Mitchell Isaac Named Coach for Canada’s 3D Archery Team

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Mitchell Isaac began archery in 2019. His children and wife were heavily involved in the sport, and Isaac eventually decided to give it a try. The first time he played, it didn’t go so well, but he didn’t get discouraged, he kept trying, and once he was shown the mechanics of how to properly shoot a bow, he quickly fell in love with it.

Isaac said, “Archery was something I never really saw myself doing growing up. I’m a trained hockey player, and hockey was the only thing I knew when it came to competitiveness.”

Isaac is now the owner of the Listuguj Archery Club, and the Vice President of the Restigouche Archery Club, located in Atholville, New Brunswick. During the indoor season, Isaac practices in Atholville at Alma Hall, and during the outdoor season, he shoots and trains in Listuguj. Isaac is responsible for managing and coordinating archery in Listuguj and setting up ranges in the paintball field and ball field in the community. 

Earlier this month it was announced that Isaac has been selected to be the coach for Canada’s 3D Archery Team at the 2024 World Archery 3D Championships. This will be held in Mokrice, Slovenia from September 30th to October 6th.  Last Fall there was a call out that Team Canada was looking for a manager and coach. Isaac applied for the coach’s position and was selected for an interview, ultimately landing him the title of coach.  This event takes place every two years, and the team is selected at Outdoor Nationals, which was held in 2023 in British Columbia. Any athlete who competed at the Nationals was eligible to be on Team Canada.

Isaac will be coaching 20 adult athletes from all over Canada. Six athletes will be returning from the 2022 event. Isaac is currently working on obtaining his Competition Development Coaching Certification, which is the highest level you can get in Canada. He will be using this certification to help the team with strength and endurance training. There is a lot of training when it comes to the sport of archery, not only physically, but mentally. Visualization is important, as well as mental preparations for consistency.

“What’s really special about archery is the community that you become a part of,” said Isaac.

If you are interested in trying archery, you can reach out to Isaac via Facebook at Listuguj Archery Club or Restigouche Archery Club. During the indoor season, the first night is free, afterwards, those looking to practice archery must be a member of Archery New Brunswick, which comes with an annual fee for adults and children.

Good luck to Mitchell Isaac and Team Canada at the 2024 World Archery 3D Championships!

By Ann Marie Jacques

AGS Mascot Retires After 20+ Years

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Alaqsite’w Gitpu School’s mascot, Gitpu (meaning Eagle) was introduced to the community over 20 years ago. The mascot attended several school events, and activities over the years, and quickly became a staple of the school.

In November, it was announced that AGS would have a new mascot, Pi’gunji’j. Pi’gunji’j (meaning Little Feather) started as a nursery student and will grow with the students.

On February 28th, a retirement party was held at the school for Gitpu. The students said farewell to Gitpu and danced and celebrated with both mascots in attendance.

Wela’lieg Gitpu!

By Ann Marie Jacques

Waqatasg Elders Care Facility Update

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Listuguj’s Elders Care Facility, Waqatasg – meaning “Northern Light” has been in the works dating back to 2001. In 2023, the vision of Waqatasg officially became a reality, and the building’s construction was completed.

Back in November, it was announced that Rheal Raymond had taken on the role of Administrator of Waqatasg. He is working hard to ensure the facility is staffed with top-of-the-line, experienced workers who will go above and beyond for Listuguj’s Elders.  Raymond said there are two goals when it comes to the facility: “The main goal of Waqatasg is to bring back clients who are already placed in different facilities, to the community. The second goal is that once we’re fully operational, we shouldn’t have to transfer residents outside of the community.”

At this time, the facility has three doctors secured, Dre. Luce Picard, Dre.Marjolaine Leblanc-Roberge and Dre. Catherine Benoit. These doctors will regularly visit on a rotating basis and tend to residents. They will always be accessible via phone and email, and after each visit, will make recommendations to the nurses and staff on how to continue providing the utmost care to the residents.

Jarvis White has taken on the role of Environmental Services Supervisor. He will be supervising the custodians, watchmen, and laundry workers in the building. He is responsible for anything mechanical in the building, ventilation, HVAC, water, etc.

Tasha Doiron, who is currently working with the Listuguj Community Health Services at the Health Centre, has been working half days as an assistant to the Administrator.

As of right now, the kitchen has two employees. The Head Cook and Supervisor of the Kitchen is Catlin Irvine, and the Chef is Ryan Morrison. They are currently working on menu options, which will include traditional meals.  All food will be made and prepared in-house daily.

