Attawapiskat Documentary: the producer's POV

Angela was on TV and the doc is for sale!

2011-11-30T14:45:00.000-08:00

So the hype is building. So is the hate mail and nasty phone calls. Poor Angela.
Just FYI, she said the racists will use this excuse, if you self-identify as racist, it's not our fault. Stop phoning/ texting/ emailing your shit to Angela.

I thought she was well spoken, passionate and dead on with her remarks.
But haters gotta hate. Maybe she made them feel small for picking on little kids?

Here's the link to the interview.
http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/News/1221258968/ID=2172308398

I don't really mind never being mentioned so much, Angela keeps pointing out to people that I was there, so I'm good. I'll bet she wishes they would spend a little of their attention on me though, she must be tired of all the grilling and disbelief and shit.

Meanwhile, the trailer is on youtube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFSj7QZb6qM

and the whole film is on pay-per-view for only $2.50

http://movielocker.com/9194

and we're giving 40% of net (after paying the crew and the airline tickets) to True North Aid

(http://www.truenorthaid.ca) for their continuing work in Attawapiskat. We were there at the same time as they were, back in Jan 2010, and saw the great work they were doing. Raising funds for a playground so the kids wouldn't have to play on a contaminated landfill, bringing up hundreds of boxes of donations, sending up fridges and stoves....

Big news!

2011-11-28T16:36:00.000-08:00

Well, the doc got into the internation film festival in Stuttgard, Germany. (https://www.facebook.com/pages/INDIANER-INUIT-DAS-NORDAMERIKA-FILMFESTIVAL/113127684301) and will be showing in Jan.

And we have had so many requests for copies of the film for schools and native groups, that we decided to release it early. It's 2.50 per viewing on Movielocker. But we'll still sell physical DVDs for schools and people who want them.

Catching up

2011-11-03T10:37:00.000-07:00

So, it's been awhile. I better get this updated.
We've been stupidly busy, but in a good way. The film premiered at the Toronto Independent Film Festival in September. It went over well, and there were quite a few people stayed after to ask questions.

We also held a pre-release screening in Ottawa in October. Based on some of the questions we heard in Toronto. A few minor changes to flow and titles were made. We will now be entering it in a few more festivals to see if the changes make a difference.

Hopefully we'll hear good news from a few of the majors, like Sundance, Slamdance and the native film festivals.

Editing update.

2011-06-11T16:01:00.000-07:00

So, we should be done editing this week!
We have narration by Craig Lauzon of The Royal Canadian Air Farce, and extra footage from True North, MP Charlie Angus and others.

The doc is under an hour, and in 5 segments, touching on the specific issues of water, education and housing.

So, we're looking for festival suggestions: Aboriginal festivals, documentary festivals....

April 8th.

2010-04-13T10:09:00.000-07:00

The Chief and council want to be reassured that we are not on a vendetta to accuse them of corruption. We’re being asked to provide proof of our intentions. How do you prove intent? We’re willing to talk to them, show them the script, the shot list, even the finished product before it goes out, but not the raw footage.

Acting Chief Spence has demanded to see all of our footage. At the end of day 3, we had 3-4 hours, by the end of today (day 3) we’ll have at least 5 hours. That would take a whole day to watch.

Not to mention that out of a 45 minute interview, I might only use 2-3 minutes that are relevant. We’re not interested in squabbles with neighbours or the band council; we want only the parts dealing with the doc’s topic. And what if he said something they find offensive? It’s breaking an important trust to be showing it to people when we’re not planning to use it. And could make things difficult for someone who trusted us enough to talk about his frustration.

So that’s fun. And will likely interfere with some of our scheduled interviews.

Ironically, it never crossed our minds to do something anti-band council until they started this shit. We weren’t even mentioning the band council, were anti-government apathy and indifference.

April 7th (Wednesday)

2010-04-13T09:57:00.003-07:00

Woke up twice during the night when someone tried my door handle. Could’ve been someone at the wrong room, Robbie (Rosie’s husband) making sure I’d locked my door, or someone trying to break in. The whole population knows there’s a white woman here with a film crew and expensive film equipment. I prefer to think it was a repeat of the 5 year old boy who tried to get in on a dare from his brother. I’d heard him earlier I the evening, whispering to an almost identical little boy, then whoosh, he raced up the hall, tried the door knob and raced away. I’m glad I keep it locked.

