taken place in the world
2. Watch a youtube video on reconciliation in South Africa
3. Watch the documentary film: Long Night's Journey Into Day (2000), also about apartheid in South Africa
4. Read the treaty for where you live (Wood Buffalo is Treaty 8)
5. Ponder the interpretation of the treaties from both sides
6. Learn about our human rights & how we can protect them (Alberta & Aboriginal)
7. Read about the local history & ask an elder if it is represented correctly (Franklin Ave is named after Sir John Franklin - who I hear was especially heinous towards his Indigenous scouts)
8. Contact your local Friendship Centre and ask about volunteer opportunities
9. Get a library card (the Wood Buffalo Regional Library has an Aboriginal Corner)
10. Walk along the Total Aboriginal Interpretive Trail to learn about the 7 teachings
11. Listen to an amazing podcast called "Métis in Space" by two Métis women who decolonize the sci-fi genre
12. Read the Metis history book - Mark of the Metis - read here!
13. Make bannock & tea for lunch.
14. Make baked walleye for elders at the hospital.
15. What other Indigenous groups in the world had similar experiences of colonization? (check out: global colonization in one gif)
16. Look for the perpetrators confessions - there are very few in comparison to South Africa's TRC
17. Seek out artistic interpretation of reconciliation
18. Consider how art history portrays Indigenous people in Canada (who do we reconcile wrongful portrayals)
19. Ask yourself how a traumatic experience has impacted your life.
20. Seek out ways to mitigate the re-traumatization of former students
21. Ask former students how they prefer to be referred to or self-identify as. 
22. Become a foster home (reunite children with their families by providing a safe culturally appropriate home)
23. Find ways to build equity based supports for Indigenous organizations
24. Watch APTN news
25. Watch Rabbit Proof Fence (2002) movie about three girls who run away from a Residential Schools in Australia

What acts of reconciliation are on your list? Please share your ideas!

Further to my last post about morphing the english language to fit Indigenous pedagogy (when possible), I saw this APTN youtube video that explains how foundational language is to Indigenous values, laws and beliefs. The languages ties together the spiritual and physical world. In English, there is a line. There is the world of the physical, that we can touch, see, feel, ect... and then there is the world we can't see and there is no intersection between the two. How can we explain the circumstances where that line is blurred? Circumstances such as experiences that remind us of our ancestors or loved ones who have left.

I had a great a conversation with friends last night about our experience with mediums and phenomenon that we attribute to our dearly departed. After I got home I started to re-reading a really great book called "I'm spiritual, dammit!" by Jen Weigel. The book has the best chapter intros (two churches are having a sign battle about whether dogs go to heaven); you have to read it to get the hilariousity of the witty exchange. Weigel talks about giving yourself permission to experience the world with an appreciation for something bigger than our ourselves, and standing up to those who try to dictate, limit or belittle that very experience. Believe in the gifts that the world around you offer and you will receive their blessings. In her words, think "rockstar parking" for the best possible spot. I promise it is a very funny book, not nearly as serious as "the secret".

In my personal projects, I struggle with ethics of working from oral stories, wanting to be truthful, representative and respectful, however, also allowing myself the creative license to go where my imagination takes me. How do I become a decolonized writer and challenge myself with every word to break out of the mold of colonialism?  There are a few of bold and brilliant writers out there that have found a way. 

I've just started to read Helen Kara’s blog. I find it difficult to adequately communicate decolonized thought process and here Helen has succeeded in providing a pathway to cross the threshold in an accessible manner. Having read many of Indigenous research methodology books in university I am now appreciating that they have many other applications outside of academic research. I'm researching a historical phenomenon at the moment but as I ask questions I need to make sure that my research methods are appropriate, ethical and do not follow the classic colonialist practice of swipe and dash. I'll be ordering her book for a more in depth look at the applicability of her suggestions and decolonized practices to my personal writing projects.

Another amazing blogger (and friend), Melissa Herman, writes with raw passion and fervour. Everything I read of hers teaches me about her Dene worldview. I really appreciated these cards (pictured below) that she sent out through her fellowship work with Alberta Social Innovation encouraging language retention of both Cree and Dene in the Wood Buffalo region. With all of her (nonexistent) spare time she runs a regional language think-tank for Cree, Dene and Michif on facebook called Denésųłiné, Cree  & Michif Language Exploration/Evolution-Treaty 8 and the No More Stolen Sisters - Treaty 8/Wood Buffalo facebook page. As a English speaker, I find that the language itself is limiting in its ability to write in a decolonized space. I'm so entrenched in a particular style and habits that as I write I need to think whether what I'm writing should be written as such, choosing words extremely carefully and thoughtfully. Melissa explains that:

"many English words can only be translated into an Indigenous language through creative descriptions. Our opportunity together is to explore "new" descriptions/definitions of English words to find similarities to "new" Indigenous definitions."

