In January, Edward Nuna and I worked with Mr. Coldwell's students on a climate change video. Mr. Coldwell developed the idea with the students before we came in. That's what I call great team work! The video explored the advantages of hunting for caribou as opposed to buying beef from the grocery store. The youth were energetic and a joy to work with. I am currently editing this video now!
While looking for archival pictures to put into the Elder’s interview segments, I came across photographs from a Nutshimit school trip in the fall of '93. I laughed out loud when I saw them as I was recently complaining about the lack pictures from my youth. Unfortunately It looks as though I’m impersonating a praying mantis. Some of the parents of the students I have worked with during this project are in these pictures.
Back in December I worked with the high school class to facilitate a short workshop on how to use the school’s video equipment. We then tested out the learning. I was very surprised by the response of the students when I suggested that part of the class reenact an Innu story and the other half record them.
They naturally decided what roles they would play, did a practice run and performed it 20 minutes later. The camera people were equally impressive and enthusiastic.
I decided to edit it together for fun. This is a high school skit about the story, "The Little Boy Who Had Lice"
There is so much potential among these youth, if they are courageous enough to act in front of their peers, then they will do great things. I am hoping that they will be enthusiastic to work on the larger scale project: reenacting stories from the elders later this March!
People always say that the youth are our future; I think that they are also our present. If you look at the young men and woman that are walking roughly 7 weeks across Labrador to promote healthy cultural awareness and diabetes awareness, it is easy to recognize their role today.
Photo Courtesy of Alex Andrew
Interview with Alex Andrew, Giants uncle about the walk he is leading right now.
There is another group of people walking for a cause. Some Natuashish Innu are walking in Burton Winters memory. What a beautiful and heartwarming thing they are doing.
Burton Winters, a 14 year old boy from Makkovik, showed great determination and courage to make it home, but unfortunately did not survive. However he has inspired Labradorians to come together in unity to demand a Search in Rescue base in Labrador.
Navarana Igloliorte grew up in Baker Lake, north of the tree line in Nunavut until she was 11 years old. After a short year in Inuvik, her family travelled across the country in an old Chevy Suburban and camper to Labrador. She spent most of her teenage years living in Sheshatshiu and was known as kaeminanut iskuess (daughter of the telephone man) by the older generations, as her father worked for Newtel at the time.
After completing high school she found opportunities to travel in exchange programs as far as Indonesia. Compelled to learn how to make art and foster her creative side, she competed a Bachelor of Fine Arts at Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NSCAD) in Halifax. Though she travelled quite a bit, she always came back to Labrador to work and spend time with family and friends. Navarana decided to pursue her education degree as a way to give back to her community and help facilitate the arts as a means for community development and positive change.
Navarana has participated in the making of many small productions over the years and more recently has filmed and produced two documentaries for the Nunatsiavut Government on the topics of residential schools system and overcoming alcoholism. She now resides in Sackville, NB with her husband and two children. She is looking forward to working with and teaching Sheshatshiu youth video skills for the very important task of recording Elders stories and knowledge.
Elisabeth Antuan and Navarana Igloliorte in her time to Nutshimit
March 27-April 9th Reanactment of Innu stories.
Co-Director: Reneltta Arluk
Reneltta is of Inuvialuit, Gwich’in and Chipewyan-Cree descent originally from Fort Smith, Northwest Territories. Raised by her grandparents on the trap-line until school age, Reneltta traveled around the North with them to communities such as Fort Providence all the way up to what was then called Snowdrift now Lutsel K’e. Being raised in a nomadic original environment gave her the skills to become the artist she is. Reneltta’s life ambition is to continue going down the road of an artist and she believes it natural that stories be maintained through the way of theatre. For all theatre is, is dramatic storytelling. To keep our culture alive we must transform our identity into something that rings true to everyone everywhere, to become universal.