The power was off in the kitchen last night. So we had cheese whiz on tortillas, homemade beef jerky & cold cheese for supper. Got up this morning, power’s off again. Shit! No coffee!

Power’s on! As soon as we finish some exteriors and the shot of Irkar in the room, we can make coffee!!

Power’s off again. Rats!!! We’re going to have to be careful about timing!

Afternoon & Evening

Coffee at the Northern Store 2 coffee, 1 tea and 1 Coke = $13. ½ case of bottled water = $25. 2 Sobe iced tea = $13. I am rapidly going broke!

And my back is killing me! Maybe walking that ½ mile through the mostly frozen swamp for that perfect shot by the frozen lake, wasn’t the brightest idea after all.

But man, it looked great!

We interviewed Bob & Wes at the airport, that is one amazing little kid. He’s smart, he’s poised, and he’s totally unafraid of the camera. His mom, however…. Beautiful woman, flatly refused to be on camera, or within 15 feet of it.

Angela arrived, as did Irkar’s lost backpack. Good thing because he was freaking without his chocolate stash. And Laszlo got his boom pole. My box of food arrived, right on time! But without the maple suckers I bought for the kids. Shit!

I’ll have to mail them up when I send Rosie’s lace and stuff.

Speaking of which, Rosie has a dance class on Friday, we’re hoping to get to film a couple of the kids.

Angela is being brought up to date watching the footage so far.

We have several leads on interviews, and will do the first one tomorrow morning. Mike Koostachin, who’ll be running for chief this summer, wants to talk. So do Helen Kataquapit, Paul Mattinas and Elder Dominic Nakogee. And Jackie Hookimaw wants to be re-interviewed.

Irkar just poked his head in to tell me that today’s footage is ‘awesome”, even “brilliant”. Good, maybe it’s worth the backache and incipient migraine. The caribou hide mittens Angela bought are reeking of cigarette smoke; they’re going to kill me.

Night:

Angela, Laz & Clarence went out to Mike’s tepee last night for a fire & stories. She had a great time, arriving in our room at 1:11am. I know because she woke me and I looked at my cell phone. Didn’t matter, people walking, talking and (in one case) singing in the hall had woken me a dozen times already.

Attawapiskat April 6th: (Tuesday)

2010-04-13T09:53:00.000-07:00

My back is killing me and my head is exhausted. We were up by 7, fed by 830, and supposed to be in the taxi to the airport by 845.
But you know what they say about the best laid plans.

Clarence had apparently checked into the hotel by suppertime. I tried calling his room to arrange for all 4 of us to eat together. It would be a chance to plan and organize everything. Get everyone on the same page. Alas, it was not meant to be.

When we got back to the hotel after dinner, I tried Clarence’s room again, still out. So I left a message. Then booted up mini-me and left a message on facebook.

After a shower and a little TV, I set my alarm and went to sleep. More or less, there was a loud party right over my room, and I don’t sleep well in hotels to begin with. I woke up once an hour and checked the time. Of course, I was finally asleep when the alarm went off.

Packed up, dressed and at breakfast by 8. I’d left Clarence a message to meet us in the lobby at 8 and that the taxi to the airport would be there at 845, apparently he forgot. Both.

So by 840, I was spitting sparks and Irkar as fit to be tied. The taxi arrived, we barely fit. Even without Clarence it was a tight fit. We waited until almost 9, but the plane was at 10, we had to go. Driving into the cold winter morning, our anger keeping us warm and Irkar’s cursing making the driver swerve in shock, but only in English. Still stage one anger, according to Irkar. We don’t need to worry until he starts swearing in Greek.

Half a block up the street, we ran into Clarence. Not literally, but we had finally found him. So we went back to the motel. Clarence packed up, checked out and rejoined us.

Off we went again, only 15 minutes late.

The driver drove as fast as he could, helped us unload and whipped off, leaving us at the wrong airport. Thunder Air was a barely visible blue building further up the road.

Fortunately, before I could freak completely, the nice lady behind the Air Creebec counter offered to call Thunder Air and have them send a shuttle for us. I love that woman.