How profound would Indigenous writing be if we challenged all of  writing to fully integrate Indigenous-defined descriptions/definitions. My colonized brain thinks of English as being highly descriptive with the largest vocabulary of 1,025,109 of stand alone words. English has very few suffixes or prefixes so there are certainly competitors with more complex grammar systems such as German. I'd be very interested to know what the vocabulary counts would be for Cree (all dialects), Dene and Mitchif in comparison to the colonial language systems and if this could be a real possibility. Molding English to fit Indigenous ways of describing as Melissa suggests. As we, as a country, move reconciliation forward, I truly believe that we need to identify every action, word and thought to assess how colonialism is influencing these foundational decisions and then make an informed decision.

The winter road washed out a few days ago. Ralph has a trip with the kids coming up so we needed to do some reconnaissance to see where exactly the washout was. When they say 46 miles, they actually meant 46 miles from the drop off point (which doesn't correspond at all with the km markers on our richardson backcountry maps). Any excuse to be outside really. After a week working in the office, I sure missed fresh air and sunlight, there is something really unnatural about air conditioning (unless you live out east where the air is pretty much water with all that humidity).

Washouts are pretty serious for limiting access. The firebag bridge makeshift bridge was dangerous, very dangerous (at least for the uncoordinated like myself), so make sure you understand the risks prior to passing by any official warning signs. At the Pearson Washout you couldn't help but notice a certain beauty in the destruction. It is certainly at the hand of a busy beaver. A small sandbar emerged that is just big enough for Ralph and I to enjoy our lunch with our feet in the shallow creek. The water is clear and small fish passed  us by every now and then. In the exposed culvert a family of swallows made a home, chirping every once and awhile. It was as though a new little world opened up because of the washout, a mini-eco system in the span of a week. Nature is simply amazing.

A few clams made it through the broken dam on the north of the plugged culvert. They leave long tracks in their wake - notice in the photo below the white lines with a dark line in the middle. For those of you crossing north on the make-shift bridge please stop to check for clams first, I've named them George, Sandy and Nina. Fresh water clams are few and far between so please do you part to leave them in peace.

On the way back we picked fireweed and berries. Our region has the most amazing berry picking territory - especially blueberries in late summer due to the arid sandy soil. We are fortunate to have natural raspberry patches that surround the urban service area, but to get more variety I head north to the winter road gate. There are at least five different type of edible berries (strawberries, raspberries, pin cherry, saskatoons and blueberries) as well as many inedible berries (make sure you recognize the berry before you even touch it as some can create some very serious allergic reactions or are poisonous).  

I have my own small berry patch at home but am missing Saskatoon berries and cranberries. Plus there is no way my small berry patch will get us through the winter and our goal is to avoid having to buy berries. In Wood Buffalo, we are surrounded by a berry bounty and the plan is to try out a variety of berry preservation (mostly yummy jams/jellies). Berries are well worth the effort but make sure to stay safe. Here are a few safety tips:

• Wear a bear bell or sing/talk loudly
• Crouch, instead of bend, to avoid back injuries
• Wear long sleeves and gloves (thorns)
• Wear long pants and closed toed shoes
• Wear liberal sunscreen and insect repellent (Ralph refuses to wear both unless it is really really buggy)
• Wear a hat/visor (when my head is down my sunglasses always slip off my face and it is infuriating). 

Tip: Alberta fire dousing buckets make amazing berry containers that you can clip to your belt with a carabiner.  They are soft so they don't crush the bottom berries. Remember to bring lots of plastic bags to keep line your bucket with and to store if you hit the berry jackpot!

 Last week Ralph and I journeyed north on the Athabasca River with the McMurray Metis on their annual canoe trip from Fort McKay to Fort Chipewyan. The trip is to teach Metis youth about the incredible history of the region and understand (even just a little) the physical tole of the fur trade. 

