WEBVTT 00:00:10.802 --> 00:00:19.894 My name is Thomas Coon and I’m from Mistissini. 00:00:19.894 --> 00:00:32.741 I’m 72 years old and I was born in Mistissini on August 11, 1947. 00:00:32.741 --> 00:00:40.081 I went to residential residential school when kids used to be sent there. 00:00:40.081 --> 00:00:49.007 I was 7 years old when I went to residential school and went there for 5 years. 00:00:49.007 --> 00:00:53.928 My parents took me out of there earlier. 00:00:54.679 --> 00:01:05.815 I felt sad when they took me out, because I really wanted to go to school. 00:01:07.484 --> 00:01:13.865 I thought I was only going to be in the bush for 2 years. 00:01:13.865 --> 00:01:22.165 After 2 years, I began to like it and I never went back to residential school. 00:01:23.208 --> 00:01:32.092 Growing up, I later realized that I never gave up on school. 00:01:32.092 --> 00:01:36.221 But only transferred to another one. 00:01:36.221 --> 00:01:44.312 The other school I went to was about learning the Cree way of life; 00:01:44.312 --> 00:01:49.734 the Cree lifestyle, the Cree language and the Cree culture. 00:01:50.193 --> 00:01:55.990 I learned everything there is to know about living off the land as a Cree. 00:01:55.990 --> 00:01:59.702 So, I never gave up on school. 00:01:59.702 --> 00:02:04.165 I thought I did when my parents took me out of there. 00:02:05.416 --> 00:02:12.006 Thinking about it now, both teachings helped me. 00:02:12.006 --> 00:02:16.469 Attending residential school for 5 years helped me, 00:02:16.469 --> 00:02:22.225 but the Cree way of life helped me even more. 00:02:22.809 --> 00:02:28.189 I’m not shy when I talk about the Cree culture and the Cree lifestyle, 00:02:28.189 --> 00:02:31.442 because everything I say is true. 00:02:31.442 --> 00:02:34.946 I also took part in going to Europe. 00:02:34.946 --> 00:02:42.495 I didn’t feel shy talking about what I learned from the bush. When I’m talking about it from a foreign place, 00:02:42.495 --> 00:02:48.376 I’m not shy talking about the Cree culture and the Cree lifestyle. 00:02:49.752 --> 00:02:56.342 As boys grow up, they’re raised to learn about doing work. 00:02:56.342 --> 00:03:05.935 It’s done so to prevent them from becoming lazy. 00:03:05.935 --> 00:03:11.232 Girls and boys are taught to do this soon. 00:03:12.734 --> 00:03:20.200 We had our boys first and tried this on them. 00:03:20.742 --> 00:03:30.168 They were small and had to stand on top of the chairs whenever they did the dishes. 00:03:30.168 --> 00:03:34.714 We taught and raised our children the Cree way. 00:03:35.506 --> 00:03:41.804 When girls grew up, they were taught about their roles and responsibilities. 00:03:41.804 --> 00:03:45.975 It was the same for boys. 00:03:45.975 --> 00:03:49.395 Both of them learned how to live off the land. 00:03:49.395 --> 00:03:58.321 Separately, they were taught about their roles and responsibilities. 00:03:58.905 --> 00:04:04.702 A parent taught everything she knew to her daughter. 00:04:04.702 --> 00:04:14.128 A father taught everything he knew about hunting to all of his children as they grew up. 00:04:14.963 --> 00:04:18.007 What was taught wasn’t only done once. 00:04:18.007 --> 00:04:22.720 It was done many times and regularly. 00:04:22.720 --> 00:04:28.059 It wasn’t only about doing things physically, but doing so and talking to them about it. 00:04:28.059 --> 00:04:34.190 It made them aware and continue doing what they were taught to do. 00:04:34.357 --> 00:04:37.068 A girl is raised this way. 00:04:37.068 --> 00:04:42.615 She isn’t just kept around and ordered around to do tasks. 00:04:42.615 --> 00:04:52.917 She did what she was taught to do, she sewed and she fixed her husband's kill. 00:04:53.710 --> 00:04:57.463 A boy is taught how to be alone in the bush 00:04:57.463 --> 00:05:07.348 and what he needs to be careful of whenever he is alone. 00:05:08.683 --> 00:05:15.732 When someone is in the bush, there’s a lot you need to be careful of. 00:05:15.732 --> 00:05:21.571 You need to be careful when you’re on water, when canoeing. 00:05:21.571 --> 00:05:25.199 You’re taught to be cautious when you're on water. 00:05:25.199 --> 00:05:37.211 When you're working by yourself, you need to be careful not to cut yourself with an axe. 00:05:37.211 --> 00:05:46.596 Also, you need to be careful with a knife when cutting or carving up a moose. 00:05:46.596 --> 00:05:54.812 It’s especially a dangerous injury during winter. 