My name is Ramsey Dion Linklater of Pukatawagan. I was born in The Pas, Manitoba in March of 1971. I am the middle child of the family, three girls and four boys. I grew up in Pukatawagan till I was seventeen after which I was sent out to attend school at Cranberry Portage, Frontier School Division in 1988. I attended high school at Frontier for two years where I was to meet my future wife Marlene Dawn Beardy. We were later married on February 4, 1995 at the United Church in Winnipeg.Shortly after my years in Cranberry Portage I moved to the big city of Winnipeg and enrolled at Grant Park High School where I graduated in 1991. During those years in Winnipeg I was already living with my common-law wife and had a small family that included my eldest son Curtis Beardy. I eventually moved back to Pukatawagan and worked for the local school as a teacher aid. I worked as a teacher aid for a year or so and moved back to the city. I enrolled at the University of Winnipeg Collegiate, upgrading and preparing myself for University work. I studied for a year but times were tuff and I had no choice but to move my family to Garden Hill, Manitoba where my wife was from. We lived in Garden Hill for about two years and I was given an opportunity by the local Education Authority to enroll myself in a program called Computer Applications in Business. This program was in partnership with the Human Resources Development and the Island Lake Tribal Council, all those that attended the course graduated in June 1995.
After my time spent at Island Lake, my family, now bigger relocated back to Pukatawagan, where I was offered a job by Chief Ralph Caribou to be the Housing Manager for the community. I gladly accepted the position and worked in housing for five years. During which time I also made it into local government as Band Councilor. During my holiday’s I would return to Garden Hill and spend time out in the lake fishing with friends and family. Spending time out in the wilderness is an experience like no other being out their surrounded by the beauty of nature is what appeals to me.
Other activities I en joy include volleyball and baseball but my favorite pass time is watching television. I have studied off and on for most of my life and worked to support my family the best way I knew how, but deep down I wasn’t satisfied with myself. I wanted to go back to University and here I am. I am a very happy to be given this opportunity to achieve my goal, as does my wife Marlene. I have planned to become an accountant but working in the management field made me reconsider. Now I want to teach business, something I am familiar with, but teach it at the high school level. I know its going to be a hard journey but god willing I will succeed. My motivation has always been my family and I will succeed for them as well as for myself.
Ekosi
Disastrous Day: Part 2 of Autobiography
My personal experience on disastrous days happened on March 24, 1998 at about 1 to3 in the afternoon. I started the day as I usually did but I decided not to go to work because I was under the weather. This day was to be the darkest day of my life because it was the day I lost something precious to me. I can still recall the day vividly as the events surrounding my daughter accident happened. But first lets go on night before, when I put my beautiful angel to sleep for the last time.
I recall that she wasn’t feeling well so I decided to sleep with her and to comfort her. Before both of us fell asleep I remember her telling me, "I bove you daddy!" That was the way she told me she loved me and to this day I can hear it from time to time but I long to see her. Anyway, I kissed her and put her to bed not knowing this was going to be our last night together.
The following day, all the children got up early my oldest went to school and the others got dressed to play outside. I always told my children, never to go far. Both my wife and I stayed indoors that day checking on the children on occasions. I remember waiting for the movie, The Full Monty, to start and was going to watch the movie till it was over. At about 12:45 or so I checked on my little girls and went back to watching the movie. Eventually time passed and I felt uncomfortable and concerned about the girls so I looked outside but didn’t see them anywhere. I didn’t react right away and I don’t know why. I guess I thought the girls were next door at my sister's so I thought nothing of it.
Now! Everything went to hell. My baby girl walked into the house and said to both my wife and I that her sister was in the water. I jumped up and dressed in record time and ran out the house looking for my princess. I walked all over the neighborhood calling her name, but nothing. I then took our vehicle and drove around checking each culvert in the community and still nothing. You can’t imagine how helpless I felt…it was total hell. By this time I was shaking, thinking wildly, and crying. I prayed and pleaded to God that my little girl to be fine but that wasn’t to happen. Fifteen minutes had passed before I returned home and check if my daughter had returned. Upon my return I saw my cousin dragging a canoe in the back of his truck heading toward the school culvert. It was then my fears were realized and knew what had happened. What I recall next was racing over to the culvert praying and asking myself why? I saw my wife and walked over to her and she informed me that our little angel might be in the water. She told me, two sets of tracks went along the edge of the ice and only one came back. To this day I cannot believe I didn’t see their tracks earlier.
It was about 15 – 20 minutes later they found my little girl and what I recall was falling to my knees and later holding my wife to comfort her. The officers on site took my little angel to the local detachment where we spent our time with her, crying and praying for her. This day was my darkest disastrous time of my entire life. I pray each day it does not happen to anyone else because I know it tear’s at your soul. Only God holds all the cards and as they say, "God works in mysterious ways".
Ekosi
SANDWICH PARAGRAPH EXERCISESThe other day I realized how much my pet dog meant to me...because after losing the little bugger I realized how much he meant to the family. Everyone including myself had a sense of loneliness because Shadow was gone and had wandered off. It was days before Shadow was returned and during those times I can swear hearing him bark just outside our doorway. As an owner of a cute little dog you become overprotective and weary of his whereabouts. To our surprise my wife brought Shadow home a few days after he was gone, everyone was happy and I sighed with relief.