To be clear, there was no portaging of any kind, we had delicious food, comfortable tents and even a boombox for our canoe, so our eco-tourism experience was far more comfortable than that of our ancestors. My grandfather was born at Pelican Portage, a major stop for fur traders, which is just south of the Grand Rapids. These miniature homesteads and caches of supplies and shelter were the difference between life and death for some fur traders. On this trip we were fortunate to be welcomed to stay at Embarrass Portage (aka Kathy's) and Peace Point and visit the Peace River Portage that is equipped with a winch and dolly system on train tracks for portaging boats and barges. 

Portaging sounds hard, really hard, you carry all the gear in the canoe, and the canoe. As I say this, Ralph decidedly rolls his eyes at me, having been on many forays overland. In the old days the scows would be pulled by men with ropes who walked the shoreline or they would pole where the water was too deep. One thing we discovered was how much harder to paddle against the strong current of the Athabasca River. This is a task that requires stamina and attitude. The voyageurs and scow men must have had great strength and even greater substance to  navigate the great rivers and lakes to the north. 

The journey took us five days with only 6-8 hours of paddling each day. We were accompanied by three boats, Len Hansen from McKay to Kearl & Roy Vermillion and Archie Antoine for the remainder of the trip. As Athabasca just lost a young man who's canoe capsized and Fort Chipewyan tragically lost four hunters while duck hunting, it was decided to have professional guides and if needed emergency transportation. Imagine how boring it must have been for the boaters, idling at the pace of a canoe. They practically drifted faster than we paddled, 6 km hour max for days. At least in the canoe we had an activity, paddling. The rhythmic motion of paddling is surprisingly soothing, I would put my head down and paddle making a figure eight motion and finding ways to limit the drag of the wind upon my paddle when out of the water. The music helped in the last few days where the novelty of paddling wears out and you are ready to use a real toilet and sleep in a real bed. 

The music did not help with the horse flies or the mosquitos. Our last camp out on the river we stopped at this beautiful sandy bank of a creek just off of Embarass River. Cree Creek is Mosquito Mordor... full of blood sucking, ankle biting, hordes of flying monsters (if you don't know what Mordor is - read Lord of the Rings).  In the heat, the mosquitos were limited and the black flies were as they always are (there and after your open wounds). It was in the morning the next day that trillions of mosquitos who must have been hiding in the woods covered the sandy bank. We could hardly breath without inhaling at least three mosquitos each breath. Breakfast was made hastily and everyone made record time taking their tents down. Archie, our 83 year old elder and trapper, even wore a mosquito jacket (which means something outworldly is at hand). That is when the ladies on the trip experienced ankle swelling. My ankle grew to twice the size due to the poison that the bugs inject to prevent clotting too quickly. How the boys escaped this particular experience I have no idea but starting to understand why you don't hear of many women voyageurs (due to the kankle situation... and likely the child rearing business). 

I won't be going into the traditional learnings of the trip - you should go on it and learn for yourself - but it was amazing. The lives of families made along the river was incredible and so attractive. Ralph and I would love one day to live in a remote area in a cabin overlooking the water completely off-grid. He would catch us delicious fish and we'd make a wonderful life for ourselves. I do have to end this post with a bit of bragging, my man caught a dozen Goldeyes and two big Northern Pikes to feed the group (with Lenny's hooks mind you). Seeing a professional commercial fisherman, Roy, fillet a pike is an experience upon itself. It must have taken him only seconds to have two clean fillets.  Then Archie showed us the best ways to cook and eat the Goldeye, whole and from the spine. There wasn't a single piece of fish left at camp that night and we all went to bed, blissfully unaware of the mosquito attack to come. 

Picking fiddleheads is a springtime tradition for Ralph and I. We found an incredible patch along the Clearwater river, that in the early morning was magical with a  light mist over the forest floor, as magical as a place littered with unnecessary dumping can be. One day all of these amazing spots will be gone, so what can we do to protect them? Cleaning up or closing off? At what point will the protection of natural traditional sites limit access from those who use it for traditional purposes? It is a conundrum that many land users face. For us, as the new generation of land users (well... me at least he he he) how can we find that balance? 

Sometimes I feel that living a traditional lifestyle is slipping away, faster than I realize.

A year ago around this time (8:30pm) my husband, stepson and dogs were making our way through downtown Fort McMurray along with thousands of others fleeing the urban centre due to a wildfire that entered the community. I got to spend today in Fort McKay, while we headed south bound, tens of thousands headed north to the hamlet and First Nation of Fort McKay as well as many industry camps. It was amazing to hear the stories of the Fort McKay fire fighters who battled the wall of traffic on both south and north highway 63 north of Fort McMurray. 

