WEBVTT 00:00:09.843 --> 00:00:14.139 My name is Charles Cheezo, I’m from Nemaska. 00:00:15.557 --> 00:00:21.104 My parents' names were George and Marion Cheezo. 00:00:21.104 --> 00:00:29.821 Both have passed away and I always remember what they used to do. 00:00:29.821 --> 00:00:40.582 I’m going to talk about winter travelling for scouting beaver. 00:00:40.582 --> 00:00:48.923 It’s done whenever the beavers are almost all killed in the nearby camp 00:00:48.923 --> 00:00:53.011 and move elsewhere where there are more of them to kill. 00:00:53.011 --> 00:01:03.354 I’ll show you how someone would pack before travelling to their winter camps. 00:01:06.483 --> 00:01:11.738 This is called a snowshoe harness, 00:01:11.738 --> 00:01:21.498 moosehide would be used as it’s said it stretches out more. 00:01:21.498 --> 00:01:27.462 Once you use it, it doesn’t untie for the longest time. 00:01:27.462 --> 00:01:29.506 At one end, 00:01:32.342 --> 00:01:43.770 you cut it just a little and be careful not to cut all the way, it should look like this. 00:01:43.770 --> 00:01:51.361 Once you cut it, you loop in the other end and tie it up like so. 00:01:52.987 --> 00:02:02.956 It’ll look like this and should already be attached on the snowshoe for you to wear. 00:02:02.956 --> 00:02:06.501 This is used for snowshoes. 00:02:07.502 --> 00:02:17.095 Someone would carry a pan, a saucepan. 00:02:18.012 --> 00:02:25.019 A water scooper, as some people call it which also can be used when making tea. 00:02:25.019 --> 00:02:32.277 This saucepan would be used for cooking, enough for one person and food would be emptied on this plate. 00:02:32.485 --> 00:02:40.785 I’ll pack them without rubbing against each other. 00:02:41.494 --> 00:02:46.791 You have to pack neatly. 00:02:46.791 --> 00:02:53.256 I’ll pack it like this and wrap it up. 00:02:53.256 --> 00:02:59.387 It won’t be rubbing against each other while pulling them using a sled. 00:03:00.680 --> 00:03:03.266 They’d wrap it up this way... 00:03:10.648 --> 00:03:13.610 They’d fold it up over here... 00:03:16.237 --> 00:03:22.827 Then they'd tie it using a rope... 00:03:26.456 --> 00:03:30.001 so that it doesn’t open. 00:03:32.420 --> 00:03:36.090 They tied it like this. 00:03:51.648 --> 00:03:56.110 They tie it like this, so that everything stays in place. 00:03:58.112 --> 00:04:02.659 Now it’s done and can be packed away on the sled. 00:04:03.117 --> 00:04:07.956 This can be put outside, I’ll move it over here. 00:04:08.456 --> 00:04:20.051 This is a bedroll, it's a bear hide which I use as a mattress. 00:04:22.345 --> 00:04:31.771 This is a tarp and another one that I’ll use for my home. 00:04:31.771 --> 00:04:34.357 I’m now done packing. 00:04:35.400 --> 00:04:40.196 This is a packsack, there’s food inside. 00:04:41.698 --> 00:04:43.658 I’m now done packing. 00:04:43.658 --> 00:04:47.870 This is a blanket, 00:04:47.870 --> 00:04:53.501 back then it would be tied up neatly. 00:04:55.253 --> 00:04:58.256 It’s called a blanket 00:04:58.881 --> 00:05:06.097 and it would be used by a person who was always in the bush. 00:05:08.850 --> 00:05:11.644 They rolled it up like so. 00:05:11.644 --> 00:05:20.987 This blanket is made from goose down feathers, 00:05:20.987 --> 00:05:23.656 it’s quite warm. 00:05:30.079 --> 00:05:36.544 Someone would tie up the blanket neatly. 00:05:38.713 --> 00:05:41.632 It’s called a blanket. 00:05:49.640 --> 00:05:52.393 This is my blanket. 