Finally, we are on our way. $128 in weight overages, Irkar’s too tall to get in without looking like a clown-car, and if the pilot coughs the whole plane shakes. But we’re in the air!

The plane was sooo tiny! It seated only 9 plus the pilots, both of whom were young and seriously cute. I watched them and tried to ignore the turbulence and sudden altitude drops.

Moosenee

Fort Albany

Kasheshewan

Attawapiskat!

Last time I was here, it was a security nightmare, at least from my point of view.
Starting in Ottawa, with all my bags being searched and tested for drug or explosives residue. Or both, who knows? They even had me strip down to t-shirt & jeans, and bare feet and *patted me down*!! How many middle-aged white women are terrorists? IN CANADA!?

I was almost late for my plane, had too little time for the transfer in Toronto, and went to the wrong hotel in Timmins…..

Then when I arrived in Attawapiskat, we had the whole search thing over again.

This time, I packed very carefully, nothing over 75 ml, all my electronics in a ziploc bag, all my toiletries in another, all my filmstock in a third. Everything in the least bit questionable was checked. And what did they do?

Nothing. I wasn’t searched, my bags weren’t searched, I didn’t even have to take my stuff out of the carry-on to show them. I had a 1 ½ hour stop in Toronto, so I had lunch. I had a lovely hotel in Timmins, which let us park the car there for a week, free!

Attawapiskat? The same! Straight from the plane to the parking lot. I don’t know why this trip as so different, but shhhhhh…. If we don’t ask questions maybe they won’t remember to terrorize me on the way home.

So, what did we actually accomplish today?

Irkar got a bit air sick from turbulence the last 10 minutes of the flight and nearly barfed on the back of the pilot’s neck. In his rush to get off the plane and into the fresh air, he forgot his backpack. With all his coke and chocolate stash for our visit. They never unloaded the boom pole and we didn’t notice it missing until the plane was gone again.

We had lunch; we got settled in the homeless shelter for the week. Yup, we’re living the story, living in H House while we’re here. I’ll describe it more tomorrow, right now I’m exhausted and my back is killing me.

We also got some driving around footage, went to the water treatment plant, the sewage treatment lagoons and the lake where the reserve gets its water. And met several people who want to be interviewed.

Tomorrow, we’ll interview Wes Prankard, and film the True North Aid team leaving. And Angela’s arrival! Then the real work begins.

Heading back up North

2010-03-31T11:39:00.000-07:00

Today is March 31st, April 5th I head back to Attawapiskat!

I'm frantically trying to think of every contingency, pack all the equipment we'll need, food for 5 for 6 days, my clothes, sleeping bag, air mattress, coffee maker, lists, lists, lists, paperwork, cameras.....

we are still frantically searching for funding assistance, as this trip up is costing $7000+ out of our pockets. As with everything else, every time I turn around, I need another piece of equipment, something costs more than the original quote, things we thought were free or included in the price aren't....

Come on people, only Hollywood has huge budgets! Canadian film-makers are dead broke!

Photos from the Fundraisesrs

2010-03-08T10:03:00.000-08:00

Feb 13th, we held a fundraiser at the Cdn Museum of Civilization.
Here's the proof:

Annie St. George, giving her talk as an Elder.

Cindy Blackstock our keynote speaker.

Grand Chief Stan Louttit

The Peaceflame Drummers

Emcee Irkar Beljaars gets passionate about Native Rights.

Some of the fabulous art on sale.

Myself & Annie S. George

Annie St. George & her husband, with Grand Chief Louttit

Emcee Irkar Beljaars and his lovely lady.

More news from Attawapiskat

2010-02-23T20:24:00.000-08:00

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/group.php?gid=58223589311&ref=ts

Here's a gent who went to Attawapiskat last week. Things haven't changed, but he was better able to keep his wits about him than we were. He came back with a shopping list of what's needed most.

If you can donate anything, please do.

The Fundraiser success story

2010-02-14T15:43:00.000-08:00

Huge thanks to everyone who attended or donated. It was an exceptionally elegant, enjoyable evening. Full of art and alliteration. ;-)

Special thanks to our wonderful speakers and drummers. Elaine Kicknosway opened the evening with her son, performing a beautiful prayer song. Long after the song was over, people remained standing in awe. Seriously.