The rural communities have shown incredible strength, resilience and togetherness over the last year (not that they didn't prior, just more noticeable to me since the fire). As Fort Chipewyan sends hundreds to return the remaining two hunters to their families, I realize how lucky we are to have one another and that the community net is figuratively and literally wide. I am often moved to tears along with my co-workers who get the honour of working with the most incredible leaders and communities of Fort Fitzerald, Fort Chipewyan, Fort McKay, Draper, Saprae Creek, Fort McMurray 468, Gregoire Lake Estates, Anzac, Janvier/Chard and Conklin. 

At today's event, we had residents from Grayling Terrace come to the Fort McKay event to thank the fire department who led the charge to save the majority of their neighbourhood. I hope to see many more Fort McMurray dwellers do the same and thank the communities who took us in. These ten communities were there for us. Yes, Boyle, Lac La Biche and many more communities in Alberta and across Canada provided us with shelter immediately as well but it was those in closest proximity who mobilized immediately, emptying their cupboards and giving up their beds for Fort McMurray residents. 

Since my last post in November, we have done some major downsizing. We sold our beautiful house on Burns and moved to Falcon. I love both neighbourhoods, they have wonderful neighbours and each offer their own benefits. We are in the process of planning a neighbourhood community association, which I honestly want for fun community events and to get to know even more neighbours. It also is beneficial for a coordinated communication strategy with other neighbourhoods and organizations. Our first event (I hope) will be the street party on June 17, 2017. I'll need help and luckily am surrounded by some incredible leaders so if you get a call with say yes!

In a community that is known to be transient and ever changing I feel that we can all work towards building that community feel for where we live. Coming from the small Town of Athabasca (max population of 3,000), as a kid, it was quite annoying that everyone knew me and talked to my parents about me and my comings and goings. As an adult, I see the safety net that I was afforded and was completely unaware of and ungrateful for. As someone who is hoping to adopt one or more children, having a community safety net becomes more and more essential.

In this last move I was so fortunate that I was moving to a neighbourhood where I had already developed friends, acquaintances and comfort. Like your first day at school, there is always that trepidation that those around you may not accept you, or worse, shun you. I hope that no one ever feels shunned on Falcon. If you do, come see me, I'll accept you.

I think of my grandfather very often, every time I see a butterfly, it reminds me that he is always with me, watching over me. I think about whether he felt his life was fulfilled, and the most importantly did know how much he was loved. I believe he was, but it give me pause to consider those two things prior to my end point, whenever that may be.

Thus, the bucket list:

• Camp at every Richardson Backcountry campground. 
  • Pearson - done
  • East Jackson - done
  • West Jackson - done
  • Twin Lakes - done
  • Herb - done
• Canoe the muskokas
• Canoe the Athabasca from Jasper to Fort Chipewyan
  
  • Fort McKay to Fort Chipewyan - done
• Hold a trapline
  
  • Trapper training - 1 done, 2 to go
• Bag a moose every 3 years
• Go marten trapping 
• Catch a lake trout
• Live on a secluded property off-grid
• Learn how to make a canoe out of birch bark
• Learn fluent Cree
  • syllabics - done
  • spoken
• Work for all levels of government 
• Write a book
• Write poetry
• Paint the rapids of the Athabasca 
• Live everyday considering what I can do to advance reconciliation

It is now November 1st, I have survived the Halloween Midnight Spree. Not because it is the night of ghosts or kids dressing up as monsters, but the night that 6 assignments were due and I did a final exam this morning. I did two final exams last Friday. It is such a relief! I can't imagine ever cramming like this again.  Maybe this is the kick in the boot-ay to better allocate my time, dedicate myself completely not just the few days before or of. 

School is important, accounting while extremely difficult for me to wrap my head around is complete. I can sigh a breath of relief that I have done what I can when I could and there is nothing left that I can do. It is now 12:21a.m., the deadline has whooshed by with me typing wrecklessly to submit every item I could do get points. It really is a game, you do this they give you points, if you get enough points you can move on to the next trial. I have played video games, ok.... one video game (Zelda) and love the sequentiality of it. You do this, reward, you do that, back you go to the beginning, no harm no foul. Academics however is not a no harm no foul, these marks will sit with me forever. If I bomb a test it will be on my permanent academic record for eternity, or at least until the University destroys them. Which makes me feel better. Ok deadline is past, I can go to bed!