Spring Snowshoe Walk

I left February 15 and we came home March 1. We made it to the base of the Mealy Mountains. The weather has changed a lot and the snow is very soft. To go up the mountain you have to cross back and forth over a stream and there were a lot of holes. It would have been very dangerous for the children. We didn’t have too many helpers either. I also wanted to be back in the community for some panel discussion and meetings regarding the Hydro dam.

I felt a bit sad coming home, since we didn’t make it all the way to Pants Lake. I was still happy to have walked again though. Even though our group was small, there were 10 of us when we started; I felt there were many people supporting us. I do this for the young children.

I am happy everything went well. Two of my young grandchildren came with me—one 5 year old and one 4. Sometimes they walked and sometimes they went on the skidoo with their grandfather. I’m glad they didn’t give up. We finished as far as we could go because the weather was not too good this year. I am a bit tired now, but will write more later. Thank you.

Labradorian Photos

From the February 21, 2011 edition of the Labradorian.

Spring Walk Begins

The spring Snowshoe walk just began on Wednesday, Feb. 16. Because of the snow, the group started a day later due to lack of visibility across the lake. Here are some photos from the first day. There was a cold stretch leading up to the lake so the ice is pretty solid for corssing it. Since they began the weather has been quite mild, which is good walking weather. Please keep the group in your thoughts over the next days as they head towards Pants Lake in the Mealey Mountains!

Innu elder preparing for three-week snowshoe trek

This article appeared in the Labradorian January 31, 2011.
Click on the Title above to read the full article.

Spring Walk is coming Soon!

The weather in Labrador continues to be unpredictable these days, but hopefully the walk will go ahead as planned!

Walk to Gull Island 2010

We just finished walking to Gull Island on Tuesday. We walked for one week. We had a very good time. The weather was good, the land beautiful and my grandchildren were with me. Some of my children joined me for the last day. I will put up more pictures and write a little more later. I am very happy we were able to walk again this fall. It is so important that people know we are still opposing the damns. They are moving too fast, rushing to get started. They need to wait until the Innu have decided what we want.

Chruchill Development Beginning Prematurely

Letter to the Editor of "The Labradorian"

I’m very confused and angry. Why has the government and Hydro started preparing for the dams already? There has been no vote or referendum. The people have not agreed to this and yet it looks like the government is already starting. At Muskrat Falls they have started cutting trees and from the dump road they are making it new in order to bring their machines through. Aren’t they supposed to wait until the Innu people make a decision? This is our land and our river. The government should wait. No one has said, “Yes, go ahead.” Why are they starting so quickly? Every time when the government starts doing a new project, like with Voisey’s Bay and now with the Churchill River Dams, they always ask the Innu youth to come and work. But they are just using them so they won’t say anything. A lot of young people from Sheshatshiu are already working cutting trees at Muskrat. Young Innu people also went to work in Voisey’s, but now there are very few Innu working there. Several years ago with the low level flying protests, many people came together to talk and to fight. But money is so strong now; it has changed people’s minds. Now even the women want more money. Yet, the more money we get, the more we fight amongst ourselves.

This summer we went on the canoe trip again along the Mista-Shipu from August 24 to September 1. There were 6 canoes and 13 people. I’ve done this 13 years now. The canoe trip is not easy. It’s very difficult work, paddling long days. I’m not doing this just for fun; I’m doing this because it’s so important to me and important for the land and my people.

Every summer when I’ve gone on the canoe trip, I feel like I’m surrounded by human beings—the trees, river, mountains—all living, growing things. It hurts me to think about all these things dying. I know animals don’t talk, but I feel like they are saying they want to live. I think about all the people who have hunted and traveled along the Mista-Shipu for all these thousands of years. When the water floods from the dam, all this will be lost. I don’t want to see again what happened in Churchill Falls so many years ago. We lost so many things—burial grounds, Innu hunting areas and many animals. I want to protect the river for all the children. There are many, many children and will be more. I don’t know how many tears I’m going to cry if I see this dam built. When I started the canoe trips, I thought it would make a difference. I feel very sad now.