She was followed by Elder Annie st. George, of the Algonquin nation. Annie spoke with heartfelt passion about the poverty of the remote reserves, the importance of sharing, and the tragedy of teen suicides among natives. Her soft voice captivated the audience.

Keynote speaker Cindy Blackstock was captivating. She spoke of the meaning and symbolism of totem poles, and of the plight of native children. She discussed the ongoing fight for equal rights for children: the right decent schools, the right to safe housing and hope for a future.

Grand Chief Stan Louttit talked about his ongoing work to hold the government accountable for its promises ad treaties. He spoke specifically of Attawapiskat's fight for a school. He was a powerful speaker and the audience was very moved by his words.

The last up before we started the dancing was Peaceflame Drummers. It was a clear case of last but not least.

Then we announced the art auction and started the dancing!

Some of the big auction winners were Tom Ormsby of Debeers winning the Jonathan Cheechoo hockey jersey, and the Shaun Hedican oil painting "Diamonds are forever".

Gilles Boisvert won several original oils by Shaun Hedican. Amy Bombay won an original oil by Mark Seabrook (one of my personal favourites!)

Celine Dorion was thrilled to not only win Dave O'Brien's "Rose Moon", but to get to meet the artist.

Must sleep now, more tomorrow!
And soon.... photos!

Fundraiser Gala tomorrow!!

2010-02-12T12:18:00.000-08:00

Well, this is it! We have a few tickets left and are entertaining pleas of poverty as an excuse to get deep discounts!

Buy tickets at our website!

Fundraiser Madness

2010-02-10T07:44:00.000-08:00

We are only a couple of days from our big fundraiser! Time to finalize numbers,make sure all the 'to do' lists are done, think of things I missed, etc.

We're starting to get excited, and so we should! It'll be a fabulous evening. We have Elaine Kicknosway (hand drummer) and Annie St George (Elder) opening the event with a ritual & prayer. We have great speakers like Cindy Blackstock (http://www.fncfcs.com/projects/FNRS.html), and Irkar Beljaars (http://irkarbeljaars.com/) is our Emcee.

There'll be traditional drumming by the Peaceflame Drummers, and then a dance to round out the event.

And don't forget the auction! We have paintings by Mark Seabrook and Shaun Hedican. Plus a wire sculpture by Lisa Brunetta, Chinese silk scarf and gift baskets.

More info and photos at (http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=261176363189) and (http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=photos&gid=193027231917)

Working away on various things....

2010-01-28T08:03:00.000-08:00

First on the plate, the video script for the 5 minute trailer, so I can send it off to be voiced. How to make it heart-rending and hopeful, shocking and somehow heartening? A shock to your cozy world view and a call to action. In 5 minutes....

Also working on funding applications. How many ways can I describe the artistic vision, artistic intent, topic summary and narrative synopsis before I go crazy? Or is it already too late?

Myself & Angela (the director) at "H House" the homeless shelter in Attawapiskat.

FUNdraiser!!

2010-01-21T09:32:00.000-08:00

We are rapidly firming up the artists and speakers for this dinner/ dance/ art auction.

Shaun Hedican and Mark Seabrook are donating original paintings!
Cindy Blackstock will be speaking!
Mo Sayk will be playing jazz during the cocktail hour (6-7pm)

Trust me, you don't want to miss this. Especially since it's for a good cause!

Fundraising!

2010-01-18T14:05:00.000-08:00

Museum of Civilization - Grand Hall

Dinner/Dance/Auction

February 13th, 2010

Cocktails: 6 pm to 7 pm
Dinner: 7pm to 9pm
Dance: 9pm to 1am

A silent auction for beautiful pieces of native art will take place throughout the evening.

Please join Sagesse Productions for a dinner and dance fundraising event for their feature documentary “Voices of the People”. This Valentine's Day give your heart something powerful…. Hope.

“Voices of the People” will expose the tragic poverty our first people live with, conditions our government have allowed to exist for far too long. Set on the Attawapiskat First Nation community, this documentary follows this Native reservation, its current third world conditions, and the heroes of the community fighting to create awareness and change.

Being such a young country drives us, as a people, to define ourselves; as a culture of compassion, a culture of promise, and a culture of equality. And yet, many of our First Nations people live in third world conditions of poverty and hopelessness. This documentary will give that fact a face.