For over ten years Reneltta has been a part of or initiated the creation of Aboriginal Theatre across various parts of Canada and overseas. As a student at the Centre for Indigenous Theatre in Toronto, Ontario Reneltta began exploring the techniques of incorporating her personal stories into an ensemble. In Whitehorse, Yukon she was an integral part of the ensemble of Raven’s Tale theatre. Raven’s Tale showcased the diversity of the Yukon by telling the traditional stories of the land and culture including an adaptation of Raven Steals the Sun. The cast was made up of many First Nations of the area as well as Indigenous peoples from other parts of Canada, including herself. From there Reneltta continued pursuing her acting in a more formal education. In 2005, she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts – Acting degree from the University of Alberta. Reneltta became the first Aboriginal woman as well as the first Inuk to graduate from that program.
Reneltta started her her own theatre company, Akpik Theatre Productions. AKPIK Theatre, was established in 2008 to present, develop and produce northern and/or Indigenous scripts for local, national and international audiences. Reneltta is fortunate to continually work as an Actor/Storyteller/Playwright/Producer throughout Canada and Internationally. As her mother says, “keep your culture alive.” Reneltta plans on doing that for a very long time.
Reneltta is will facilite acting workshops from March 28th -April 2. If you are interested in participating, please email anorae.production@gmail.com. April 3rd to 9th we will reanact the stories and Reneltta will be there to help guide the way!
This is a Sheshatshiu Innu First Nation, department of Social Health project.
I took this photo of Tishtu Pokue in the fall of 2010. It was during an Elder’s gathering that took place outside of Sheshatshui. Every time I went to visit the tents I was struck by the beautiful energy and pride of the Elders. I thought to myself that it would be wonderful if the Elders could be filmed as they possess such knowledge and wisdom that needs to be captured and passed on to future generations.
Two years later... we are doing exactly that. This is my good friend Natasha Hurley and her late grandmother's sister, Tishtu. Tishtu was the first to tell her story for the storytelling archive project, passing on knowledge and language for future generations of Innu. I am looking forward to reading the translation of her interview. We just found a translator, so hopefully it won't take too long to post these stories.
I first met Tishtu when I went on Tshaukuesh Penashue's Annual Walk called Innu Pikasiun Nutshimit, back in the spring of 2004. Here is Tshaukuesh Penashue's blog if you would like to see pictures and more information about the walk.Tshaukuesh Penashue's blog
I was so amazed by Tshaukuesh because of her strength and determination to teach young people traditional knowledge in all her endeavors but especially during in this physically intense, month long walk, every spring. Innu Pikasiun Nutshimit is open to anyone who wants to go. When I finally had the opportunity to go, I decided to buy my first video camera to record it. Tishtu had a sore leg so she was only able to walk with us for a couple of days. I admired her determination to walk even while it was painful.
Among the group were two young boys that completed the walk. Matshiu is Tshaukuesh's grandchild and he was able to bring humor and stay positive through the whole experience. The other boy was Sebastian who came along with his grandmother. Sebastian was around 12 years old and had limitless energy.I never heard him complain and he was obedient to every request when it was time to cut trees and help set up the tent day after day. He had an innate capacity for the traditional Innu lifestyle.
Matshiu, Tshaukuesh, Sebastian
Sebastian passed on to the next world in a house fire when he was a teenager. I dedicate this project to Sebastien's spirit and ask him for energy and strength.
TSHAUKUESH PENASHUE
(The painting in the backdrop of this film still is by Sheshka Snow )
Tshaukuesh is committed to Innu identity, culture and life. She is getting ready for her annual walk this year which will start March 5th.
FRANCIS PENASHUE
During the Innu Pikasiun Nutshimit, Francis Penashue, Tshaukuesh's husband, brought us food every week with his skidoo and kamotik even when the snow and ice were melting and it became dangerous. Every year Francis and Tshaukuesh they work together to make the walk and a summer canoe trip happen.
This December, when I was working with Ben Penashue, one of our goals was to have an Elder talk with the youth about what it was like living in Nutshimit and to tell them some of the Legends they wanted to know more about. I have always found that traditional stories flow more easily in the tent, so we asked if the school could keep it up for one more day. The tent was located roughly 20 minutes outside of Sheshatshui. We had one day to find an elder who would be physically able to do this. Ben called his grandfather Francis to meet us at the tent.