It reminds me of the time when I was staying at my grandmother's camp.The grandchildren went along with granny to pick berries just across from here campgrounds. It was a sunny day, my grandmother asked all the children if they where interested in picking berries. All the children agreed and went along with her myself included. Anyway, that day was to be the worse day of my young innocent life. That day I apparently sat on a Beehive, it was huge and I thought I was sitting on a big rock. My older cousin Max screamed out, "Ramsey you are sitting on a Bee hive! I ignored him and thought nothing of it and continued to pick berries but suddenly Bees started to swarm around me and I jumped up and ran. My grandmother once told me not to run if you see Bee’s but I forgot. When I began to run all the boys started to run and in the process we where all stung by the Bees. With all the running and the pain of being stung I could taste the salty flavor of sweat as it dribbled down onto my lips.
The animal that represents my personality is the bear because I feel like I want to hibernate for the rest of the winter because I cannot get rid of this cold/flu I have been having for some time now. There are times that I really feel like a bear, especially when I am in a grumpy mood because I get angry easily. But on the serious side I appeal to the bear because I respect the animal for he is a survivor and a teacher of patience. When you study the bear in the spring you see that he is patient when hunting for game. You see, my father taught me patience when hunting and gives examples of doing so when hunting for animals that give you sustenance. A bear teaches man to respect him because the animal is powerful. I like the bear because he is a teacher of life.
AN ANIMAL THAT REPRESENTS MY PERSONALITYRef: The story of English video ( PBS ) Pt.1 and 5 W’s
WHO NEEDS ENGLISH?After viewing" The story of English" this morning I can agree to the concept that the English language is the universal language used today all over the world. It gives examples that the English language is influential within the working class. Furthermore, international companies throughout the world encourage their employees to learn English in order for the companies to succeed and prosper because everyone throughout the world, trades and does business using the English language. Examples involving International companies using English can be found at airports throughout the world. I understood there was at least 117 countries using English literature and speaking English at their terminals to regulate air traffic. Newspapers have also had a major influence when distributing information to the general public. There are at least 10,000 newspaper companies throughout the world that use English as a standard practice even though it is not the language of their origin.
English continues to be a factor when people are educating themselves. For example, in Britain private schools that teaches certain standards of English and has influential outcomes regarding their standings within society. Private schools that teach proper English all spoken in the same manner by all the students have an edge in society and are perceived to be more intelligent. Other areas we can look into that the English language is an important factor in today society can be found in the decoloniziation of third world countries such as India and many in Africa. The idea of being an independent nation has inspired these countries to adopt the English language as their own. Because they understand that English is the universal language spoken when conducting business. Countries such as China, Japan, Indonesia, and the Middle Eastern countries have come to the realization that English is the
tool that will help them succeed in trade and employment.Today the United States continues to be the giant in world trade and the world market. Countries throughout the world have been adopting the American standards of business. Doing so will enable them to be a viable and competitive country. All this is done because the world is realizing that English is the universal language and people will have to adopt the language in order for them to move on. Each day there are new challenges and adopting the practice of learning the English language is essential, for we do not want to fall behind. Ironically the Native American people of our country have had to learn the English language from the missionaries and attending those so called, "Moral and Religious" training sessions was a choice which was made for them and not their own. The Protestant and Catholic missionaries had a vision that included saving the Indian savages from eternal damnation. The Indian people were to learn the their customs and beliefs and for many decades natives read from the holy bibles and practiced customs foreign to them, so that they will be spared from eternal suffering and someday enter the Kingdom of God, but at what price? In order for the native people to learn English they have had to endure 100 years of torment and suffering. Adopting the English language forcefully was a terrible way to learn. The native people that attended these "Moral and Religious" training institutions lost their identity, lost their innocence, and many have lost their souls. Today Native people that attended these institutions are in the process of healing and private organizations throughout Canada are advocating for their rights as citizens of this Country and taking the churches to court for the suffering their people had to endure. I can understand the fact that the churches had good intentions and thought that what they were doing was right. I do not place blame on all the church-run institutions but I do believe that the churches must take responsibility and compensate the many natives that have suffered.
No matter what country or nationality a person comes from, I know now that the English language is an important tool to possess. If you acquire the necessary skills to master English, you will be successful in your endeavors and learning the English language is the first step.
Tansi noosisim.
A LETTER FROM AN ANCESTOR
How are you doing, my grandson? I know we did not get a chance to get know each other when you were growing up, but try understand my grandson that time has called for me and time was beyond my control. I realize I didn’t get the chance to show you the things I wanted to teach you and the stories of our family history. I urge you to ask your mother, Aunties, uncles and other family members of our family’s history. Perhaps, from there you will understand alittle about your mother’s history and your mother’s stories of our origin, stories of the family’s upbringing. I can tell you that we lived along the rivers and lakes surrounding Pukatawagan during those days only a few families were living in Pukatawagan and most families such as our own lived in traplines and surviving out of the land.I cannot tell you how I wished that I had gotten the chance to teach you the things I know and the places I have seen through me lifetime and how your grandmother and I lived in this world. You probably know that I encouraged most of your anties and uncles about music and love. How I encouraged them to seek happiness wherever it may be. Noosisim, I will have to go now and it’s been nice to talk to you and take care of yourself and your family.