00:05:54.812 --> 00:06:00.735 You’ll need to be careful once the lakes freeze over. 00:06:00.735 --> 00:06:04.530 When we would go hunting, our late dad always warned us saying 00:06:04.530 --> 00:06:08.993 “never cross the ice, even when you're by yourselves.” 00:06:08.993 --> 00:06:13.915 He would say to us, “don’t cross the ice until I go first.” 00:06:13.915 --> 00:06:16.042 He always said that. 00:06:16.042 --> 00:06:18.836 I always try to keep that in mind. 00:06:18.836 --> 00:06:23.466 I never crossed the ice, even when I was alone. 00:06:23.466 --> 00:06:27.303 I was able to go across the ice once I saw my dad go first. 00:06:27.303 --> 00:06:36.020 We weren’t allowed to cross it until it was frozen solid. 00:06:36.020 --> 00:06:38.940 A long time ago, there weren't any skidoos around. 00:06:38.940 --> 00:06:44.529 Also, when girls were by themselves, they needed to be careful when doing their work, 00:06:44.529 --> 00:06:46.864 they used an axe to chop wood. 00:06:46.864 --> 00:06:55.832 Girls worked with many knives and handled them with care. 00:06:55.832 --> 00:07:01.587 They too were told not to cross the ice until our dad did so. 00:07:01.587 --> 00:07:08.803 They couldn’t cross it when they collected boughs or when they brought over the firewood. 00:07:08.803 --> 00:07:13.474 They would only be able to after our dad did so. 00:07:13.474 --> 00:07:21.983 Girls and boys were taught what they needed to be careful of when living in the bush 00:07:21.983 --> 00:07:30.491 and to never go across the ice until it’s certain that it’s frozen in place. 00:07:30.491 --> 00:07:39.292 Also when you know there is a current on a lake or river, you never cross it. 00:07:39.292 --> 00:07:44.589 The ice over there is thinner compared to the ice along the shore. 00:07:44.589 --> 00:07:49.469 When a boy is alone in the bush, he’s by himself. 00:07:49.469 --> 00:07:53.723 When carrying an axe you’re always told to be careful with it and not cut yourself. 00:07:53.723 --> 00:07:56.517 Because it’s very sharp. 00:07:56.517 --> 00:08:03.691 You’ll need to be very careful when carrying it around when you’re far away from home. 00:08:03.691 --> 00:08:08.613 You're told to be careful of falling into the ice. 00:08:08.613 --> 00:08:13.451 And you’d be told to be careful when carrying around sharp objects. 00:08:13.451 --> 00:08:17.872 You’d be told to be really careful when carrying a knife or an axe. 00:08:18.289 --> 00:08:20.458 It was the same for girls. 00:08:20.458 --> 00:08:35.765 She was told to be careful and taught how to handle sharp objects like knives. 00:08:35.765 --> 00:08:38.935 She was told to be careful when cutting up moose hide. 00:08:38.935 --> 00:08:45.942 She was taught to sketch-line before cutting, to prevent herself from cutting herself. 00:08:45.942 --> 00:08:52.323 Girls and boys were taught many things on being safe. Also, on handling a gun. 00:08:52.323 --> 00:08:59.247 Girls too were also taught to be careful on a lot of things. 00:08:59.247 --> 00:09:04.168 It was more for boys, because they’d be alone. 00:09:04.168 --> 00:09:07.964 Many times, he didn’t have someone there with him to help him out. 00:09:07.964 --> 00:09:11.717 For instance, if he falls into the ice with his snowshoes, 00:09:11.717 --> 00:09:16.264 it is going to be very difficult for him to get out. 00:09:16.264 --> 00:09:22.103 Because the water can have a strong current. 00:09:22.103 --> 00:09:29.068 He’s told to be really careful, it’s something that boys really need to learn. 00:09:29.068 --> 00:09:37.326 Not so much for the girls, as they have more work to do inside the home. 00:09:37.326 --> 00:09:45.209 Like having enough water, new boughs, firewood brought inside. 00:09:45.209 --> 00:09:56.929 Making meals and packing them. She’s taught to do different things. 00:09:57.263 --> 00:10:02.310 Like I said, girls are taught different responsibilities. 00:10:02.310 --> 00:10:08.608 The boy is taught how to survive and what to do when he’s out on the land. 00:10:08.608 --> 00:10:13.821 Like I told you, they have different responsibilities. 00:10:14.280 --> 00:10:19.201 During the winter season, I was told 00:10:19.201 --> 00:10:28.502 “try not to oversleep and if you have to go, don’t go far. Make it back on time.” 00:10:28.502 --> 00:10:33.799 Boys were also taught how to make shelter, if they had to sleep outside. 00:10:34.467 --> 00:10:40.640 Luckily I never had to during winter, but had to during one fall. 00:10:40.640 --> 00:10:47.688 I went hunting with one of my in-laws and we killed a moose. 00:10:47.688 --> 00:10:52.526 Our boat wasn’t brought in and left where it should’ve been. 00:10:52.526 --> 00:10:56.697 It was brought in and left in another river by mistake. 