Let's Go Back to Our Land

I don't know nice to go by jerk Rebecca doesn't want to hear what it will look like when they flip the land when they dance the great well river it will accept all living things all beings and those that live in the water it will displaced all fish and animals of the river they will not be able to stay where they are now when they start to create reservoirs are the most - I see and so that's enough go on add together and it's nippy to understand at that so our desktop that so I'm just a dive on and so on uh smacks of a toboggan see that a second bead yeah will they be building the dams on your land yes where we usually harvest our cabin is there it will be underwater the only things that will show are the tips of the mountains when that happens all living creatures will be displaced even the fish they will be looking for food in the trees they will not be able to - stay where they used to live in the river punish the vampyre how do you feel about that prospect I am very sad and hurt it's just like losing a loved one close to you that's how much it hurts when we remember the prospect of dance we feel like crying in our hearts are you bothered or not [Music] [Music] would you a little jingle yes you is if we do you root for no gist injectable yes [Music] [Music] on July 22 1993 an expedition of Eastern James bakery from the community of tasali embarked on a journey north along the James Bay and Hudson Bay coasts I would take them to the mouth of the great whale river in northern Quebec Canada northern Quebec Inuit from Polana to canoe chiaki movie against Andy Kilowog Northwest Territories also made the journey from the north in Hudson's Bay traditionally korean any would have survived for generations following these same routes to fishing and hunting grounds that have sustained them for generations although these expeditions were by motorboat tree and anywhere in the past did not have canoes with motors but relied only on their paddle birch bark canoes and sealskin bogus [Music] in me instead [Music] instead and I know gosh yeah gee [Music] [Applause] [Music] and we wish and mr. Shue [Music] and she me instead with [Music] James Bay and Hudson's Bay are like a food bowl for the Korean Inuit attenti hydro project for James Bay one in Quebec James Day Basin has been seriously altered not as many birds and animals are harvested by Korean Inuit hunters and fish are contaminated with mercury in the inland lakes and streams the salinity of the water has changed because of the project therefore affecting the growing cycle and habitat of vital foods of all birds and animals that depend on the base [Music] the Korea Eastern James Bay Quebec are very much dependent on the land and water of James and Hudson space any changes could severely harm their way of life forever the Korean Inuit has been hunting these waters for thousands of years and today they still do but now everything that they depend on is threatened by further proposed hydro development that great whale in northern Quebec Canada the Creole Sasabe and the other coastal Cree travel regularly on the waters of James and Hudson's Bay and want to continue to harvest its bounty in the future for the Korean Inuit depend on the land and waters the land and waters depend on them they are one in 1975 an agreement was signed by the Korean Inuit with the governments of Quebec and Canada many a Korean Inuit do not understand written English or French they still depend on the land they call home the elders foresaw the coming development they knew their cultures were threatened but at the time this understanding and ignorance are stronger than the truth today the Korean Inuit are fighting to keep their homeland a land beautiful and serene animals and birds are calling out to save their home the great whale River is in the words of an elder the vain of mothers the blood that carries life to its children James Bay and Hudson Bay is one of the most beautiful and pristine areas on the North American continent the land and water is still very much untouched by outside sources for the Korean Inuit it is vital that these great inland seas and rivers be preserved their cultural survival and identity depends on it hydroelectric development and other industrial activities threaten the existence of these very unique peoples the land they live on is rich in resources that Outsiders want to develop Outsiders cannot see the richness of the land and see the decree in any would depend on they see economic gain attitude to prosperity Oh [Music] [Music] to be [Music] you [Music] Oh [Music] today the Cree in Inwood are still very close to their roots they still practice many of their traditional activities that have been passed on through the generations at the moment Creon in would still have that chance to survive from the land but outside influences and development have you roted the cultures of once independent peoples the young people in children are very important they observe and learn from the elders and teachers the Hudson Bay and James Bay area is where many species of fish are caught by the Korean Inuit fishing is a very important activity for the Cree in any way it is a staple in the diet very important to survival in the days before contact with the Europeans [Applause] the trip north whether it's us oblique we was about 250 miles there was three nights in the tents the fishing was not very good but enough fish were caught for a bite the children still enjoy swimming in the great whale River the Chesapeake Creek and no longer swim in Bear River this too dirty and cold once upon a time the Chesapeake Ripper was contributed one of the best rivers for fish and drinking water now it is only history in the Korean in with tradition it is very important that you treat your guests will you must make sure that he or she feel welcome the people are great well did not break tradition we left decisively 4 days ago on Thursday we slept overnight on James Bay at a place called the little point it was very windy that day this gathering is a result of a resolution of the what marks the First Nation the members of the what marks the first nation where I speak counsel to call for a gathering of this kind to be able to assess the impacts of modern influences and other things on our culture the result that mandate is what you see today expend my