WEEK 2
CONFLICT WITH NATUREHydro Development Projects Affecting Nature
I don’t have an indirect conflict with nature or wildlife; however, I have a conflict with man made structures affecting the environment and its surroundings, and how they affect people in general. For example, the current hydro development project at Island Fall’s west and up river from our community has had an impact on our region during the last 50 years or more. The hydro dam has been a damper to the inhabitants of Pukatawagan and surrounding communities for many years because of the water flow. Since the creation of the Saskatchewan hydro project at Island Falls, our community has seen many changes towards river fluctuation and seen ecological affects it has on the river system. The conflict our first nation has had with the development owners Sask-Power Corporation has always been water levels. The fluctuation our river system changes each year and the environmental effects it has on the river system cannot be changed for many years perhaps event decades. Pukatawagan has made numerous complaints to the hydro developers because Sask-Power seems unconcerned when it comes to the navigation of the river system and unconcerned over the fishing, many commercial fishermen depend on. Everything that revolves around Sask-Power CEO’s has been the profit margin. Our community continues to rely heavily on the river system. We rely on the waterways because that is where many of our community members harvest their game such as moose and other wildlife for their sustenance. Members of our community also rely on wild rice harvesting but due to flooding for the past few years many of the harvesters have lost out on potential earnings. The impacts on the shoreline have also been a factor because the large game animals move on to new breading grounds because traditional breeding grounds were either flooded out or drained out. Examples such as these is what alarmed most of the inhabitants of Pukatawagan and its surrounding communities. The impact on our surrounding areas from the fluctuation of water has been a concern as well. Community members from High Rock , Prayer River, Granville Lake, and Sandy Bay Saskatchewan are experiencing the same problems with water fluctuations and are negotiating with the same people for control of the water levels. We continue to face the same dilemma each year and each community will continue to do so until we make agreements with the hydro developers. We continue to fight against the profit margins because the hydro developer seems unconcerned over our river problems and the ecological effects it has up and down river of their dam. So we often ask ourselves, "what do we do next?" Until we come to an agreement with Sask-Power we will continue our current practices and adapt to the river fluctuations, continue to find new ways to feed our families, and find other income sources other than wild rice harvesting. All these problems can be avoided if only the industrial tycoons will listen to reason.
YUKON PASSAGEAn expedition set by four urban explorers embark on the famous Yukon Passage that will take them from the coast of the Pacific ocean near the community of Diey, Alaska to a small remote community of Marko, Alaska. These explorers will trek through a 1,800-mile journey along the Yukon River; the same passage earlier prospectors went through 100 years before them in search of gold. Paul Cruz, Jim Wallace, Bob Clark, and Keith Trick begin their journey in early June and must hike over the Chocook pass to reach the banks of the Yukon River. During the hike up the mountainous terrain the explorers come up to an old community settlement long since abandoned by the inhabitants of the gold rush. These small communities were used long ago to build boat and rafts by thousands of prospectors to begin their trek along the Yukon River in search of their fortunes.
The modern explores have reached the banks of the Yukon River and now must build a raft that will take them from there current position and down river as far as they can go before freeze up. Harvesting the logs needed for the raft is no easy task; they must hike up river from their camp in order for them to get the proper logs that they need for the raft. It will take the men two days to cut and haul 20 logs and one extra day to haul the logs to the camp down river before the building process begins. After the men have completed the raft that will take them along the Yukon Passage it will have weighed 10 tons. The Diameter of the raft will have been 30 ft wide by 38 ft long and take 48 pegs to fasten and have a complete mast. It is now June 8 and the crew is on their way down river to their first stop in Dawson. Before they reach their destination they encounter navigation problem along the river, the crew will have to navigate through sandbars and debris scattered along the river and this wasn’t an easy task. On top of these obstacles they will have had to pass the famous five finger rapids where Mounties long ago guarded this post when the gold rush was in full swing to prevent people from drowning. During the trip through the infamous rapids the crew will do repairs to the raft because of the damages they encountered when passing 5 Finger Rapids. July 19th the crew reaches to town of Dawson. After two months and many miles along the river the boys decide to unwind and have fun. It is said that prospectors during the gold rush took out over 50 million dollars in gold out of the region surrounding Dawson. Each year the local folks celebrate the discovery of gold and of the Klondike days. The four men join in the celebrations and the sporting events and have fun doing so.
After their brief stop in Dawson the explorers move on and part with the town folks. Ten days later the explorers reach the border and take in the sights, the beauty of the Yukon River. The crew meets a family living along the Yukon River and they find that the settlers live off the land only getting provisions once or twice a year. They also learn that the family grow their own vegetables and fish along the river with a unique invention they use to catch fish. It is now the fall season and the nights are longer and the crew reflects on their journey along the Yukon Passage. September 11 the four explorers worry about the freeze up and decide that it is now time to part with the raft and build a cabin. It takes the crew four weeks to complete the cabin and even build a cabin sauna too. October 28 the snow begins to accumulate but the crew is not worried because they have completed their shelter and are warm inside their cabin. The explorers wait for freeze up and during that time they sit around and wait. December 15th the river has froze and now it’s time to travel the rest of the way by dog team. An Eskimo friend arrives in the camp to guild the explorers for the remaining 500 miles to their destination. December 25th the crew spends Christmas in the bush with tea and fish shared with the dogs. 1,800 miles and 8 months later the men have completed their journey. The explorers have now passed through rough rivers and lakes, have made personal achievements and new friends, and have defeated the cold weather in northern Alaska to reach their final destination of Marko, Alaska. The journey through the Yukon Passage is now over and the men return to civilization, back to their families, wherever that may be.