00:10:56.947 --> 00:11:00.910 We arrived at the spot at nighttime where our boat should’ve been left. 00:11:00.910 --> 00:11:02.870 But it wasn’t there. 00:11:02.870 --> 00:11:07.833 We killed a moose in the bush, that's why we got in at nighttime. 00:11:08.918 --> 00:11:13.964 I remembered what we were told to do if we ever had to sleep outside. 00:11:13.964 --> 00:11:21.013 We made a shelter using branches, we placed them in an angle, blocking the sides. 00:11:21.013 --> 00:11:26.686 We made a small opening and a small fire in the middle. 00:11:26.686 --> 00:11:31.732 We built it angled to a certain direction to prevent the wind from entering. 00:11:32.400 --> 00:11:33.984 We made it like that. 00:11:33.984 --> 00:11:38.614 We used boughs and it was very good and comfortable. 00:11:38.614 --> 00:11:46.580 Luckily it was during fall when we had to do it and the fire was lit up all night. 00:11:46.580 --> 00:11:49.959 So, that was one time where I had to sleep outside. 00:11:50.501 --> 00:11:58.426 When a boy goes camping, he needs to carry a lot with him. 00:11:58.426 --> 00:12:08.728 You’re told to pack; your tent, a stove, matches, 00:12:08.728 --> 00:12:14.942 a flashlight, a saw and an axe. 00:12:14.942 --> 00:12:17.403 He was told to have just about everything. 00:12:17.403 --> 00:12:23.409 He was told not to forget his ammo pouch. 00:12:23.409 --> 00:12:29.331 And don’t forget your travelling bag, 00:12:31.083 --> 00:12:35.004 you need to have it with you. 00:12:35.004 --> 00:12:39.216 Like I told you, you’ll need your matches. 00:12:39.216 --> 00:12:43.512 Don’t forget your teapot. 00:12:44.305 --> 00:12:47.725 Don’t forget your pouches. 00:12:47.725 --> 00:12:51.562 Don’t forget your sugar bag. 00:12:52.271 --> 00:12:58.277 And to have other small things you’ll need. 00:12:58.736 --> 00:13:02.198 He’d have these with him. 00:13:02.198 --> 00:13:04.867 Also his meal. 00:13:04.867 --> 00:13:07.453 You should pack more food with you. 00:13:07.453 --> 00:13:12.249 He was told, “what if you have to sleep outside?” 00:13:12.249 --> 00:13:14.960 So he packs it when he’s hunting. 00:13:14.960 --> 00:13:17.671 He was always told to pack his meals. 00:13:17.671 --> 00:13:22.343 Carry a bag and don’t forget your ammo pouch. 00:13:22.343 --> 00:13:34.688 They would carry a lot with them when they had to sleep overnight for hunting. 00:13:37.024 --> 00:13:41.737 Girls aren’t the only ones taught about cooking. 00:13:42.154 --> 00:13:48.953 When doing an overnight, it will be yourselves, the men who will be out there. 00:13:48.953 --> 00:13:51.872 You’ll need to learn how to cook. 00:13:51.872 --> 00:13:54.583 You’ll learn how to cut up and cook beaver, 00:13:54.583 --> 00:13:58.546 cut up rabbit, cut up ptarmigan. 00:13:58.921 --> 00:14:03.634 You need to be good at making bannock and dumplings. 00:14:03.634 --> 00:14:12.017 You need to be good at cooking and learn how to make different foods. 00:14:12.017 --> 00:14:16.647 Boys were also taught to do this and to be good at making bannock. 00:14:16.647 --> 00:14:21.777 He’s able to learn all of these skills and he’s able to become good at it. 00:14:25.030 --> 00:14:31.662 He was always expected to carry this with him. 00:14:32.079 --> 00:14:38.335 They also made him a small bag where this was placed inside. 00:14:38.335 --> 00:14:44.967 This here is very important and it’s called a ceremonial cord (string). 00:14:44.967 --> 00:14:48.804 You’ll always place it inside your bag. 00:14:50.014 --> 00:14:57.396 Some have pockets on them and place this ceremonial cord in there. 00:14:57.396 --> 00:15:05.404 Never forget this ceremonial cord, it's something very important. 00:15:05.404 --> 00:15:08.449 And other things as well. 00:15:08.449 --> 00:15:15.247 Sometimes I was told, “don’t forget the matches.” 00:15:15.247 --> 00:15:19.585 Always remember what to have. 00:15:19.585 --> 00:15:25.382 This ceremonial cord is very important 00:15:25.382 --> 00:15:29.720 and should be something a boy should always carry. 00:15:29.720 --> 00:15:38.270 This is tied up on a beaver and used for pulling while on snowshoes. 00:15:38.270 --> 00:15:46.362 Sometimes they tie in two, three and sometimes four and pull them while walking. 00:15:47.112 --> 00:15:53.535 You can pull a toboggan when you're out trapping. 00:15:53.535 --> 00:16:03.963 Sometimes I was told, “have with you a toboggan, just in case you kill two or three beavers.” 00:16:03.963 --> 00:16:07.383 So, I’d have these with me. 00:16:07.383 --> 00:16:12.137 Sometimes he was told, “don’t forget your shovel.” 