00:05:52.393 --> 00:05:54.979 You see how much I packed? 00:05:55.688 --> 00:05:59.650 I’ll now prepare what clothes to wear while travelling. 00:06:02.612 --> 00:06:09.786 This is my sweater, I’ll be wearing this shirt underneath. 00:06:10.912 --> 00:06:13.206 These are duffle socks, 00:06:14.499 --> 00:06:18.086 my hat and mittens 00:06:20.755 --> 00:06:22.590 and my other duffle socks. 00:06:24.759 --> 00:06:30.306 I have two different duffle socks that I’ll use. 00:06:33.101 --> 00:06:37.021 You need to know how much stuff you’ll be pulling. 00:06:40.400 --> 00:06:44.112 I’ll have my socks, one of my hats... 00:06:47.615 --> 00:06:52.578 and my coat. 00:06:53.621 --> 00:06:55.164 These are my pants. 00:06:56.582 --> 00:07:03.548 Back then, they were called blanket pants because they felt soft as a blanket, 00:07:03.548 --> 00:07:07.635 just as soft as the duffles. 00:07:07.635 --> 00:07:12.098 They're really good because they don’t get wet from the snow, 00:07:12.098 --> 00:07:13.558 so I'll be wearing them. 00:07:14.434 --> 00:07:20.648 These pants are good when you’re outside setting up the traps. 00:07:21.357 --> 00:07:24.318 I’ll now wear my clothes. 00:07:29.031 --> 00:07:37.081 I’ll be wearing two layers of these duffle socks with my moccasins. 00:07:38.374 --> 00:07:43.087 These moccasins are very good for snowshoes. 00:07:52.763 --> 00:07:56.184 New Caption 00:08:16.829 --> 00:08:19.999 This is called a shoelace, 00:08:22.043 --> 00:08:26.130 my late grandmother called it a moccasin lace. 00:08:27.715 --> 00:08:33.346 You need to be good at lacing your moccasins, 00:08:37.850 --> 00:08:41.145 you need to do it properly and not tie it too tightly. 00:08:43.606 --> 00:08:50.029 I’m done with this one and will do the other one. 00:08:52.490 --> 00:08:57.453 It’s awkward putting them on from the floor, 00:08:57.453 --> 00:09:02.375 it’s much better to put them on boughs because it’s much softer. 00:09:05.044 --> 00:09:12.426 I remember I used to watch my late dad put on his gear. 00:09:13.553 --> 00:09:20.101 Sometimes I hoped that he’d invite me because he rarely did at the time. 00:09:21.686 --> 00:09:31.612 He knew when he would, I think I was around 16 years old when he invited me, 00:09:33.406 --> 00:09:35.950 but not in long distances. 00:09:36.284 --> 00:09:41.080 I’m now ready to walk on snow. 00:09:41.581 --> 00:09:46.210 I’ll pack up my socks inside my backpack... 00:09:49.964 --> 00:09:52.091 Which I will use in time. 00:09:53.551 --> 00:10:02.310 When he left his wife and kids by himself, had to keep in mind his own safety. 00:10:02.852 --> 00:10:06.856 Whenever he was out there, he needed to be cautious, 00:10:06.856 --> 00:10:12.903 like preventing himself from being cut by an axe. 00:10:13.154 --> 00:10:20.786 Anyone who goes around a creek needs to be careful not to fall into the ice. 00:10:21.245 --> 00:10:24.290 They really need to be cautious whenever doing so. 00:10:24.957 --> 00:10:28.669 It was also important not to be outdoors for long periods when it’s very cold 00:10:29.211 --> 00:10:34.925 because back then, people didn’t have proper clothing. 00:10:35.468 --> 00:10:37.094 They had to take care of themselves. 00:10:37.094 --> 00:10:41.891 When outside, they would always need to check their faces. 00:10:41.891 --> 00:10:55.613 Their eyebrows and eyelashes would be covered in snow, including their hair that would stick out. 00:10:55.613 --> 00:11:01.369 They’d be covered with snow even here. 00:11:03.120 --> 00:11:05.414 It’s because they’re too warm. 00:11:05.414 --> 00:11:10.127 The only way to get warm was to move around. 