The end.
You cannot believe what I have been through today. I started my day with my greenhorn owner taking me out in the country, abusing me, going through obstacles thinking I am a tank and of all things thinking that I can float. Put him in my shoes, does he really think he can walk on water? Seriously, this guy had me skimming on water thinking I will float. Really, where does he get these ideas? I weigh at least 400 pounds and can go about 100 mph. Were does he get off thinking I won’t get damaged? Does he have millions to repair me when my internal hardware breaks down? He also thinks I can fly. This guy must be crazy! If he wanted to fly, he should have bought himself a plane and not a ski-doo. I am made to glide through snow not ramp over roads and fences and of all things outhouses? I am a recreational vehicle not a plane or a boat. Seriously, I think my owner has to get is priorities straight. I’m a delicate machine who needs some T.L.C and not a toy that is to be abused. I have feelings too you know. Would someone do me this one favor and please knock some sense into my owner’s head. Tell him a ski-doo isn’t a flying contraption and a ski-doo does not walk on water. Do me this favor and shoot my owner before he does me in!
THE SNOWMOBILE AND THE GREENHORNThe only suspenseful event that comes to mind would be the time I went on a hunting trip with my father when I was about 13 years old. During those days I didn’t know the first thing about hunting especially when hunting for large game animals such as the Moose. Anyhow, our little excursion started on the 15th-16th of October and we had to travel four hours down river from our community to reach a certain hunting area that my father knew of. He told me that he came over a week before tracking moose in the area. Of course I got excited knowing that I was going to see a moose for the first time. Mind you I had the opportunity to do so years earlier but being a young man I wanted to spend most of my time with my friends. Our day started like any other, waking up early and having breakfast. The night before we pitched camp and listened out for moose to call but there wasn’t any calling to be heard. A few hours later, my father informs me that he was going out across from our camp and that he will be in visual distance. I reluctantly agreed and he was off, paddling across where he had tracked a week earlier. I watch as he paddled across and suddenly I heard twigs breaking behind me. At first I was scared and wanted to cry out to my father but I didn’t. I didn’t want my father to think I was afraid of being alone. But deep down I was. The noise from behind me grew louder and thought it might be Windigo! Now my heart was racing. I didn’t know what to do. I looked across the lake and saw my father leaning over, tracking Moose. I then looked over to the trees behind me and saw nothing, but to my surprised a big Bull Moose appeared from out of the brush. I froze! I was scared and couldn’t do anything. I remember looking to my side wishing my father gazed my way to see that a Bull Moose was at our camp. Eventually he did and paddled as fast as he could back to the camp screaming at me to get down. But I still froze. I didn’t want that big animal to think I was a predator and attack. So I stood my ground and waited for the moose to react but he didn’t. I then looked over to see where my father was at and he was just a half way back by then the moose walked over to the edge of the tree line and my father yelled, "Get the guns! Get the guns!" I ran over to the tent, met my father by the shore and we ran over toward the moose and started shooting. At first I could see that the wounds from the gunshots where huge and I thought it wouldn’t be long till we skin the animal. My father kept on shooting but the moose wouldn’t fall, despite it being hit more than seven times. I remember seeing my father stare at the animal and quietly thinking, perhaps wondering when this animal was going to die. About 10 minutes later my father and I walked over to the area the moose was at last and could see that it had bled quite a bit. It was only a matter of time before we found the animal but to our surprise it kept moving further toward the bush. By now my father was worried and said that we were to quickly pack our belongings and move out of the area because he said that this may have been a bad omen that we were shooting. I listened to my father and saw that he too was scared and mentioned that his father encountered the same thing when he was hunting in the same area many years earlier. Today I often think of that day and wonder about the folk tales told to me by my father and older relatives and I can say that I believe the legends told by elders of these creatures or mystic animals. I guess that day will count as my suspenseful day because of the moose encounter and the strange events surrounding our expedition.
A SUSPENSEFUL EVENT
TRADITIONAL BURIAL CEREMONIESThe traditions and culture of burial sites in our region varies with territory. Before the arrival of the missionaries our people moved around a lot and had their relatives buried where they lived at the time. I cannot really say that I know of all the areas but my father tells me that when a member of the community passes away members of the community make preparations for the deceased along the rivers and lakes where they traveled. So that members passing through can pay their respects to the deceased. This practice has been around for many years, a tradition that was passed by the old people. It was their way of ensuring that the person or persons would not be forgotten. Traditional areas such as Prayer River, Granville Lake, Russell Lake, Hughes Lake, and Duck Lake and many other areas where used by our people to bury there dead. Many of our people visit these sites annually to pay their respects and visit the old settlements and share stories behind the inhabitants of the place. With the introduction of
the missionaries and the Catholic Church our community members put to rest their deceased families at our local cemetery. I guess you can say that this tradition will never change.