00:16:12.137 --> 00:16:14.848 You’ll have to carry a shovel. 00:16:14.848 --> 00:16:19.687 It’s really important to have this especially during winter. 00:16:19.687 --> 00:16:27.528 For instance, you’re going to use it in finding a bear and trace animal trails with it. 00:16:27.528 --> 00:16:32.366 You first press it downwards using this part and feel the animal moving it with it’s limbs. 00:16:32.366 --> 00:16:37.079 You use this part to clear away the snow. 00:16:37.079 --> 00:16:41.917 That’s why it’s made like this, it’s almost flat. 00:16:41.917 --> 00:16:47.297 You’ll locate the animal where it pulls away. 00:16:47.297 --> 00:16:49.258 You don’t dig straight down. 00:16:49.258 --> 00:16:52.261 You’ll have to consider the depth of the snow. 00:16:52.261 --> 00:16:56.849 When it moves it from it’s arm you’ll be able to locate it and begin shoveling. 00:16:56.849 --> 00:17:00.102 The smooth part here is used for that. 00:17:00.394 --> 00:17:02.646 Use this part to feel it. 00:17:02.646 --> 00:17:06.400 You won’t be able to do this part. 00:17:06.400 --> 00:17:12.489 This is used for breaking it (snow) down. 00:17:12.489 --> 00:17:16.118 This is used to shovel the snow away. 00:17:16.118 --> 00:17:25.085 So, don’t forget your shovel, your gun, your chisel and your axe. 00:17:25.502 --> 00:17:34.219 An important thing for a Cree hunter is his canoe. 00:17:36.764 --> 00:17:43.520 This toboggan is called a sled. 00:17:43.520 --> 00:17:50.235 It’s used during springtime to ready the canoes. 00:17:51.487 --> 00:17:59.411 The boy is taught to understand its importance 00:17:59.411 --> 00:18:04.541 and knowing how to store the canoe during fall. 00:18:04.541 --> 00:18:08.462 You need to hang this part like so. 00:18:08.462 --> 00:18:13.133 I won’t untie the sled. 00:18:13.133 --> 00:18:22.976 Don’t hang the front part pointing north, north-west or towards the south. 00:18:22.976 --> 00:18:26.855 Don’t hang it like that till spring time comes. 00:18:26.855 --> 00:18:38.992 You’ll have to store the front part pointing east and is to be done so. 00:18:38.992 --> 00:18:43.789 I asked my dad why it should be hung toward the east. 00:18:43.789 --> 00:18:53.382 He told me, “you see the direction you're canoeing. This front part first breaks the water.” 00:18:53.382 --> 00:19:00.472 He said, “You see where the sun rises first, it’s where light touches first 00:19:00.472 --> 00:19:12.276 and that’s why you should store it facing east and use it again when summer comes.” 00:19:13.277 --> 00:19:16.029 The teachings taught to boys were very good. 00:19:16.029 --> 00:19:20.117 It was knowing how to make a paddle. 00:19:20.117 --> 00:19:29.042 They needed to know how to make a sled and toboggan. 00:19:29.042 --> 00:19:35.048 Also knowing how to make a shovel, so that you're able to get everything that you need. 00:19:35.048 --> 00:19:39.928 So that you’ll know how to make snowshoes. 00:19:41.430 --> 00:19:44.892 Also to know how to make an axe handle, 00:19:44.892 --> 00:19:50.105 just in case it breaks, you’ll have a spare. 00:19:50.105 --> 00:19:54.151 It’s also to know how to make what your wife needs. 00:19:54.151 --> 00:19:57.821 You see this here, this is called a fish spoon. 00:19:57.821 --> 00:20:02.701 It’s used for scooping out the fish. 00:20:02.701 --> 00:20:07.831 When using the ones sold in stores, if you try to scoop out the fish, 00:20:07.831 --> 00:20:10.250 it breaks into pieces. 00:20:10.250 --> 00:20:19.259 This though doesn’t when you scoop fish, it comes out a very good piece. 00:20:19.885 --> 00:20:25.349 We call it a fish spoon and some call it a wooden spoon. 00:20:25.349 --> 00:20:29.603 You can see both look different. 00:20:29.603 --> 00:20:35.234 The elder here made it differently and the same goes for this one. 00:20:35.234 --> 00:20:39.238 This here is thinner. 00:20:39.238 --> 00:20:50.040 Our people used these items whenever they would be out on the land and survived. 00:20:50.040 --> 00:20:53.210 Also they made good toboggans. 00:20:53.210 --> 00:20:57.381 You see how good this one is, how it’s tied around here. 00:20:57.381 --> 00:21:00.634 I didn’t have time right here. 00:21:00.634 --> 00:21:08.392 But they’d decorate using paint here and make symbols. 00:21:08.392 --> 00:21:13.772 It’s the same for snowshoes. 00:21:13.772 --> 00:21:18.360 The front part you see is decorated, these are then attached. 