It is time for hope, it is time to build, it is time to care for all of the people of Canada.

Tickets are $125 per person, available at http://voicesofthepeople.eventsbot.com/
Donations also accepted for the documentary and the donations drive for the reserve.

*
Canada Without Poverty supports this initiative.

Attawapiskat visit: Day 3

2010-01-15T07:48:00.000-08:00

I forgot this for Day 2:

We spoke with deputy chief Theresa Spence. She’s fairly new to Attawapisket, being an ‘off reserve’ native/ she spent 5 years in a residential school, losing her language, her culture and her identity & hope. She was very political at first, discussing the crises openly, but not giving any clue as to whom she feels is at fault. After I pretended to turn off the camera, she was far more open.
Theresa and her kids live at the homeless shelter. Although her house was unaffected by the sewage back-up and the diesel fuel contamination, she willingly gave it up to a young family with 6 kids. She sees it simply as the right thing to do; there was no sense in 3-4 people living in a house and 8 going to a 10x20 room in the shelter. Would our politicians have done the same? And would they have been as unassuming and self-deprecating about it?

Day 3:

First thing in the morning we spoke to Alex Kataquapit, with Rosie translating. He’d done his hair for the camera, and was very self conscious. Rosie sat beside him, disrupting the line of his eyes to the camera, but I decided to let her stay there since it made him more comfortable.
Alex talked about how the community is lost”, leading to abuse, alcoholism and suicide attempts. He didn’t really want to answer questions; he had a message to tell.

After that we spoke to Jackie Hookimaw-Witt, who worked for the health dept up there. Her husband teaches at the school, so they get the best housing available, usually reserved for outsiders coming up to teach. Here, it would be considered a low-end townhouse, up there, it’s a jewel. She had a great deal to tell us, and the papers to back it up. What a fabulous resource. She also made us waffles with local cranberries and blueberries the size of a nickel!

We returned to the homeless shelter to help Rosie distribute the donations that came in yesterday, and to film a bit more. I was very conscious of our 3pm deadline to catch our plane!

I took off my coat & hat so it wouldn’t get in the way as we filmed the sorting & choosing of the donated clothes. I’d brought up a box of Ty beanie babies, and I handed a few out to the kids as I waited for things to get started. I was saddened by how serious the kids were all the time. Even the smallest child seemed to have the weight of the world on his shoulders.
I’ve heard that small children are very in tune with their mother’s emotions. They can tell if things aren’t right with her, and they take her uneasiness onto themselves. Well, I believe it now.

Rosie had told us how much it hurt being homeless, how insecure you felt, and scared all the time. These kids were showing the same emotions, adding mistrust and doubt of any stranger’s motives. It was sad to see a 2 year old not trusting me enough to take a teddy bear out of my hand. And not smiling even after her dad took it from me and gave it to her. She just kind of…. studied it. And kids normally love me. Even strangers sitting next to me at a Timmies notice their babies love me. But not here. Here they doubted.

One of the residents asked to be interviewed, as she had a story to tell. We went to her room to tape her. The story was depressing, and apparently all too common here. She, 3-4 kids and her elderly mother, crammed into a 16X10 room, at least until last week. Last week her mother, who had been on intravenous feeding after a major stroke (still in the shelter!) had a second major stroke and was finally medivacced out to Kingston. But no family member was allowed to go with her. Partially paralyzed, unable to speak, and suffering memory loss from the two strokes, this grandmother is alone in a strange city’s hospital. She may die there. But there is apparently no money to send one of her kids to be with her, or to oversee her treatment.

By now it was after 2pm, we had to hurry to get to the airport. But my coat was gone! OMG, did someone think my coat, hat & gloves were a donation? How was I going to get home with no coat!! Angela & I panicked. Rosie was very calm, a tower of common sense.
“Why did she just leave them here? What was she thinking?” I wasn’t, I hate to admit.
But, everything was found, and we made it to the plane on time, barely. I was in such a rush to get checked in, I forgot my cane in Rosie’s truck. I don’t know how, my back was killing me.

I was torn about leaving. I couldn’t wait to get to the hotel in Timmins for a hot shower, some real food and a large glass of wine. But I hated to leave; the people were so warm and welcoming. Even with nothing they were so giving.