thanks to all of those who made an effort to come here we have guests as far as perhaps 300 miles north hundred miles south some of them came in by plane perhaps about 800 miles south we all have some want off some guests from the United States that are here from as most of you know we've had a long battle with hydroelectric development project today our ever still run free and we're going to this keep it that way the there are many reasons for what is gathering and the most important is to revisit our culture the Inuit side of the alert and the creeks the spices a historic site in which the Queen and the inner witness together so it's time immemorial if you walk along the graph you're going to see all campsites perhaps 2,000 years old and more this is the historic type would he into it a decree since time immemorial used to hunt the whale this is why this river is called the great whale River because it was famous what I kind of hunt our gathering here should give us a direction I saw where we want to go how much of modern influences we want to take because one thing we have to admit is that there are some of those things that come from modern society today that are beneficial to us but it's those that affect us negatively that we want to fight that we want to understand and know how to deal with and this is this is the purpose of this gathering is to identify what is good and what is bad for us in terms of what we get from modern society it's also a gathering where we want to understand our own cultures through the teaching of our elders and once again I would like to welcome everyone and again let's give it another hand for those visitors okay in such a long way thank you this is my Martens okay that's quail I will try to pick every week he smells the bait could have been my stand like this right here okay when he stands close enough he will see how cool little days definitely whichever way he tries to enter this way I had my tea special school or that way even when he squeezes through he'll still try and get at the bait I should be with joy you'll be proud and he won't be able to move that what doesn't then he realized whatever mistakes you two have to navigate that's not funny when I hit on sometimes people get in each other's way when they're when there is two trying to clean a terrible hide when you see they're not on the same page it breaks their rhythm grenadine without eyes not window sharpened expanded to learn how to use and sharpen it will not work to shorten it from this side only on this side this is how I shop in mind that's the only way it will work when is not rough on the edge that's when it is good and sharp eye of our squad I started about it I said you watch it I used to mail like it like new we worked it used to make a loud noise when I finally predict when it is smooth now not rough it is very loud but you can make it any size if you want to make it big you can it's very loud what it is big this is a small one I just wanted to show how it was made well we love feeling congestion exiting the wood cannot crack or switch because I made a crossbow in the same way before I thought identity shows doesn't but I should bring the string now don't let the string go out us you'll hit the woman as you know the beautiful teachings all these local elders were teaching the people back home we don't have that there is olena stairs don't let that there is only a handful of our elders even our language is gone it's so beautiful so here the little ones playing and talking in their language it's so beautiful to see the future and they will begin to pass these teachings [Music] it's good got what she in the end don't shout to my cabbages that one machen [Music] Nash's [Applause] tip one with tea master Wizkid match a Wilander boosting bear cutting through the night long [Music] gather this channel know can I find [Music] and gents good now watch it yeah now I'm shy can I come Governor Janet scum [Music] matching Masha's the one you get one where too much time Wizkid my chicken at sunrise in the spring and summer be walking out ceremony is one of the most important ceremonies for the Cree people it is a ceremony that introduces a child to decree way of life survival and in respect to all of life he or she is brought into the circle of the Cree family this gives the child's strength to pursue life of the Cree and introduces the child to future skills needed to survive on the land he or she will then pass the knowledge of the Cree way to his or her children [Applause] [Music] [Music] to fight for water down we have the right to land and you live with by Oh [Music] I'm seeing my lonesome ever she'll never know we are so colocation of original indictment at a feast is always given to honor the children after the walking out ceremony oh no no we will remain linked to a land of mystery or a beauty answer for the people still defense while I have a dream where everything remains like it was time begin its lansky through its its lane rapini annual a Barbie yeah [Music] it's legs were ski through its delay [Music] in any way Barbie [Music] yeah [Music] with hydroelectric development project today I would ever still run free analyzer just keep it that way [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] the word came shown here the cold of space for the Borel course furrows and tan the floor open for the Northern Lights display rora colors in the sky for the come on shine variety in ruin the time thing it's bland burst peaceful its land for its land of the beanie it's the land far beyond the one that's where the quickmail river flows from the allowing stream to a land of misty dream full of beauty and terrine where the people still defend while our time the dream where everything me like it was time to get its land were skier through its lair there were still it's the land of the beanie annuus it's the land [Music] far beyond beyond what man's car way it's Leadworth me through its leg where's Lou it's land of the cleaning with its land far beyond beyond the one master bi [Music] Bardia beyond the ones my are we

Channel: Christopher Snowboy

Views: 26,236

Rating: 4.8778625 out of 5

Keywords: #chrissnowboy, christopher herodier snowboy, kuujjuarapik, Great Whale Hydro Project, whapmagoostui first nation

Id: PZDcDkzzUDw

Length: 35min 28sec (2128 seconds)

Published: Sat Jul 15 2017