00:21:18.360 --> 00:21:22.948 This part too. It's very good. 00:21:22.948 --> 00:21:30.455 The toboggan was decorated too on this part here and it would look good. 00:21:30.455 --> 00:21:37.296 That’s why we’re told to decorate what we make. 00:21:37.879 --> 00:21:48.348 Women were encouraged to decorate their husbands hunting gear. 00:21:48.348 --> 00:21:50.142 When they’d go hunting on their own. 00:21:50.142 --> 00:21:52.519 Girls were taught to do this. 00:21:52.519 --> 00:21:54.813 Including moccasins. These are childrens moccasins. 00:21:54.813 --> 00:21:58.066 But men’s moccasins are made very good. 00:21:58.066 --> 00:22:05.991 It’s to show respect for the land as they live off it. 00:22:05.991 --> 00:22:12.331 These here prevent you from getting cold, when working on your fishnet or trap. 00:22:12.331 --> 00:22:13.957 We call them wrist warmers. 00:22:13.957 --> 00:22:28.430 When wearing these and wrist-warmers, it stops snow from entering while at work. 00:22:28.430 --> 00:22:34.519 You can’t de-feathering ptarmigan while wearing these. 00:22:34.519 --> 00:22:35.979 You’ll spill blood on it. 00:22:35.979 --> 00:22:39.149 Use your hands so you don’t spill blood on them. 00:22:39.149 --> 00:22:45.113 Wearing wrist-warmers prevents you from getting cold while fixing the ptarmigan. 00:22:45.113 --> 00:22:48.575 Also, when you're tying-up something, you use your hands. 00:22:48.825 --> 00:22:58.043 Sometimes in winter, I'd put inside feathers from a ptarmigan that I defeathered. 00:22:58.043 --> 00:23:03.840 I won’t use the ones soaked in blood, but use the unsoaked ones. 00:23:03.840 --> 00:23:08.887 It’s feathers are quite warm when you put them inside. 00:23:08.887 --> 00:23:13.934 We see white-man use different methods in keeping warm. 00:23:13.934 --> 00:23:18.772 For us, we use the feathers from ptarmigan or grouse we defeathered. 00:23:18.772 --> 00:23:25.654 We use the feathers that are unsoaked with blood and you put them inside. 00:23:25.654 --> 00:23:31.076 As you're hunting you’ll really feel your hands getting warmer. 00:23:31.076 --> 00:23:36.790 Here’s lots of teachings when you live off the land. 00:23:36.790 --> 00:23:39.960 Every community does this right now, 00:23:41.253 --> 00:23:56.852 they decorate their grandson's first goose kill or what first kill he has. 00:23:56.852 --> 00:24:01.690 It’s like celebrating a walking out ceremony, 00:24:01.690 --> 00:24:07.571 when the child just starts walking at around 2 to 3 years of age. 00:24:07.571 --> 00:24:12.284 His parents and grandparents, grandmothers and grandfathers, 00:24:12.284 --> 00:24:17.998 hope that he'll be able to make it to his first hunt. 00:24:17.998 --> 00:24:23.378 Once he has his first goose kill then there will be another feast for his goose. 00:24:23.378 --> 00:24:31.887 His first kill is decorated and so was done so for bigger-game. 00:24:31.887 --> 00:24:39.019 This here is a bear’s chin. It’s a bear's chin from here. 00:24:39.019 --> 00:24:45.192 When he kills one for the first time, this would be decorated. 00:24:45.192 --> 00:24:48.570 It would first be dried then kept for a while. 00:24:48.570 --> 00:24:57.078 Just like what’s done with the goose head, they’d decorate his first bear kill. 00:24:57.078 --> 00:25:06.505 People found it important to give recognition to all the animals they survived on. 00:25:07.005 --> 00:25:12.677 During winter when he killed his first bear. 00:25:12.677 --> 00:25:23.605 The bear has a thin cartilaginous strip under its tongue over here which would be cut off. 00:25:23.605 --> 00:25:27.692 It would be placed inside a pouch. 00:25:27.692 --> 00:25:29.277 I don’t have it. 00:25:29.277 --> 00:25:35.784 But it was placed inside the same pouch used for the ceremonial cord. 00:25:35.784 --> 00:25:46.795 Passing it around, everyone saw it and knew he killed a bear without even mentioning it. 00:25:46.962 --> 00:25:52.259 The Cree made their own things. 00:25:52.259 --> 00:25:58.390 This is a crooked knife used for woodwork and is very sharp. 00:25:58.390 --> 00:26:10.277 You use it for woodwork, like making this, toboggan, snowshoes. 00:26:10.277 --> 00:26:17.534 Also making this, the curve is made here and does this. 00:26:17.534 --> 00:26:25.208 It was also used for carving the shovel. 00:26:25.208 --> 00:26:34.676 You see this curve here, you’d carve in the curve like so. 00:26:34.676 --> 00:26:37.053 That’s what it was used for. 00:26:37.053 --> 00:26:46.479 Today, the skidoo is used more when hunting. 00:26:46.479 --> 00:26:51.067 A long time ago, the skidoo wasn’t around. 00:26:51.067 --> 00:26:57.782 When hunting someone would use their snowshoes. 00:26:57.782 --> 00:27:04.706 Today, the skidoo is used more. 00:27:04.706 --> 00:27:09.002 That’s why a person falls into the ice. 00:27:09.002 --> 00:27:18.053 When you snowshoed, you’d always carry a shovel and a chisel. 