A MEMORABLE HUMAN CONFLICTI remember when our local community stood behind our leader Mr. Ralph Caribou when he approached the Department of Indian Affair and demanded that they take interest at our housing shortage in 1995-96. I was a part of that antorauge when we protested outside the Manitoba legislature and at the Indian and Northern Affairs building in downtown Winnipeg. The process of negotiations at the time was at a standstill, so our Chief Mr. Caribou initiated the plan to hold up at the buildings I mentioned and also take the protest one step further. Our group of about 30 to 50 people set camp at the Forks site in Winnipeg. I suppose you could say that doing so the Department of Indian Affairs will have had to speed up the process of providing Mathias Colomb the housing it was requesting for. The whole ordeal of camping out at the Forks was a great idea and it attracted a lot of attention from the community of Winnipeg and abroad. We had supporters staying at our makeshift camp along side us and I personally found that to be great. Knowing the pressure was against the INAC officials the Minister of Indian Affairs announced that our community would receive the funding it required to build houses. The idea set by Mr. Caribou was a good one and I respect how he dealt with the situation his people were going through. It is very rare that a leader such as he takes the initiative and fight for our rights as native people. I am glad that he took the role and remind the Canadian government that they signed treaties with native people and doing so promised that we were to be given certain rights as long as the grass grows and the river flows. I was honored to be a part of the conflict we had with the government officials it proved that we are strong when we are united.
CHANGING VIEWS AND TASTESWell my childhood was an entertaining and frightening experience like no other. I grew up on the south side of our reservation called Neyah and I was basically a child screaming for attention. I grew up without the expensive toys children have today in those days you had to use your imagination when you were playing and toys were what you can say a status symbol when you had any. If you were privileged with having a toy in your possession you were basically the person to be around with. Many of the toys we played with where built by ourselves and we always took pride in whatever we fixed to play with and we usually played hours on end with these toys of ours. In those days we didn’t have the comfort of playing with Nintendo or Play Station games, we basically stayed outdoors for the entire day playing in the woods and keeping to ourselves busy. Growing up in Pukatawagan was both hard and dangerous anyone who says otherwise isn’t telling the truth. I grew up around violence and it was an everyday thing during my youth. Pukatawagan was known to the outside world as Dodge City, a term used by folk’s in the south as a violent place to live and it was. I can remember many violent events that I have witnessed throughout my childhood and still to this day I cannot believe the things people got away with. I have seen people beaten to a pulp, seen people stabbed, and even seen people shooting other people. Violence around you was an everyday experience and you as a person had to adapt to the situations around you. I guess you can say it bothered me but I wasn’t worried about my safety because children such as I roamed around as groups. We felt safer doing so. I can write on and on about the people that bug me today, because these are the same people that were violent to others, and those were the same people that terrified us children. Nowadays they think they are better than everybody because they quit drinking and quit doing drugs but fail to realize how many people they hurt during the time they were drinking and doing drugs.
There wasn’t too much entertainment or movies or recreation in those days. My friends and I stuck together and kept each other busy. I stayed in school because I knew it was a way out of the community. After finishing school here in Pukatawagan I moved away an attended school in Cranberry Portage, now that was a place to be. I met new friends while I was in Cranberry and traveled to many towns because I was in the Volleyball and Basketball teams. I don’t think I will ever forget my time in Cranberry because those years were my best years. I eventually finished high school in Winnipeg and moved around before returning to Pukatawagan. I worked for the local government in housing for five years and have been a Councillor for one term in Pukatawagan which was a learning experience. Today I am back in school attending University, what I always wanted to do but wasn’t given the opportunity and now that I have I promised myself that I wasn’t going to fail.
The pros and cons of leaving Pukatawagan to live in the city would include the following: The pros would be the living expenses, one would find it a lot cheaper to purchase groceries and clothing for a whole family. Other examples of the comforts of living in the city would be the entertainment one could go the movies or nightclubs etc. A person would have a variety of place to go and more people to meet and again its cheaper to live outside of Pukatawagan. On the other hand the disadvantage of leaving Pukatawagan for the city would include the loneliness one experiences when living away from their home community. Also having to adopt curtain schedules like the bus to commute from one area to another, I always found that to be a hassle especially when the weather turns 40 below zero. But the worst thing about living or moving to a large city would be the isolation of not knowing anyone. You feel so alone and feel claustrophobic. These are what I find to be the pros and cons of leaving Pukatawagan and moving to a city or town.
PROS AND CONS OF PUKATAWAGAN OVER THE CITYThe way I see what life will be like 40 years from now will likely consist of foreign people and industries intruding within our territories bring with it northern industrial development. This will bring along problems for our community and have a sever impact on our region as a whole. Future developments of new roads will bring in mines, hydro development projects, logging contracts and resorts into our territory. The industrial development will bring problems within our reserve because as I see it today our leadership is not ready to control industrial development projects. Our future council must educate themselves to prepare them for future intrusions within our lands. Our current government here in Canada has started this process with the introduction of the Treaty Land Entitlement agreement, in which we are already fighting amongst one another for land rights. We have seen time after time that our people have been cheated out of their lands and our people have suffered from industrialized projects in the past. What I see 40 years from now is a different Pukatawagan, I see our people fighting amongst themselves for control and power and do not care for the people in general. What I see is a bad dream that I hope our people prepare themselves for this. This is what I see 40 years from now.