We’d done so little to help, not even giving them hope. Most people flat out did not believe that we would ever return. They didn’t believe that the doc would be made. Or that their call for help would be heard. We were warned that “people” would try to stop us from making the doc, because other reporters had come and gone, but the message was never passed on.

I burn to prove them wrong. To show that the millions in federal funding given to Indian & Northern Affairs never reaches these people. It’s spent on big offices in several cities, and office staff, and make-work projects that have little or no impact. To show that in a country named one the best places to live in the world, we will not accept these conditions for our citizens. Much less for our first peoples!

Expect a PSA (30 seconds) and a mini-documentary teaser (5 minutes) soon. I have the footage, I have the computer… I will do this.

photos

2010-01-12T14:35:00.001-08:00

The tent we stayed in for 3 days.

The fire station has been condemned for years, but is still in use.

The grade 8 portable, from here it looks ok. But wait until you see the closeups!

Me! Inside the tent house, note the tarp for a roof. Very hard to heat.

Alex Kataquapit showing us how to use the woodstove.

The shadow of our plane running ahead of us as we leave.

Attawapisket visit: day 2

2010-01-11T17:19:00.001-08:00

Day 2:

We didn’t sleep well. Between the yelling, the barking dogs, the skidoos, and Rosie’s whole family being terrified for our safety, my subconscious stayed on watch all night. They emphasized time after time that were not to open the door to anyone, they even gave us a 2X3 to bar the door. They may have been joking, but my subconscious didn't know that.

About 3am, howling dogs and/or wolves woke us,, and Angela got up to remake the fire. She was scared to step out of the tent into the covered area to pee.

We taped a bit of video-blog about our experiences so far. The tarp roof makes the light too blue for the camera to compensate. The overall effect was kind of “Blair witch project, the documentary”. But hopefully we can correct the colour in post.
Not sure when we'll post it, we still have to tape days 2 & 3.

Today we’re hoping to get Rosie, Greg Shisheesh and Jackie Hookimaw-Witt on tape. Greg works for the IBA office (Impact Benefit Agreement) and Jackie works for the nurse’s station. They should be very helpful.

There was just a fistfight at the neighbour’s. We could see it through one of the windows in the tent (a hole cut into the tent, with clear plastic sheets stapled to the tarp). The argument was in Cree, so we don’t know what it was about, but it ended in both guys going into the house arm in arm. That’s the second fight they’ve had today. We’re keeping the door barred. A lot of people know we’re here, with camera gear & computers.

It’s noon, no sign of Rosie yet, though her dad did drop by to check on us. Apparently her sister in NC called to make him come out. It’s decidedly unnerving that they’re all so worried.

I’m thinking that with how excited the kids were, it might be a good idea to do a 3 week “how to make films” workshop with each grade, then each grade makes a short film on their lives. We could even do a doc on the making of the films, and show them all together.

Day 2: night
Rosie came by around 330, after dropping her husband off for the night shift. She had a couple errands to run for her dad, so we went with her. We filmed a truck on the ice road, which is still under construction and not yet open. We filmed a shot of the church and the old graveyard, white crosses tilted in the frost heaved ground.

We visited the homeless shelter (H House, Rosie called it because it's shaped like an H) which was donated and set up by Debeers. It looks like a line of industrial storage lockers. Stainless steel door frames, white metal walls, white tile floors, names on every door.

The rooms are 10X10, no exceptions; each is stuffed full with everything rescued from the flooded homes. If the family is large enough, the wall between 2 rooms is knocked out, leaving one large room, where the whole family sleeps.

60 people live here, with communal bathrooms, showers, laundry and a communal kitchen. There is 1 washing machine, no dryer. 6 showers are shared by all the people living there. 2 cooks feed everyone in shifts, one doing breakfast & lunch, the other doing early & late suppers. Some people who stay or work there are on night schedules and eat late.

Today was Ginette’s birthday (one of the kids), and the kids at the shelter were celebrating with a turkey dinner and cake. The sparse birthday decorations were painful in the frigid white expanse of the trailer sized kitchen. Like they were trying so hard to be festive and failing so badly, that it hurt to look at them. There were no presents.

The turkey dinner was thin, no gravy, slices of canned cranberry jelly, boxed stuffing, no butter for the potatoes.

