Archive for category: Community

“We’re always getting a request to do more culture related programs,” said Christine Metallic, the Cultural Coordinator with Families First.

Six weeks of information sessions just finished on May 4th. All the sessions were leading to the upcoming fast.

“We started off with the medicine gathering … and [identified] what they’re for, and holistically how you can start taking care of yourself,” Metallic said.

All the sessions were aimed at different ways of taking care of yourself, with a holistic understanding in mind.  “As Mi’gmaq people, what ceremonies are out there,” Metallic asks.

Some of the ceremonies that are being practiced closely mimic the land, as the snow melts away.

“The fast – it’s about shedding stuff from the past, and just being able to move on,” said Metallic. “Spring is the time a lot of ceremonies take place. Spring and summer. Our highest ceremonies and our Sweats are taking place.”

This is the first time Families First is hosting this fast, but it is certainly not the first time this fast is being held.

“I have family members that have been fasting forever,” Metallic said. “We’ve been fasting in our territory – we just don’t talk about it. We just don’t come right out and say this is what we’re doing.”

But for whatever reason, right now seems to be a good time. While there are obstacles in just about anything you try to do, Metallic said these last few events have “been a breeze.”

“People are actually coming out, wanting to volunteer, wanting to learn,” she said.

The final session ended with Karen Kimbell and her knowledge of herbal medicines.

If interest continues, Metallic said she could see sessions such as these being available quarterly. It depends on demand.

“Every program that’s based in Families First is based on our client’s needs.”

The sweats are open to anyone. But it’s always asked that people refrain from alcohol and drugs – even for the days leading up to the Sweat Lodge.

“While we have people who are fasting one, two, or three days, not everybody is going to be fasting,” Metallic said.

Usually, when someone starts a fast, they go into a sweat first. And they finish their fast by going in to another sweat. Since people will be fasting for different lengths of time, organizers plan to have a sweat each morning.

Volunteers are also definitely welcomed. “We’re gonna need help in preparing the area. Building the teepees, the Sweat Lodge, keeping the area clean,” she said. “It ends up becoming a workload.”

Dean Martin made a point to cut new keys before the event.

When the semi-grand opening of the Veteran’s Lodge was held on March 24, 2016, Martin went around and gave all the veterans a key of their own. “Here’s the key to the building,” he said to them. “This is our building.”

Martin is the On-site Housing Construction Coordinator for the LMG, and has also served in the American Military. “They were happy,” he said later. “Like ecstatic, relieved.”

Over the years, veterans in the community have had to find other places to meet. The locations weren’t always ideal – especially for some of the older veterans. Now, they no longer have to wait for someone to unlock the doors, so they can sit down together. They can meet whenever they want, even just to hang out and share stories.

The building itself is finished, so now it’s on to the next step – making the place feel like home.

People are already planning the mementos they want to bring in. Some have likely been imagining the inside for years.

In 2013, the plan was made to create a space for the community’s veterans.

Through donations, volunteer time – namely Adrian Barnaby and Dale Vicaire – and labour from the LMG during down time, the Veteran’s Lodge was built with barely any money.

It may have taken a little longer to build than planned, but now it truly belongs to the community.

“There’s no mortgage on it,” Martin said. “It’s done, it’s paid for, it’s ours.”

Abby Metallic moved home, but missed the markets she had gotten use to in Moncton. That’s why she started the Listuguj Market on Sundays.

Sometimes over two dozen vendors come out. Some even travel from as far as Saint-Quentin, or Big Cove.

Metallic tries to organize a market about once a month.

She holds them a little less often in the summers, when there are more things going on, inside and outside the community. The last one was on Feb. 21.

She does her best to plan it so the events can be as inclusive as possible, for the whole family.

“I always try to book it on days where everybody – like single parents can come with their kids,” she said. “I try to do different things. I try to get someone who does facepainting, you know, when that’s available.”

Essentially, anyone can set up. Tables are $10 each, or three for $25.

The markets originally started because Metallic knew a lot of people created things at home,. They often sold stuff online or at other markets. But for Metallic, anyone running any small business at all is welcome. Items don’t have have to be hand made.

“They’re more than welcome to come in and set up and show everybody what they do,” she said.

Metallic uses the table fees to pay for the facility, but when there’s extra, she takes the opportunity to promote the vendors.

“I’ll go back and buy from the other vendors. I’ll spend like $20-$30 and I’ll raffle it off on CHRQ, so that people can win it. But they have to come to the market to pick it up, and they need to go to the vendor to pick it up. So it kind of gets people to come and then go check everything else that’s going on. It’s really fun.”

Some of the items at the market

(Photos by Abby Metallic)

It all started by gathering stories about the Restigouche river.

Sailor Lloyd Jacques was interviewing community members, when everyone at the GMRC realized the importance of what was being learned.

“We all got interested in the history our elders had,” Jacques said.

Jacques and Charlene LaBillois are now conducting interviews in Listuguj, Eel River Bar, and Pabineau about the river, land, and resource use. Interviews are planned in Listuguj during the first weeks of February, but they are flexible.

They want to know what people remember, and what are some of the biggest changes people have seen. Jacques said he has some outline questions, but he prefers the interviews be conversational. All information is welcomed. It could help projects in the future.

“Based on the history given orally, we get to pinpoint where in time things started to change, and investigate it further,” Jacques said.

They’ve already learned about erosion of the river banks, the increase in eel grass, and the new arrival of snow geese.

Changes in people’s relationships to the water and land is also a focus. Jacques enjoyed learning about the reality of “living off the land” – a term often exaggerated by Hollywood and pop culture.

Large portions of the community have heavily relied on fishing, hunting, and following the cycles of nature, as recent as 20 years ago. But, Jacques says, it was in a more “modernized way.”

“It still exists [today],” he said. “But not to the extent that it did back in the 80’s and 90’s.”

Jacques managed to interview his grandfather before he passed away, and learned of how the community changed during his lifetime.

He was told that 20 years ago, driving down the road in the spring, you would see everyone out sewing their fishing nets. 50 years ago, kids would go down to the beach to fish after school. They swam in the river then, and played in the mud.

People enjoyed the interviewing process, even though they thought they had nothing to share, at first.

“For years they were taught that their knowledge isn’t good,” Jacques said. “But their knowledge is good because they’ve lived off the land most of their lives and they witnessed how it was used.”

Interviews in Listuguj will be taking place during the first part of February. If you have anything to share, please contact Sailor Lloyd Jacques or Charlene LaBillois at the GMRC at (418) 788-3017.