FORTY YEARS FROM NOWMy best characteristics would be: having patience; caring about other people; and the love for my family. The three worst characteristics would include my intolerance toward people that are negative; my procrastination; and my weekend behavior. The accomplishments that I’m proud of is, my children acknowledging the love I give to them and reminding me that they always come first. Because I
AUTOBIOGRAPHY CONTINUED
have the support I need from my family I have set goals I thought weren’t possible. My immediate goal today is to become a teacher. I want to teach business at our local high school in Pukatawagan. I always was influenced my previous educators in the past and want to do the same for our younger generation.As a small child, my memorable place would be the old school in our community. It was a place I found refuge. I enjoyed going to school as a young man because I realized it was a place of peace, and happiness. Outside the walls of the school I found myself a target to the violence plaguing our Community. Pukatawagan in those days was a violent community and I thank god that it has changed over the years, thank god because I did not want my children to live in fear the way I did and of being hit or yelled at by strangers. The local school was where I found kindness, it was where I found friendship, and was a place away from the chaos of the outside world. The old school is now gone but the memories I have will never leave me because my memory of caring friends will be in my heart forever.
A MEMORABLE TIME AND PLACE FROM MY CHILDHOODThe person I would like to mention about is Mr. Charlie Bighettty. He is an elder in our community and is respected by many people. Charlie is a relative of mine through my grandmother side. He was born in Pukatawagan and lived most of his life here. He has been an outgoing person making people laugh and entertaining others. Mr. Bighetty is the kind of person that will make you laugh during your worse days. I enjoy Charlie’s company and enjoy his jokes very much. He often jokes about his past and incidents from his childhood and things he had seen while growing up in Pukatawagan. Mr. Bighetty still lives down by the old neighborhood and still entertains people, joking and making people laugh. He is a colorful character and he will always be one in my books.
A RESPECTED ELDER FROM OUR COMMUNITY
AUTOBIOGRAPHY CONTINUEDThe three best characteristics I have are love for my wife and children, patience, and respect for other people who are deserving of it. My three worst characteristics are procrastination, my weekend activities, and my intolerance for ignorant people. I can agree that my family has played a significant role in my life because they motivate me to become a better person and they motivate me to provide for them so that they will be comfortable and live a comfortable life. In the past my family has helped in the success of myself obtaining my secondary degree and encourage me to finish my education degree. Past accomplishments that I am proud of is the motivation I had while working for the community as the housing manager for five years and also the fact that I made it into local band government and the successfull negotiating for 33 trailers for the homeless people of Pukatawagan. My future goals include the completion of my Education Degree and perhaps, a Masters in Business. My long-term goal is to teach Business at the high school level.
I remember when our community was hosting a fishing derby some yea’s back. During that time I was an advid fisherman, going out on the boat and catching northern pike. The species of fish that was to catch was the northern pike, so I thought I would enter myself into the tournament and invite my brothers to join me. Both my brothers along with my cousin Allen went out with me and I didn’t know that I was going to win that day.
A MEMORABLE ACTIVITY IN PUKATAWAGANAnyhow, our group started the derby late because Allen had to put on his outdoor makeup, we were stalled about and hour and a half but eventually we were off. We agreed that we go up river to Blood Stone and fish around our so called secret fishing spot. We fished all day and didn’t do well, but toward evening at about six o’clock we started catching fish. We trolled along the shore and saw huge northern pike feeding around the shoreline. We quickly changed our lures to spinner baits and to our surprise we were catching them left and right. The deadline for weighing fish was fast approaching and we had to hurry and catch whatever we could for weigh in. Before long, everyone in our group caught something big and I was the lucky guy who caught the biggest of all the fish for our group. It was now around seven o’clock and it was time to return to the community for the weigh in. All the contestants were all waiting by the weigh in station when we arrived and all were looking our way wondering what we had
caught. At first, I thought we were late and I yelled up to the judges and asked if it was too late and he replied that we had another five minutes before the deadline. We raced up the hill the weigh in station and could see that the contestants were surprised of our catch and said that our boat was going to win. It turned out that all the guys on my boat won something. I won first prized with a weigh in of 24.5 lbs, and my brother came in second with 19.03 lbs, and finally my other brother and cousin shared third with their weigh in of 19.01 lbs. That day we cleared at total cash value of $650 dollars and a bunch of outdoor equipment which my brothers had given me. I felt the day turned out well, despite the fact that we started the fishing derby two hours later than everyone else.