The kids were excited. And one loved the camera. At 4 or 5 years old, he managed to figure out how to turn it on, check the battery level & turn on the night shot function within minutes.

We weren't able to find Greg, not at the shelter, not at his residence. Hoping for better luck tomorrow.

We have appointments to talk with Jackie @ 9am, and Chief Hall @ noon tomorrow. A resident at the homeless shelter also wants to be interviewed.
After we get back to the tent, Alex has stoked the stove and the place is warm. He tells Rosie that he, too, wants to be taped. This poses a couple of problems, mostly that he speaks almost no English. His understanding of the words: skidoo, phone, bingo andtea won't be terribly useful. The interview will be in Cree, with Rosie translating.

Attawapiskat visit: day 1

2010-01-11T16:53:00.000-08:00

Attawapiskat: Day 1

We arrived @ Attawapiskat airport around 2pm. Peacekeepers (not related to Customs or Nishnabe Aski Police) checked every bag including purses for alcohol & drugs.
Rosie Kootstachin met us @ the airport in a weathered blue truck. The gearshift had been broken, and wouldn’t shift out of park without 10 minutes cajoling.
She took us to her father (Alex Kootstachin) where we would be staying. They showed us the damaged rooms, as the house is still condemned, but they couldn’t remain in the tent over the winter and there was nowhere else for them to go. Elder Sophie Spence has also left her tent to return home, after the death of her husband.
We are staying in the tent!
If you ignore the 10” windows cut into the fake wood paneling, and the cheap tarp ceiling, it’s quite cozy. The plywood floor has a couple of 4X7’ sections of cut out wall-to-wall carpet, the mattresses are on the floor, but are clean and covered with colourful sheets.
The woodstove appears made from an old oil barrel, with the chimney going out a hole in the tent side. The wall is fireproofed with a sheet of re-used tin behind the stove. The tent is either too hot or too cold. The lack of insulation makes it impossible to maintain a comfortable temp.
We are both hoping that we’re sleepy by 6pm because of the travel and the heat of the tent, rather than carbon monoxide.
Then Rosie drove us around the reserve as she ran a few errands. We saw the portables the elementary/ middle school are in (10 years old). We drove past the preschool and the high school. We saw the abandoned houses, the empty lot where the diesel fuel spill forced the closing and eventual demolition of the elementary/ middle school.
We visited the grade 8 portable, and spoke to the teacher and several of the students. The bright drawings and enthusiasm of the kids disguised the poverty of the classroom. There was one computer, shared by about 20 students. The 2 halves of the portable were shifting creating a widening crack through the floor. The shifting also affected how the doors and windows worked, leaving the girls bathroom with a door that doesn’t latch. The girls go in pairs, one to hold the door shut. The teacher says that the under floor of the portable is covered with mould. The men who maintain the school refuse to go under there to fix things.
The students (incl Rosie’s daughter) are eager to show off their artwork and their studies. They’re eager to learn, but to what point? School here ends grade 12, further learning involves leaving their isolated reserve, where they’re related to almost everyone, and go to a university bigger than their whole reserve. Let's not even think about the size and traffic and pace of the 'southern' centres like Toronto or Ottawa.
Rosie was just here, telling us that a member of the reserve (45), working as a security guard at the homeless shelter, has been taken to hospital after a heart attack. He had been to the nurse’s station yesterday complaining of chest pains but was released. The nearest hospitals are in Timmins & Moosenee, and both require helicopter ambulances to get to. Many don’t survive the journey.

One woman had a heart attack and survived but later died when the nurse’s station waited 3 days to fly her to Timmins. 2000 ppl, 3-4 nurses, 0 doctors, 0 dentists.
At night we hear the yelling from a ‘sniffer’ (gas) next door. We’re warned to bar the door at night and let no-one in but Rosie and those she tells us to trust. So far, only her father, husband & brother have made the cut.
Rosie’s mom sent us some wool blankets and stuff. One is identical to the red wool fireman blankets Jim has. Another is a ‘friendship’ blanket; a blaze orange blanket as backing to a simple geometric quilt. She also gave Rosie a red wool toque she’s made; with instructions to make sure I wear it.

The NAP just called saying that someone from this number just called to report a disturbance. I told them to call back and we’d let Alec answer, but we heard no disturbance. They haven’t called back…..