00:11:10.711 --> 00:11:16.342 Whenever travelling, they didn’t dress too warm 00:11:16.926 --> 00:11:21.722 like how it’s done when travelling by skidoo. 00:11:21.722 --> 00:11:26.686 Whenever heading out in the morning, 00:11:26.686 --> 00:11:32.024 a person would know what to wear if the weather was too cold. 00:11:32.024 --> 00:11:41.492 He already knew what to wear and to pack extra layers if it was to be cold throughout the day. 00:11:41.492 --> 00:11:46.831 If it was too cold, he wouldn't leave until the sun rose higher. 00:11:47.373 --> 00:11:55.131 Sometimes they couldn’t leave and stayed indoors throughout the day or go chop wood. 00:11:55.131 --> 00:12:04.598 Men chopped wood if it would get too cold and do other household duties. 00:12:04.807 --> 00:12:07.476 He didn’t always go hunting. 00:12:07.476 --> 00:12:19.655 Whenever he did go alone, he knew what to be careful of. 00:12:20.531 --> 00:12:27.413 They would always check up on their cheeks for frostbites 00:12:27.413 --> 00:12:32.752 and I saw someone who did get one. 00:12:32.752 --> 00:12:45.097 People who had frostbites would be in pain and it would be like a burning pain. 00:12:45.097 --> 00:12:56.817 People needed to be careful when they were hunting out there alone. 00:12:57.193 --> 00:13:02.865 I never really knew how to treat snowblindness. 00:13:02.865 --> 00:13:11.582 I had snowblindness once when I was out there, 00:13:11.582 --> 00:13:15.836 I had a sharp pain in both eyes and began to tear up. 00:13:15.836 --> 00:13:17.505 It was painful. 00:13:17.505 --> 00:13:24.011 I couldn’t really look into the brightness, it was painful and I teared up. 00:13:24.011 --> 00:13:28.557 Whenever someone goes through that, they say it’s an eye infection. 00:13:28.557 --> 00:13:36.106 One time my late mom breastfed my younger sibling and told me that she’s going to treat it. 00:13:36.106 --> 00:13:39.610 She told me to lay down and that I did. 00:13:40.277 --> 00:13:50.120 While she breastfed my younger sibling, she held a spoon and said to me 00:13:50.120 --> 00:13:54.708 “I’ll pour my breast milk into your eyes”. 00:13:54.708 --> 00:13:57.002 She poured it. 00:13:58.087 --> 00:13:59.505 It didn’t sting. 00:13:59.505 --> 00:14:07.847 I didn’t know how old I was, she told me to sleep. 00:14:07.847 --> 00:14:11.684 Once I woke up it was still daytime. 00:14:11.684 --> 00:14:17.189 She told me to wash my face, I did that and my eyesight got better. 00:14:17.189 --> 00:14:23.362 She treated my eyesight, when I was young I didn’t know it was done, until I was treated. 00:14:23.362 --> 00:14:31.745 My late dad told me about when he had an eye infection when he was young. 00:14:31.745 --> 00:14:42.506 He told me about his late grandmother using a balsam tree to treat it, 00:14:42.506 --> 00:14:52.725 she’d collect the tree’s resin. 00:14:53.726 --> 00:15:01.108 He said that his grandmother boiled it with water and checked up on it from time to time. 00:15:01.108 --> 00:15:07.990 When it got warm and soft enough it was ready. 00:15:07.990 --> 00:15:11.243 He said that he was in pain from both eyes. 00:15:11.243 --> 00:15:15.998 He said she told him to lay down, so he did. 00:15:15.998 --> 00:15:23.964 As she was about to pour the liquid, she said to him “it’s going to sting you quite a bit, so don’t move”. 