A STORY FROM THE PASTA story told to me by an elder many years ago always intrigued me. It was a story of a cave they encountered while hunting, tracking a moose. He mentioned that he and his brothers were tracking a moose into the woods and had followed it for many miles. The hunters came upon a cave deep into the forest and they decided to check it out of curiosity and they all agreed. Upon entering the cave they came to a drop or hole and one of the brothers threw a stone into the hole and listened as it dropped, to his surprise he heard the rock fall down and down into the hole. He mentioned that the rock didn’t stop falling and wondered if they should continue their trek into the cavern. The oldest brother in the group decided they must continue and built a small bridge to cross the hole in the cave. When they reached the end of the cave they came across some human remains along with some animal remains. They looked around the cavern and noticed it was clean and that no bear had been around, now they looked into the wall of the cave and saw marking on the walls, scratches and marking of animal. The eldest of the brothers took out some tabacco and offered it as gift. They quickly left the area and trekked back to the campsite, upon reaching the campsite they saw just across the lake two moose standing by the shoreline. They paddled across the lake and shot at the moose and nothing Happened, I don’t really know what happened but the couldn’t kill the animals. The brothers broke camp and started on their way home, but the older brother had a feeling that someone or something was following them. Each night they camped they could hear something outside their camp watching and waiting. Each of the brothers took turns watching till morning. They eventually made iit back home without incident, but he told me that he was scared for his life and scared for his brothers. To this day he instructs me not to hunt in that area and l listed to his advice because I know this man is strong and brave and whatever scared him I do not want to encounter. The place I am talking about is not far from our community but I know not to go hunting there anytime soon and by myself. Perhaps, the cave he was talking about is some significant find for somebody but I will leave it to him or her to battle the protector of that cave. Let him worry about it.
A WORD PICTUREI recall a night in late fall, when the moon was full and the stars were glittering in the night sky. It was late September and I was out on the lake with my sister Joanne and our relative Alfred. We were out in the lake traveling along the Missinippi river hunting for ducks, geese, and if we were lucky enough a moose. We traveled down river from Pukatawagan to a place called North Channel, a fishing camp for our local commercial fisherman. It turned out that my brother Dave along with his crew where camped out at North Channel. So we decided to visit and later that evening listen out for moose nearby. I drove to a place called Big Size Bay and tracked for moose. The tracks in the area were fresh, so we stayed and listened. It wasn’t even ten minutes after we stopped that I heard a Bull Moose in the distance and I quickly started calling back. A few hours later the distance of the moose was closer and closer. My sister was excited and scared because she never heard a Bull Moose so close before. The time was 1:30 a.m. and the Bull Moose accompanied my several other moose where just up on top of a hill from our position. I could hear the young calves whining while the older cow was trying to calm them down. By now I was really excited, so was my companions and we stood still waiting for the moose to appear from the wood and go into the water, but that didn’t happen. Instead the moose stayed up in the woods and were calling out, calling out loud! You could hear the echo of their calls for miles and miles and you could also hear other boats in the vicinity traveling up and down the river, they too were either hunters or commercial fishermen. We waited patiently by the water’s edge till early morning, listening, and wondering if these moose would ever come out. We where so close I could smell the musty odor the moose and could hear the older bulls fighting for position. The night was cold but we where determined to wait it out and listen. In the distance we could also hear the howling of the wolves as they approached our area. Perhaps, this was the reason why the moose weren’t coming to the water’s edge. I briefly was upset at the wolves for disturbing our little hunt, but I realized that they too were hunting. It turned out that we didn’t get the chance to shoot at the moose but we have a memory embedded in us, so that we will remember that September morning.
One could not believe the cost of living in a northern reserve. The high cost of living in the north is a burden to the people who live here. For example, an average cost for a family to purchase groceries in a southern community would run about $ 300 for a family of four, and for a family living up north purchasing groceries at their local grocery store the cost for groceries would exceed about $1000 - $ 1200 per month. This is not adding on other expenses families must pay. Another example of high cost when living in a northern reserve would be Hydro this expense alone runs about $ 200 – 500 per month and expenses such as rent in a northern community runs about $243- 750 per month for a four bed room house or room. Examples such as these are proof that our government should consider raising family supplements for northern residents living in Canada.
LIFE ON A NORTHERN RESERVE: COSTS OF LIVINGWhen asking for directions to reach our community of Pukatawagan via winter road, I simply tell them to follow the big semi trucks leaving the town of The Pas and follow them north to the junction of Sheriton. After you reach the junction of Sheriton follow the semi trucks on that road cautiously till you come to a fork on the road informing you that the winter road in Pukatawagan is this way. When you reach this sign follow the single road along our highway and stay to your right. If you should get lost do not panic, remain calm and simply follow the empty KFC boxed and Beer cans or bottles till you reach Pukatawagan. There you go, you are now entering Indian Territory.
HOW TO REACH PUKATAWAGAN VIA WINTER ROADThe picture that comes to mind would be the time my parents were renewing their vows. It was their 25th Anniversary and my father wanted to marry my mother once again. The ceremony took place at my grandparent home and all the family attended. It really meant a lot to my father that he renew their vows because he know that his father was ill and he didn’t think that my grandfather was going to live much longer. I participated in the ceremony reading notes from the bible for my parent 25 Anniversary. My grandfather is gone now and I miss him a great deal. I thank my father for what he had done and I guess you can say that I have a keepsake from that time. My grandfather’s name was Joseph Linkater. I named my eldest son after my grandfather and my father because they share the same name. My brothers call my son Josephis which was my grandfather nickname.