00:27:19.095 --> 00:27:26.102 You’d carry your shovel and gun like this and chisel like this to check the ice 00:27:26.102 --> 00:27:29.314 and you're able to tell if the ice isn’t touching the water. 00:27:29.314 --> 00:27:36.196 Using the chisel, the ice sounds different, even if it’s this thin. 00:27:36.196 --> 00:27:39.949 If you don’t have a chisel, use a stick. 00:27:39.949 --> 00:27:47.415 But it’s better with a metal end and you're able to tell how thin it is. 00:27:47.415 --> 00:27:51.044 The most dangerous for someone to fall in the ice is from the black-ice. 00:27:51.044 --> 00:27:58.802 It’s better if the ice is just touching the water because it is hard enough. 00:27:58.802 --> 00:28:06.559 This is why we lose our people, because they use the skidoo. 00:28:06.559 --> 00:28:11.856 They don’t check the ice anymore when crossing it, like how it was done a long time ago. 00:28:11.856 --> 00:28:19.364 They just drive over the ice and the skidoo falls into it, resulting in the person dying. 00:28:19.364 --> 00:28:23.118 Many people are caught off guard. 00:28:23.118 --> 00:28:26.830 Even when it freezes over in November or December. 00:28:27.872 --> 00:28:35.839 Once it warms up, everything changes. The currents under it melts fast and thin out. 00:28:35.839 --> 00:28:39.634 The ice is different after one night. 00:28:39.634 --> 00:28:46.808 This is why many people are caught off guard. Because they weren’t taught to be safe from it. 00:28:47.058 --> 00:28:54.482 The Cree made tools from bones and used it to skin animals. 00:28:54.941 --> 00:28:59.487 This here was used for skinning beaver and I wanted to talk about it. 00:28:59.487 --> 00:29:02.323 This here is from the caribou. 00:29:02.323 --> 00:29:10.749 You can even use bones from moose and bear which are the sharpest. 00:29:10.749 --> 00:29:20.800 The bear is a sacred animal and everyone knows that it doesn’t feed throughout winter. 00:29:20.800 --> 00:29:28.057 Everything a bear consumes during fall is very nutritious and it makes them fat. 00:29:28.057 --> 00:29:37.484 Also a bear provides us everything: its meat, fat, and bones. 00:29:37.484 --> 00:29:44.574 When its bones are boiled it brings out its fat. 00:29:44.574 --> 00:29:48.411 It’s very greasy because of its stored fat. 00:29:48.411 --> 00:29:59.756 Everyone hopes it eats a lot of berries so we kill it while its fat. 00:29:59.756 --> 00:30:10.558 Even when the bear goes to its den to hibernate, it still gets fatter. 00:30:10.558 --> 00:30:14.270 It only stops getting fatter after a month of hibernation. 00:30:14.270 --> 00:30:22.070 If it starts hibernation in November, it’ll be December when it stops getting fatter. 00:30:22.070 --> 00:30:29.869 It will live off it’s fat reserves throughout the winter. 00:30:29.869 --> 00:30:39.254 This animal is very good at what berries to eat first and it knows which ones to eat at the very end. 00:30:39.254 --> 00:30:44.008 It’s the red round ones that are clumped together. 00:30:44.008 --> 00:30:48.137 They are the last ones it eats once it starts to snow. 00:30:48.137 --> 00:30:55.770 It does this to clean its system and organs. 00:30:56.312 --> 00:31:02.652 This animal is amazing and from this it survives throughout the winter. 00:31:02.652 --> 00:31:06.698 There’s lots of teachings from the land. 00:31:07.156 --> 00:31:23.214 The bear is sacred because the elders saw it was smart enough to think like a man. 00:31:23.214 --> 00:31:26.175 This animal is very smart. 00:31:26.175 --> 00:31:34.267 The bear's gestation period is 9 months and its cubs are born during February. 00:31:34.267 --> 00:31:44.277 The bear's gestation period is 9 months until they are born. 00:31:44.277 --> 00:31:47.989 It’s the same gestation period for women giving birth. 00:31:49.073 --> 00:32:01.878 During spring the cubs are small, some are tiny and are capable of chasing their mother. 00:32:01.878 --> 00:32:10.345 If you see 2 or 3 small cubs running, don’t you ever chase them. 00:32:10.386 --> 00:32:21.731 The mother is very protective, it’s able to cause harm protecting her cubs. 00:32:21.731 --> 00:32:24.233 It’s never to be disrespected. 00:32:25.026 --> 00:32:30.949 A long time ago, dogs were highly respected. 00:32:30.949 --> 00:32:34.661 It isn’t like that anymore. 00:32:34.661 --> 00:32:38.665 Today we see how white people care for their dogs 00:32:38.665 --> 00:32:43.795 and it was like that when we worked with them. 00:32:43.795 --> 00:32:46.381 He (the Cree) really cared for it. 00:32:46.381 --> 00:32:55.515 During winters, he sheltered it by making a dog house to keep it warm during winter. 