00:15:23.964 --> 00:15:27.509 He said, once she poured it into his eyes it stung him and he screamed in pain. 00:15:27.509 --> 00:15:31.013 She continued treating the other eye. 00:15:31.013 --> 00:15:37.686 He said it was painful, but eventually didn’t feel it. 00:15:37.686 --> 00:15:41.106 His grandmother told him to close his eyes and sleep, he did just that. 00:15:41.106 --> 00:15:46.320 Once he woke up, his eyes were so sticky that he could barely open them. 00:15:46.320 --> 00:15:48.405 It might’ve been because of the gum. 00:15:48.906 --> 00:15:53.369 He said that she handed him water to rinse his face with. 00:15:53.369 --> 00:15:57.998 She told him “wash your face and step outside”. He said he did and could see very clearly. 00:15:57.998 --> 00:16:03.170 His grandmother told him “you won’t get snowblinded for a long time”. 00:16:03.170 --> 00:16:15.015 It was true, throughout the years, I did notice my late dad never had eye infections, 00:16:15.015 --> 00:16:22.606 he never wore sunglasses either. 00:16:22.606 --> 00:16:27.861 He never had eye infections and his grandmother really treated him. 00:16:27.861 --> 00:16:35.494 I don’t think I could ever do that, I’m too afraid to cause more damage to someone’s eyes. 00:16:35.494 --> 00:16:41.417 Maybe they knew how much to use when they treated someone. 00:16:41.917 --> 00:16:49.800 This was the only story where my late dad talks about his late grandmother treating eye infections. 00:16:49.800 --> 00:16:55.139 He said back then balsam gum would be used for treating eye infections. 00:16:55.139 --> 00:16:58.976 I saw the tree while me and my dad were walking. 00:16:59.351 --> 00:17:04.440 I don’t remember where exactly, but balsam trees were everywhere. 00:17:04.440 --> 00:17:15.367 Sometimes he would take a break, he stood and looked around. 00:17:15.367 --> 00:17:20.914 He then says to me, poking the tree with his knife 00:17:20.914 --> 00:17:26.587 “you see this, this is what my late grandmother used to treat my eyes”. 00:17:27.004 --> 00:17:33.927 Pinching it, it felt sticky just like syrup 00:17:33.927 --> 00:17:39.933 but I don’t think it’s sweet, it was used for treating his eye infection. 00:17:39.933 --> 00:17:55.074 Whenever I see this tree, it reminds me of his story about how his eye infection was treated. 00:18:10.464 --> 00:18:15.928 This is my backpack, I’ll place it over here on the sled 00:18:15.928 --> 00:18:19.807 so I could make a fire, there’s food in it. 00:18:19.807 --> 00:18:24.478 My cookware is in here, frozen food could be stored in there too. 00:18:24.686 --> 00:18:27.189 This is my mattress, 00:18:34.029 --> 00:18:36.115 my blanket, 00:18:36.824 --> 00:18:41.745 my tarp and the other one is over here. 00:18:41.745 --> 00:18:43.622 I’m using a long sled. 00:18:46.792 --> 00:18:50.546 This is my ice chisel and snow shovel. 00:18:54.925 --> 00:19:03.892 These are traps, I’ll use them to set up beaver traps 00:19:12.401 --> 00:19:18.574 Back then, people would be fast when they’d pack. 00:19:22.494 --> 00:19:24.496 I’ll tie it up like this. 00:19:24.496 --> 00:19:26.206 I’ll cover everything. 00:19:29.251 --> 00:19:31.253 Oh boy! 00:19:31.253 --> 00:19:34.089 I haven’t done this for a long time. 00:19:34.965 --> 00:19:39.928 It must’ve been when I first lived with Winnie’s family, we travelled like this. 00:19:42.890 --> 00:19:48.103 This is my ice chisel and snow scooper. 