A FAVOURITE PICTURE
LETTER TO THE EDITOREditor of the Grass Roots
I read the interview you had with the Minister of Indian Affairs, Robert Nault when he commented that the housing situation in Northern Manitoba was in good standings. One couldn’t fathom the out right lie Mr. Nault portrayed. In our community of Pukatawagan we have continue to lobby to the Department of Indian Affairs of our shortage in housing. Our community is faced with overcrowded homes throughout Pukatawagan. At an average our community has about 10-14 people living in each home. If the Minister Robert Nault was to live in those conditions he would probably pull out all his hair due to stress related situations. I would strongly recommend that you contact Minister Nault and inform him that his interview you had with him was an out right lie. Furthermore, I would recommend that he apologize to the native leadership of Manitoba for his statements made earlier. If the Minister say the housing situation in northern Manitoba is taken care of, let us see the commitment on his part, and take care of the housing shortage throughout Northern Manitoba.
Ekosi, Thank you.
Ramsey Linklater
Mathias Colomb Cree Nation
TRADITIONSRecently our community has taken back traditions that were long since gone. Some of your community members have taken up the ceremonial traditions of dancing. It has been many years since our community members took up dancing and it has been many years since our community took up singing. The concepts of our traditional teachings have been silenced for many years and today one could see the rebirth of these traditions: traditional dancing, traditional singing, and traditional medicine. Practices long since gone are reborn through our generation. I am proud to say that we natives are reborn here in Pukatawagan and proud to say that we have dancers participating in pow-wows throughout Manitoba and abroad. It only takes a few to revive what was once lost and bring it back to our people to teach the next generation how important traditions are. We will have to see if the next generation is willing to stand strong and lead future generations. We must teach the next generation the importance of being a human being. We are a strong people, we are a strong nation let us keep it that way for our future.
PUKATAWAGAN HISTORY
Pakitahokani Ithiniwak
By
Ramsey Linklater
B.G.S StudentMathias Colomb Cree Nation also known a Pukatawagan ( A cree word meaning fishing place ) is located in northern Manitoba. Pukatawagan is located approximately 700 kilometers northwest from the city of Winnipeg and 220 air miles north of The Pas. Pukatawagan is accessible by air with daily serves into Pukatawagan by locally owned Beaver Air Ltd. and is also accessible year round by rail. The current population of Pukatawagan is 1800 on-reserve and about 350-500 off-reserve.
The community of Pukatawagan is a signatory to treaty 6 which was signed by the woodland cree, stoney cree and other First Nations living in northern Saskatchewan dating back to August 23-28 and September 9,1876. Our First Nation was an adhesion to the Treaty signed on August 10,1898.
The members of Pukatawagan originally relocated from the settlements near Montreal Lake, Saskatchewan. Our leader Mathias Colomb moved his people down river from Saskatchewan to their first settlement in Manitoba called Prayer River and Highrock. The inhabitant of Prayer River and Highrock lived 40-50 miles down river and later moved into our current location of Pukatawagan.
The reason(s) why the members relocated from the Highrock valley was due to poor fishing and hunting. The old people were forced to move up river into Pukawagan, thus its name, “A fishing place.” It was this reason the people of Pukatawagan settled here in the early 1900s because of the abundance of fish and game within the region. Eventually the members of Mathias Colomb settled here permanently.
The Mathias Colomb Cree Nation is named after our historical leader that put his people first above anything else he was the key figure in establishing the community of Pukatawagan. Mathias Colomb was a leader till his passing in the early or mid 1900s. His successor was his eldest son Solomon Colomb later followed by community members that showed leadership skills. Leaders such as he took the role in maintaining a strong bond with its people and stood together through tough and sometimes painful times.
It is the elders of Pukatawagan that built a strong community to what it is now. It is the past leadership that put the foundations for future leaders to play the all-important role of leading a community.
The Mathias Colomb Cree Nation Government puts the people first before anything. The mission statement quoted by Chief Pascall Bighetty reads: “Our mission is to promote and achieve self-government; we are committed to achieve success by way of trust, respect, understanding and co-operation with band membership which leads to order of good government.”
The Mathias Colomb Cree Nation provides the following services to its membership through its administration. The administration includes the following:
1. Social Services 7. Membership
2. Housing Authority 8. Employment Programs
3. Health Authority 9. Economic Developments
4. Education Authority 10. Recreation
5. Child and Family 11. Policing
6. Lands and Trust 12. Fire SafetyPukatawagan also has its own O&M department servicing the community and also owns a construction company. (Missinippi Construction Ltd.)
Each department administers their programs following Mathias Colomb’s Cree Nation policies and procedures. The Council Portfolio Reports on programs he/she is responsible for to the Chief and Council and to its membership on a monthly basis.
The political affiliations Mathias Colomb Cree Nation is apart of include the following:
Swampy Cree Tribal Council
Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs
Assembly of First Nations
Manitoba Keewatanowi Okmakanak
MLA’s for the Flin Flon and Rupertsland riding
The Mathias Colomb Cree Nation also has satellite communities throughout Manitoba and Saskatchewan. These communities include members from the Mathias Colomb Cree Nation. The locations of the satellite communities are:
Prayer River ( original settlement)
High Rock ( original settlement)
Whitewater Cree Nation ( Saskatchewan )
Granville Lake ( Manitoba )
Black Sturgeon First Nation ( Manitoba )This is a brief history of Pukatawagan, its people, and its government structure. If you would like to find out more about the community of Pukatawagan visit our web site at www.angelfire.com/trek/puk
We have included photos of historical places and events.Ekosi, Thank you,
FAMILY PHOTO GALLERY