Francis spoke half the time in English and half the time in Innu-aimun. He spoke in English so that I, the teachers and one or two students who don't speak Innu-aimun, would understand some of the stories. Francis's father was a well known hunter and shaman.
PIEN AND LISETTE PENASHUE
Jack Penashue told me that if I were to go to Pien Penashue's house every morning and ask him to tell me stories, he would have new ones everyday. Pien Penashue is 85 years old and his memory is astonishing. Lynette also has a great memory because while he was speaking she would make sure that Pien was talking about the right person. Lisette's father was a Shaman and when Pien and Lisette married, Pien learned a great deal from him. Pien Penashue's short biography
Pien told us stories that varied from the Kushapatshikan (shaking tent), healing medicines from Nutshimit, the teuaikan (drum) and many stories about animals. He also talked about Dr. Pardon in the 1930's...
ANAMANI AND NAISSA PENASHUE
Anamani spoke to the high school class at the school tent about the different animal bones while Naissa made Innu donuts. In January, Edward and I interviewed them in their home. This time Naissa spoke - she has boundless energy. Anamani was not feeling the best so she did not speak much.
These ladies are great fun.
MARY MADELINE NUNA
Last January, when I worked with Edward Nuna, the first interview we did was with his mom, Mary Madeline. It was really something special. She is a shy woman, so it was perfect that Edward was there to bring out the stories. I could tell some of them were really great, especially the one about the Toad Master who lives at Michikamau Lake.
DOMINIC POKUE
Dominic Pokue makes me laugh every time I hear him; he always sounds like he is yelling. I had a hunch that he would be a good storyteller. Check out the intonations for the different characters.
PENOTE ANTUAN
I came across a very sweet and creative school project based on a story that Penote Antuan told. Please click the link.
Penote Antuan spoke in both English and Innu. He has a very kind spirit. I got the feeling that he was not totally comfortable in the interview and was not sure why. At the end he asked who I was... oops I thought he knew. Usually Ben or Edward would tell the Elders who I was so that they would be able to place me. The interviewer would say in Innu "This white girl is Navi... this is Joe Tretina's daughter. They used to live here. “The Elder might ask, still trying to place my family... "Who is that?" Then comes the reply, "The telephone man, Joe" "Okay, Okay, I know"
My dad is kind of famous his selfless service to others. I remember when there was a huge fire in the Sheshatshiu radio station. It was a freezing cold winter night. I don’t think the fire trucks had made it yet and dad ran into the flaming building several times to rescue the equipment. Each time, we didn't know if he would make it out alive. Everyone clapped when he made it out each time. Later I asked him what was he thinking, he just said he didn't think they could replace the equipment. This is what he is like all the time.
So anyway Penote was our neighbour on the top road when we used to live in town. When he realized who I was and that Joe was my dad. He said "Oh yes, Joe is my friend. Where is he living now?"
TONY PENASHUE
Tony spoke the longest of all the Elders and he barely took a breath in between each story. I can't wait to read what he had to say. When he was talking I was thinking about my generation and I rarely meet people who recall past events with such detail. My grandparents where like this too. I would sit at the kitchen table for hours listening to all of their rich stories of people and dates; they remembered with such ease.
KATHELEEN NUNA
Kathleen Nuna is amazing and again, I cannot wait to read the translation. This basket was given to her by a woman from another tribe. She showed it to us to illustrate what the Innu used to use to fetch water as she was telling a story about it.
As part of an initiative to provide creative means by which young people in the community can reconnect with their Elders, I have been hired by the Department of Social Health of the Sheshatshiu Innu First Nation to lead a video project working with youth in the community. In the months of December and January, I collaborated with Ben Penashue and Edward Nuna who have been very helpful and insightful in guiding this process. To date, we have filmed twelve Elders recounting their stories and traditions which will be edited and produced as a DVD with translation and subtitles and an accessible web page aimed at the younger generation of Innu Youth. With these stories documented on video, the knowledge and history is captured for future generations to benefit from and take pride in the knowledge of their Elders. Though some of of the stories have been recorded and archived in the past, video adds a new dimension - the expressions and animate gestures of the speaker adds a unique dynamic of story telling not captured in voice recording.