When it comes to staffing, the facility is facing challenges in finding nurses. The Listuguj Mi’gmaq Government Human Resources department is working hard to find candidates for nursing positions because Waqatasg cannot open its doors until nurses are in place. Waqatasg Elders Care Facility is currently looking for Long-Term Care Registered Nurses – two full-time and four part-time positions.

For nursing job postings, and other jobs available at Waqatasg Elders Care Facility, visit listuguj.ca/jobs.

By Ann Marie Jacques

Gina’mu Studio – A Place to Play and Learn

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Gina’mu Studio is a brand-new facility located in Campbellton, New Brunswick, offering before and after-school care and weekend programs. The weekend programs include playgroups, art workshops, and Mi’gmaq language classes for youth ages 5-11. “This project is a combination of all my passions, and needs that I see for the Mi’gmaq community,” said Amy Martin, owner of Gina’mu.

Martin is a Concordia University student, majoring in First Peoples Studies, with a minor in Human Rights Studies. She began teaching Mi’gmaq two years ago in Montreal and comes from a family of youth educators. Her sister, Karen Martin, is a Mi’gmaq Immersion teacher at Alaqsite’w Gitpu School. Amy Martin said she relies a lot on the community of Listuguj for their resources when it comes to teaching the Mi’gmaq language.

At Gina’mu Studio, Martin expressed the importance of acceptance and kindness. This facility is open to everyone and is a safe place to play and learn social skills. “We’re here to make friends, and teach the language,” said Martin.

Martin offers a before and after-school program on weekdays from February to June, picking back up in September. It will run in the mornings from 6:45 AM to 8:45 AM, and in the afternoon from 2:30 PM to 5:00 PM. The before-school care is $75, the after-school care is $50 and if you’d like both services, it is $100.  Weekend programs consist of a Mi’gmaq language class from 1-2 PM, and an art and play workshop from 2-3:30 PM. These programs run for $10 each. There are no long-term commitments for these programs. Schedules of activities will be released ahead of time on Gina’mu Studio’s Facebook page.

Gina’mu Studio is located at 156C Water St. in Campbellton. If you want to register your child in one of these programs or would like more information, you can find Gina’mu After-School on Facebook, or email ginamulearningcenter@gmail.com.

By Ann Marie Jacques

Local Artist Spotlight – Miranda Barnaby

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Miranda Barnaby’s love for beading started at a young age. When she was in middle school, she looked forward to class with Claudia Gray every week. In high school, she spent many lunch breaks beading and learning with Lita Isaac. Her eagerness to learn eventually led to a passion for beading. She was gifted a pair of beaded earrings and beading supplies from her aunt, and this inspired her to practice making earrings and dreamcatchers, and the rest is history.

Over the years, Barnaby developed her own personal style when it comes to her creations. Her work is very vibrant and intricate with a bohemian flare. She uses birch bark, porcupine quills, and fox or rabbit fur for her hand-sewn poms-poms. As of recently, Barnaby has been crafting beautiful genuine leather purses with removable pom earrings.

With over 6200 followers on social media, her work has evolved significantly over the past six years. Her earrings have been modeled in a fashion show in Edmonton, Alberta, and most notably featured in Sephora’s Native Women’s Association of Canada on Indigenous Beauty.

Barnaby’s work can be found on the Facebook page, “Beadwork/Dreamcatchers by Miranda.” Here you will find what pieces are available for purchase, and information on custom items.

Barnaby’s creativity is unmatched, and she states she does not look online for inspiration, but the designs come naturally to her. “I’m so excited for what the future holds. I don’t think I could ever stop being creative, it’s in my blood,” said Barnaby.

By Ann Marie Jacques

Naloxone’s Availability

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Naloxone – AKA “Narcan” is a medication used to rapidly reverse opioid overdose.

Listuguj Community Health Services has Naloxone take-home kits available for pickup to community members. To retrieve one of the kits, individuals must undergo a brief training session on how to administer Naloxone. This training is provided at the Health Centre.

For more information, stop by the Health Centre at 6 Pacific Dr., or call 418-788-2155.

Jenn Isaac, Outreach Counsellor for Mawiomi Treatment Center also has Naloxone kits available in the community. She is located at the Haven House here in Listuguj, or via call or text at 418-520-6547.