00:32:55.515 --> 00:33:04.732 Also when you killed a moose, you’d put fur trimmings inside it for warmth. 00:33:05.775 --> 00:33:10.405 The dog did a very good job and was also smart. 00:33:10.405 --> 00:33:18.579 When we look at the James Bay coast, they would do dog sledding. 00:33:18.579 --> 00:33:22.917 The dogs would be tied in a gangline as they pulled in the sled. 00:33:22.917 --> 00:33:34.595 When they sensed danger, the dogs would spread out because the ice lowered down below. 00:33:34.595 --> 00:33:48.568 The dog's tug line was made from using this type of material. 00:33:48.568 --> 00:33:52.780 The man would have this in his bag when he’d go hunting. 00:33:52.780 --> 00:33:57.326 He tied it on the dog pulling two beavers he caught. 00:33:57.326 --> 00:33:59.287 He would pull the other two using a cord. 00:33:59.287 --> 00:34:05.293 The ceremonial cord is very useful. And he’d follow not far behind. 00:34:05.293 --> 00:34:14.802 If it tangles itself it starts barking and you’d know that it tangled itself. 00:34:14.802 --> 00:34:17.263 That’s how smart a dog was. 00:34:17.263 --> 00:34:25.605 Also when a dog would pull something, they would pull something like us, 00:34:25.605 --> 00:34:31.694 using the same motions as we do to conserve energy. 00:34:31.694 --> 00:34:35.114 With back and forth motions. 00:34:35.531 --> 00:34:44.248 This bag that I’m holding was made by a woman, she makes use of what she makes. 00:34:44.248 --> 00:34:49.921 This here is a bag, you see moose hide used here. 00:34:49.921 --> 00:34:56.219 It’s very light and compact when pulling a toboggan. 00:34:56.844 --> 00:35:03.017 It’s best used when carrying on portages. They vary in size. 00:35:03.017 --> 00:35:06.437 A woman would make her own bag. So that they wouldn’t have to look for it. 00:35:06.437 --> 00:35:09.107 So that she wouldn’t have to look for her things. 00:35:09.107 --> 00:35:13.986 She didn’t have to think about where her things might be. 00:35:13.986 --> 00:35:17.949 She’d put her belongings inside her bag, including her scraper. 00:35:17.949 --> 00:35:19.784 Her things would be inside. 00:35:19.951 --> 00:35:25.790 She would locate it from where she hung it, 00:35:25.790 --> 00:35:32.171 she tied it like so and hung it inside. 00:35:32.171 --> 00:35:38.344 She remembered where she placed her stuff to use for skinning beaver. 00:35:38.344 --> 00:35:53.776 She made it to store tools like needles used for sewing. 00:35:54.527 --> 00:36:00.408 This is a baby charm. 00:36:00.408 --> 00:36:06.622 When the baby was wrapped, it was attached here on the chest. 00:36:06.622 --> 00:36:16.507 It was to prevent the baby from having a cold or getting sick or having nightmares. 00:36:16.507 --> 00:36:23.723 A long time ago people believed in this and it’s still true to this day. 00:36:23.723 --> 00:36:39.155 A white man made this and is used by a Cree, it’s an important metal used for filing. 00:36:39.155 --> 00:36:49.415 A Cree made this and is used for sharpening things, it’s called a file. 00:36:50.208 --> 00:36:58.466 You can use it both on your knife or your crooked knife. 00:36:58.466 --> 00:37:01.427 You do it twice like this. 00:37:01.427 --> 00:37:07.099 I’m mistaken, you first do once like this and that. 00:37:07.099 --> 00:37:13.314 You can also do it twice like this and it’s already sharp. 00:37:13.898 --> 00:37:17.735 This here is a file, you don’t use it many times. 00:37:17.735 --> 00:37:20.238 A Cree makes these files. 00:37:20.238 --> 00:37:25.868 You can use this side if you want to sharpen your axe, or use this side like so. 00:37:26.202 --> 00:37:31.165 So everything she’d own would be packed in the bags. 00:37:31.165 --> 00:37:33.876 She made herself these bags. 00:37:33.876 --> 00:37:39.799 These two netting needles belong to my wife. 00:37:39.799 --> 00:37:46.138 A woman would weave snowshoes with it. 00:37:46.138 --> 00:37:57.316 She’d weave using the longer lace over here and the small ones here. 00:37:57.900 --> 00:38:02.405 So she made all of her stuff. 00:38:02.405 --> 00:38:05.825 You also see, she makes decorations. 00:38:05.825 --> 00:38:13.249 She decorates her stuff and she'd do this to everything. 00:38:13.249 --> 00:38:25.219 She wouldn’t lose her stuff and used it once she located them. 00:38:25.219 --> 00:38:30.975 I’ll say it in English “our people were organized”. 00:38:30.975 --> 00:38:35.521 They knew where to locate their stuff. 