These are the Elders who have been filmed so far:
PienPenashue Lisette Penashue
PenoteAntuan
TshaukueshPenashue Francis Penashue Dominic Pokue
TishtuPokue
AnamaniPenashue
NaissaPenashue Tony Penashue Mary Madeline Nuna
KatheleenNuna
Late March 2012
We are going to film a reenactment of a legend or historical event! I am planning on submitting the finished video to film festivals. Are you interested in taking part? Which legend do you think we should work on?
LETS MAKE THIS HAPPEN! COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Translators:
Translator who is fluent in written in the more traditional Innu Aimun and English. There are 11 hours of footage that need to be translated.
Writers:
People who have written stories or screen plays about the legends and want to collaborate on this film.
Potential Filmmakers:
Are there any youth out there who want to learn how to film and edit video? Just email me and you can learn and help film the reenactment of the legend.
Adviser:
Person who knows the traditional ways and wants to give guidance on set.
Actors:
People who would like to act in the film, no previous experience is necessary. All ages are welcome.
Costume Designers:
People who have skills in sewing.
Anyone know a story that we can work on together late March? Here are a couple of ideas so far...
How Anikunapeu Took A Wife
Two
girls went berry picking on the island and they went walking in the
swampy place. One of the girls saw the other girl sinking into the mud,
on the island Nitinuk on Meshikamau lake. The other girl went home
to tell what happened and told the people what happened. The people went
over to see what happened to the girl. The girl was sinking deeper and
deeper. Then they tried to pull her out of the mud. She was going
down and down. All they could see was the hand of the girl. Then they
cut the hand of Anikapeu, the toad-man (...) And they cut the wrist of
the toad-man. After they cut the wrist of the toad-man, the wrist went
back in place again. Then they tried again; they cut the wrist of the
toad-man, but the toad-man's wrist fastened on again. The story is
true, what happened. Then the girl was no longer to be seen. They lost
her under the swamp. Then they tried to find out what happened to her.
They made what they called the shaking tent. When they finished the
shaking tent, and they brought the toad-man in the shaking tent. The
toad-man said: "It is I who took your daughter. It is I who took your
daughter." The toad-man told the girl's father that she will always be
happy where she stays. And she will never grow old "and you will always
stay here (...) in lake Meshikamau. And the girl's father said: "I will
always stay here," the toad-man told the girl's father where his [the
toad-man's] home was, where he lived at Kueshtakapishkau
Shushepis Rich showing how the caribou were drawn to near an Innu camp by a Kamantushit (Innu hunter with supernatural powers)
Ustanitshu - The story
Ustanitshu
This
is a story from long ago which I heard from my grandfather Pienshushep
Shanima, an old hunter. He told me his version of what he heard when he
was a young boy.
This is a very old story. It happened a
long time ago. It has something to do with how the Innu survived
before, what the Innu did in order to survive. They always went to
places where the fish and animals were prolific; caribou in particular
was the main source of food and clothing. Fish and caribou were gathered
and preserved to last a long period of time. We had to keep doing this
when the animals were there to avoid running out of food. Sometimes we
would have to leave the food in a cache, and move somewhere else to hunt
and gather fish. Sometimes we would need to go back and retrieve it and
sometimes other Innu found it who were less fortunate. Sometimes they
replaced it. That’s how we relied on each other and helped one another
to survive, because all the Innu people understood why it was taken,
they already knew.
Innu families traveled to Meshikamau
and to Mushuaushipu and to Mushuaunipi to wait for the caribou herds in
the places through which they normally migrate. They seldom missed the
location; sometimes they were early, sometimes they were late but all
the families had to get prepared while they were waiting, making corrals
at the caribou crossings. It was in those places that the caribou were
ambushed and speared. This normally takes place in the fall.