By Ann Marie Jacques

An Addressment by MMS

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The Ango’tmeq Nm’tginen Unit, led by Director Juliette Barnaby with Scott Metallic as Coordinator, Nathalie English managing Consultations and Accommodations (C&A), and supported by Executive Assistant Santana Gedeon and C&A Assistant Julia Anglehart, conducts over 100 provincial and federal consultations yearly. The team integrates a balanced “Two-Eyed Seeing” approach while prioritizing water-first and conservation approaches and supports the unit’s broader initiatives.
The AN Unit responds to the various Natural Resource activities that impact the Rights and Titles of the Mi’gmaq Nation throughout the territory of Gespe’gewa’gi. These recommendations are then brought to the Chiefs Executive Committee (CEC) level for the Chiefs to ratify.
Noteworthy achievements include delaying vacation lease draws and opening discussions for better terms, contributing to the Hydro Carbon agreement to end oil production and plan for the decommissioning of active wells in Gespe’gewa’gi and advocating for the protection of the caribou population, which has dwindled to just over 30, by participating in workshops for a protection plan with the federal and provincial governments.
The AN unit also engages in various regional and environmental management tables, including sustainable development, forestry, wildlife management, water councils, and protected areas. Despite limited resources, the unit is expanding collaborations with local scientific organizations to manage the workload more efficiently and effectively to continue its advocacy for the Mi’gmaq Nation.

What’s new: The Team is excited to announce that the launch of Mi’gmawei is approaching! Our team has been working the last year to deliver an excellent website, so you can enjoy the best possible updates and user experience. It be at your fingertips by March 1, 2024.
We are seeking interested applicants for a Manager of Finance and Administration to join our team. For more information, visit our facebook page at Mi’gmawei Mawio’mi Secretariat.
Stay connected about the MMS by visiting our website at www.migmawei.ca or keep informed by stayconnected@migmawei.ca

Chief’s Corner with Chief Scott Martin – February 2024

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With our fiscal year coming to an end, we are very happy with the progress Listuguj has made in 2023.  A major project that is happening right now in the community is the new Police Station on the 132 Highway. There was a call for tender that was issued in March 2023 for the construction of the building, and since then things have been moving along smoothly and efficiently.  The new Police Station will be bigger, and more accommodating to the staff and community members. It is set to open in late fall 2024. Thank you to everyone who is working hard on this project.

Listuguj Win Atlantic Policy Congress of First Nations Chiefs Secretariat Awards

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The Listuguj Mi’gmaq Government Office of Chief & Council and Natural Resource Department would once again like to extend their congratulations to the following community members and departments on their Atlantic Policy Congress of First Nations Chiefs Secretariat Fisheries Awards:

Captain of the Year – Frank Brisk

Deckhand of the Year – John-Daniel Wysote

Exemplary Conduct & Workplace Safety Award – Listuguj Health and Safety and Natural Resources Departments

Innovation in Fisheries Award – Dr. Fred Metallic

The APC Fisheries Awards Program is meant to recognize exceptional achievements by First Nation community members, organizations, or businesses within the Atlantic and Gaspé regions. The winners will have achieved distinction through their dedication and commitment to fisheries within their communities.

The winners in each category were selected by an independent jury and received special recognition and an award at the APC Fisheries Awards Banquet and Ceremony held in Membertou, Unama’gi, on January 24, 2024.

By Julianne Wysote

Local Author Spotlight – Emily Angel Isaac Johnson

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Emily Angel Isaac Johnson is from right here in Listuguj, but grew up in the Fredericton, New Brunswick area. She attended the New Brunswick College of Craft and Design and obtained a diploma in Wabanaki Visual Arts. She is currently working on becoming a certified doula and is planning on going back to school for a degree in design and plans on writing more books on Indigenous teachings.

Johnson created the book, Mitzy’s First Time Picking Sweetgrass after a class assignment for an oral tradition course. She created the watercolor images and script. Johnson said, “I got the idea by brainstorming my favourite things to do traditionally. Sweetgrass picking has always been a favourite! My cat Mitzy is very adventurous, and I figured why not make her the main character?”

This book is a great tool to introduce these kinds of teachings to children who may not be familiar with sweetgrass picking. Here is a summary of the book provided by Johnson:

Mitzy the cat is invited by her mom to go sweetgrass picking for the very first time! As her mom passes the important Indigenous teaching down to the next generation, Mitzy learns that this beautiful plant is a traditional medicine that is used for ceremonies, healing, and art.

Mitzy’s First Time Picking Sweetgrass is available on Monster House Publishing’s website. Order your copy today!

By Ann Marie Jacques