Elder Garland Moses from Pic River First Nation, who was chosen as the "Elder for the weekend" in the powwow area, waits for his turn to dance. The traditional dancer wore regalia of feathers and bright colours. Moses joined many dancers from First Nations in the region at Fort William Historical Park for Anishnawbe Keeshigun. (SANDI KRASOWSKI)

Chronicle Journal Sunday Aug,19th 2007 Front Page

 

Joe Michano Wins 3rd Flight

at 2007 Junior Club Championship

Courtesy Marathon Mercury, Tues Aug 14th, 2007 Pg 9

 Northern Chief's United

Courtesy of The Anishinabek News Pg. 2

July - Aug Edition 2007

Family Circle

Courtesy of The Anishinabek News Pg.22

July - Aug Edition 2007

Courtesy Chronicle Journal

Sunday, August 5, 2007

First-time filmmaker searches for family history in residential schools film
By LISA ABEL
Sunday, August 5, 2007
From Chronicle Journal

TORONTO (CP) - Growing up in Sioux Lookout, Ont., Nadia McLaren sensed something was missing from her family history, a feeling she calls "a restlessness of an ancient sadness."

As a child, her grandmother Theresa McCraw attended St. Joseph’s, an Indian residential school in Thunder Bay, Ont.

Originally from the Ojibwa community of Heron Bay Pic River, McLaren’s grandmother rarely spoke about her experiences at the school.

"I just got bits and pieces of her story," McLaren says.

"I took this knowledge and her bits and pieces that she did tell me for granted, because I thought that I could ask my aunts and uncles about Granny’s experiences - which I did - and none of them knew."

The native residential schools began operating in the late 1800s, and it wasn’t until the late 1970s that all the schools were shut down.

While some had positive experiences in the government-run institutions, many of the 150,000 students, removed from their families and their traditional lands, and forced to abandon their native languages and spiritual practices, were physically and sexually abused in the process.

McLaren sensed McCraw’s time at St. Joseph’s hadn’t been positive. After her grandmother’s passing in 2003, McLaren knew a vital piece of their family history had been taken to the grave.

The graduate of the Ontario College of Art and Design began to create a commemorative art exhibit where she would videotape native elders telling their stories, which she would show alongside her paintings.

But, by the third interview, McLaren realized a full-length feature film would be the most effective way to get the elder’s stories "out into the world."

"I figured the elders stories deserved that kind of attention," she says.

The result is "Muffins For Granny," an 88-minute documentary that weaves together home movie footage of her grandmother, interviews with six elders, including animated recreations of their stories, archival photos from residential schools, traditional songs, and scenes of the natural beauty of Ontario’s north.

"For a lot of the elders it was the first time they actually spoke about it, so it was really powerful. It was pretty hard on the crew and myself, but 1/8we 3/8 definitely felt honoured that they were sharing these stories with us," McLaren says.

Earlier this year, the federal government approved an agreement to give roughly 80,000 aboriginal students who were abused in residential schools $10,000 for their first year of attendance in the schools, and $3,000 for every subsequent year spent there.

The deadline for former students and their families to decide whether or not to opt out of settlement money is Aug. 20.

Harvey Trudeau, the eastern Canada liaison for the National Residential Schools Survivors’ Society, says since he has been involved with the society, he has "yet to help anybody fill out an opt-out form."

"As far as we know, the opt-out numbers are not very high," Trudeau says.

Trudeau, who attended a residential school himself in Spanish, Ont., says the payments might "make the experience easier to bear" for the survivors, though the money will "never help them forget what they’ve been through."

Karen Isaacs, a peer support worker with a residential schools’ program for survivors and their families at the Council Fire Native Cultural Centre in Toronto, says she doesn’t know of anyone who has opted out, either.

"I think the compensation package is forcing them to open up their pasts, which will open the door to their healing, but they want to get it done with as little said as possible," Isaacs says.

"I find a lot of people don’t want to talk about it. There’s the pain; they don’t want to feel that pain again. Some of them had such harsh treatment in residential school and they don’t want to repeat it."

Wayne Spear, director of communications for the Aboriginal Healing Foundation, which helped fund the film, says supporting the making of "Muffins for Granny" fit well with the healing and public awareness components of the foundation’s mandate.

"When people who have suffered trauma, particularly residential schools, realize there are other people who have actually overcome the fear and isolation of having been physically or sexually abused and kept it sort of a shameful secret, it has a healing effect," Spear says.

"People realize they’re not alone and other people have gone through this as well and they’ve been able to cope with it."

Youth Justice Committee Continues Expansion

Courtesy Marathon Mercury, Tues July 31st, 2007

Bonnie Couchie's Material Covers Wide Range of Topics

Courtesy Marathon Mercury, Tues July 31st, 2007

Letter To The Editor

by Dan Couchie

Courtesy of Anishinabek News

Letter To The Editor

by Roy Michano

Courtesy Marathon Mercury, Tues July 10th, 2007

 

Adrian Nabigon

Wins Marathon Renegades Idol Contest

Courtesy Marathon Mercury, Tues June 12th, 2007

Pic River Snowarama Raises Over $1700.00

Courtesy Marathon Mercury, Tues Feb. 20th, 2007

Highway Concerns

Courtesy Marathon Mercury, Tues Feb. 20th, 2007 pg 1

Diane Richmond to teach Native Culture

Courtesy Marathon Mercury, Tues Feb. 13th, 2007 pg 3

Pic River Signs Communications Protocol Agreement

Courtesy Marathon Mercury, Tues Oct. 17th, 2006 pg 3

Dan Couchie Cited for Service

Courtesy of Anishinabek News - June, 2006

Ian Nabigon - Gold Medal

Courtesy of The Marathon Mercury - June 13th, 2006

Speak out against abusive comments: Chief

Courtesy of The Chronicle Journal

Pic River Housing Program Receives Backing

Courtesy of The Chronicle Journal - April 21st , 2006 pg A4

Pic River Snowarama Raises $3050.00

© Marathon Mercury: Tues March 21st , 2006 Edition

 

 

30 Years of Public Service - Roy Michano

© Marathon Mercury: Tues March 21st , 2006 Edition

 

Support for Governance AIP

Courtesy of The Anishinabek News - March, 2006 pg 21

Youth Centre Grand Opening © Marathon Mercury: Tues March 14th, 2006 Edition

Left side - Elementary School Jumps Across Canada

Right Side - Meeting with Joe Comuzzi

© Marathon Mercury: Tues March 7th, & Jan 10th 2006 Editions

First Nations Developing Community Constitutions

Courtesy of The Anishinabek News

Jan - Feb Edition 2006