On
one occasion the caribou did not arrive at all. The Innu people ran out
of food while they were waiting. They were relying on fish, Kukumes
(Lake Trout) and Brook Trout and eventually they did not get any fish at
all. That’s what it’s like when Innu run out of food: it’s like there’s
no fish there but everyone knows there’s fish in the lake. This means
they will have hardships. Although the women were setting their hooks in
the lake they didn’t get anything and they soon ran out of bait. At the
same time the men were making long journeys for hunting but they came
back with nothing. They continued doing this for several days; they
don’t give up easily.
Some hunters were too weak to go
hunting and so were the women. The children were crying in hunger. The
old hunters were very strong and they asked the younger men to make a
kushapatshikan (shaking tent) to check what had happened to the caribou. They
did this and when the Kamutankatshiut came out of the shaking tent, he
told the hunters that someone was trying to kill them all; that he was
blocking the caribou from going through. The person who was preventing
the caribou from reaching them was a very powerful Kamutankatshiut who
was abusing his powers. “There’s nothing we can do except to move to
another location.” One of the young hunters told him “Everyone is too
weak to walk. We might as well die here. What can we do?”. One old
hunter told the others that they would go hunting early in the morning
to check for any tracks. “Hopefully we will meet the caribou when they
come.”
Six hunters went for two days hunting. They
didn’t get anything. It was in the evening when they arrived. The
children, boys and girls, were there to greet them. But they were
disappointed when they heard the news.
In the night
time the children could be heard crying in hunger until they cried
themselves to sleep. Innu people got used to this because it happened in
life sometimes. They knew that eventually they would get something.
They didn’t give up easily.
In the morning the sky was
dark. It looked as if there was a big storm coming. All the hunters
found it unusual: it looked as if it was going to rain or snow but it
wasn’t cold. They went hunting again and some went fishing. They only
got one big skinny Kukumes. That was the “sign of starvation” among them
and they all knew that but didn’t give up yet.
The
children were very weak now and some were crying. Some were told to play
outside in spite of the dark sky. But there was no wind.
In
the afternoon the hunters came back with nothing even though they were
very experienced hunters. That’s what it’s like sometimes when it seems
as if there is nothing in this land. That’s what it’s like when animals
don’t want to be killed. Sometimes that’s what Kamutankutshiut do to
Innu people. He is so powerful, he can make these things happen. But
no-one knows why. He may be 300 miles away while he is doing this.
Hearing
the commotion, some kind of excitement from the children one young
hunter came out of his caribou skin shaputuan (large multifamily tent).
He was a little over 40 years old. Someone was cooking something and the
children were standing around waiting for the skinny fish to be boiled.
The tears came to his eyes; he couldn’t help it when he saw their
excitement; some of the children were crying. But when they took out the
fish the children could only drink the broth. There was no meat in it.
The children were crying. Some did not have enough; some did not get
anything.
The young man decided to walk to the point to
look at the evening sky. He looked to the west and could see that it
was clearing up. He could see the rays of the setting sun and the gleam
off the pile of caribou antlers which had been stacked up by the Innu in
past years after successful hunts. He looked to the other side of the
lake and towards the barren hills on the horizon. He stood there
thinking and decided to go back into the camp.
When he
got there he spoke to the other hunters. He wanted to take a walk with
the children who were not too weak; he wanted to walk to the biggest
hill to the north west. It was a gradually sloping hill, less than a
mile away. He went back to his tent and came out covering himself with a
caribou skin and the children with him. He didn’t want any adults with
him, only the children, the young boys and girls. They all followed him
to the barren hill. When they got there, the others could see him and
the children standing on top of the hill and they stood there for a
while and then they came down. When they returned to camp everyone was
wondering what he was doing. When they were back he turned to the
children and told them to look back. They turned and saw the pile of
bleached caribou antlers gleaming in the evening sun and then as they
looked at the hill from where they had just come they saw the dust
rising up and the sun shining through it. It was the dust kicked up as
the big caribou herd came over the hill in large numbers.
Everyone, including the children, was so excited they forgot their hunger. They knew they would live.