00:38:35.521 --> 00:38:43.863 So, I’ll mention one more thing used in our teachings. 00:38:44.488 --> 00:38:47.616 I showed you a baby charm. 00:38:47.616 --> 00:38:50.411 This is used for making a baby fall asleep. 00:38:50.411 --> 00:38:56.542 The woman sings lullabies with it. 00:38:56.542 --> 00:38:58.794 It’s used for babies. 00:38:59.295 --> 00:39:07.887 When you're out in the land, this is something that’s highly regarded and it's the drum. 00:39:08.387 --> 00:39:13.100 When you're out in the land, this is something that’s highly regarded and it's the drum. Here you see that it’s different. 00:39:13.100 --> 00:39:15.770 This drum comes from the Dene Nation. (plays drum). It’s almost like our drum, these here are used to bounce. This too isn't a rattle. 00:39:20.441 --> 00:39:25.738 It’s almost like our drum, these here are used to bounce. 00:39:25.738 --> 00:39:27.990 This too isn't a rattle. 00:39:28.240 --> 00:39:33.829 They also use it to sing christian hymns. 00:39:33.829 --> 00:39:40.628 Our drums are different and we use them for different purposes. 00:39:40.628 --> 00:39:45.925 For us we use it for hunting. 00:39:47.385 --> 00:39:54.350 I asked an elder about it, his name was David Neeposh and he had the drum. 00:39:54.683 --> 00:40:00.481 I asked him, “what was the drum used for exactly?” 00:40:00.981 --> 00:40:05.236 Replying back, he said, 00:40:06.445 --> 00:40:14.078 “I used it because back then, food was scarce and hunts were often unsuccessful.” 00:40:15.121 --> 00:40:26.465 He said, “when food was scarce, I felt the saddest for a baby, crying for food while he was on his swing.” 00:40:26.465 --> 00:40:35.933 He said, “from there I’d play the drum and look for food.” 00:40:36.767 --> 00:40:46.569 He said, “when we sang, I was transcending around the mountain range. 00:40:46.569 --> 00:40:55.578 Soon after sensing something from a mountain, I’d send the young hunters to scout.” 00:40:55.578 --> 00:41:05.671 I would tell them to go to the mountain and soon after a moose heart or two was brought in. 00:41:05.671 --> 00:41:10.384 David Neeposh said he used it for hunting. 00:41:11.177 --> 00:41:16.849 Another time, we were told by an elderly woman from Mistissini 00:41:16.849 --> 00:41:29.987 that her mother told her to never disrespect the drum and that it’s very important. 00:41:32.031 --> 00:41:38.162 She said this story was from my late great-great grandmother. 00:41:38.746 --> 00:41:41.707 She told her stories of when births happened in the bush. 00:41:41.707 --> 00:41:43.959 It was done so even during the winter. 00:41:45.794 --> 00:41:49.423 Most births went well but sometimes it wasn’t the case. 00:41:50.257 --> 00:41:55.638 Her great-great grandmother told a story of when people used to live together, one time they knew that a woman was about to give birth. 00:41:55.638 --> 00:41:57.723 My grandmother said, 00:41:57.723 --> 00:42:02.186 “She was laying across the women inside the dwelling and no one was able to sleep. 00:42:02.186 --> 00:42:07.775 All that could be done was wait for the baby to come out and cry.” 00:42:08.984 --> 00:42:14.406 Her great-great grandmother said to one of the three elderly women 00:42:14.406 --> 00:42:17.451 to go get the elderly man and to tell him that 00:42:17.451 --> 00:42:29.463 “something is happening, that the baby was crowning but couldn’t come out.” 00:42:30.631 --> 00:42:32.967 She said that nothing happened right away. 00:42:33.592 --> 00:42:38.264 But once the elderly woman went back to see the pregnant woman, 00:42:38.264 --> 00:42:44.812 the elderly man told his son who was lying close by him, 00:42:44.812 --> 00:42:56.865 “ready the drum, warm it up near the stove, once the sound is good bring it over and hang it up.” 00:42:57.491 --> 00:43:09.920 She said once the sound of the drum was good, he told his son to hang the drum up. 00:43:10.337 --> 00:43:20.723 He began singing, and soon after you heard the baby's cry. 00:43:22.057 --> 00:43:26.854 She went to the elderly man, tapping him while he sang 00:43:28.522 --> 00:43:32.067 and saying to her grandfather “the baby came out.” 00:43:32.067 --> 00:43:36.947 She said, “he continued singing with the drum.” 00:43:37.489 --> 00:43:44.872 The drum was used for different reasons and people respected it. 00:43:45.247 --> 00:43:54.048 For us Cree, the drum is amazing and used for hunting to find food to survive. 00:43:54.048 --> 00:44:03.223 Eventually we would find what we were looking for using this drum. 00:44:03.223 --> 00:44:08.562 Back then our people respected the drum and still is respected right across Canada.