00:19:49.271 --> 00:19:55.485 I’ll cover the chisel like this, so that it doesn’t cut me. 00:19:59.406 --> 00:20:11.418 I’m using a rope to hold it tight and I loop it under the toboggan side rope. 00:20:13.712 --> 00:20:24.431 Once I finish looping the rope, I tie it in place. 00:20:32.648 --> 00:20:38.111 People would tie it up properly so that their belongings wouldn’t drag. 00:20:40.364 --> 00:20:45.035 The sled was called a toboggan, but it was made of wood. 00:20:45.035 --> 00:20:52.417 A long time ago people made their toboggans. 00:20:52.709 --> 00:20:54.419 Wow! 00:20:56.171 --> 00:20:59.383 You can say “he really did travel during winter”. 00:21:06.932 --> 00:21:08.767 I’m done packing up the toboggan. 00:21:08.767 --> 00:21:11.561 I remembered when my dad 00:21:12.062 --> 00:21:18.235 would go to Nemaska and further in that direction 00:21:19.111 --> 00:21:24.908 the sun was just about to come up, it was still dark. 00:21:25.200 --> 00:21:33.458 He would finish packing up his toboggan while it was still dark. 00:21:33.458 --> 00:21:40.799 The sunrise lit up over in that direction and he would walk towards Nemaska. 00:21:41.800 --> 00:21:50.142 He would leave early when it wasn’t too cold. 00:21:51.310 --> 00:22:00.736 He would already be far away once the sun was this low during the evening. 00:22:01.945 --> 00:22:07.576 Sometimes he left without having the dog, he would pull the toboggan on his own. 00:22:09.703 --> 00:22:16.793 When he left for Nemaska, he pulled in his pelts, his beaver pelts. 00:22:16.793 --> 00:22:25.594 He would also pull in things like the mattress, the blanket and his food. 00:22:26.345 --> 00:22:31.516 Someone who travels doesn’t pack a lot of stuff. 00:22:32.142 --> 00:22:38.148 He knows how much to pack based on the distance he’s travelling. 00:22:39.483 --> 00:22:47.157 His lunch bag was made of rabbit hide, his meal would be placed in it. 00:22:47.157 --> 00:22:52.662 Other meals were packed separately, sometimes they’d pack four frozen meals. 00:22:53.997 --> 00:22:57.626 Once he wanted to eat it, he would only need to warm it up. 00:22:57.626 --> 00:23:03.256 Sometimes the food was pre-prepared and it would be either beaver or rabbit. 00:23:03.256 --> 00:23:08.845 Someone would only need to heat it up then eat it. 00:23:08.845 --> 00:23:15.227 The meal was enough just for themselves and it wouldn’t be a full meal. 00:23:15.769 --> 00:23:30.617 He only needed to reheat his food so that he had enough time to set up his shelter, in no time he was able to eat the meal. 00:23:30.617 --> 00:23:47.551 It didn’t take too long to reheat his food because they froze the food and only needed to be heated up. 00:23:49.261 --> 00:23:59.771 This here is a toboggan strap, other people used carrying straps. 00:24:00.355 --> 00:24:06.611 This here is canvas, it would be sewn in together making it long, 00:24:06.611 --> 00:24:12.909 it would be used for the shoulders and would be painful when pulling a heavy load in the toboggan. 00:24:12.909 --> 00:24:17.831 This here is a short rope and will work for a smaller toboggan. 00:24:18.248 --> 00:24:20.584 Alright! So now, I’ll be travelling. 00:24:24.754 --> 00:24:28.216 Now I need to wear my snowshoes. 00:24:42.772 --> 00:24:47.986 You only have to adjust it once. 00:25:00.081 --> 00:25:02.292 I’m ready to go. 00:25:03.668 --> 00:25:09.341 This is my axe and I’ll need to untie my mittens at the back, 00:25:13.845 --> 00:25:16.264 and start pulling the toboggan using the rope. 00:25:18.600 --> 00:25:21.353 This is called a rope.