Daughters, Sisters, Mothers & Wives - ONLC · La Ronge and in northern Saskatchewan. DAUGHTERS,...

Daughters,

Sisters, Mothers

& Wives

A Cree Reader

DAUGHTERS, SISTERS, WIVES & MOTHERS

3

Acknowledgements

Thank you to Heritage Canada, and the Ministry of Advanced

Education and Skills development.

This project has been made possible in part by the Government of Canada. Ce project a été rendu possible en partie grâce au gouvernement du Canada.

This book has been a joy to develop with tremendous learning taking place. It has been a compilation of several student's research and interviews with Cree knowledge carriers.

ONLC would like to thank the students who contributed to this document, Kennedy Montour, Chezney Martin and Brennor Jacobs. We would also like to thank Andrew Wesley and Mary-Jane Metatawabin for their assistance and knowledge offered to the student researchers.

Thank you to our role models for their inspiring stories, Mekwan Tulpin and Rosary Spence.

Thank you also to the artist contributing to the book, Rosary Spence.

This reader has level 1,2, & 3 and accompanies the Indigenous Women’s Roles, educational kit.

Michelle Davis

ONLC Executive Director


https://www.canada.ca/

https://www.canada.ca/


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

About the Cree People ....................................................... 5

Creation Story ..................................................................... 7

The Rebirth of the World .................................................... 8

Women and the Round Dance ............................................ 10

The Importance of Communication in Teaching ................ 12

Contrasts Between Language ............................................. 15

Women's Knowledge .......................................................... 17

Women within Cree Culture: Purpose, Roles and Power ............................................ 19

Cree Women Today

Mekwan Laura Jane Tulpin .......................................... 22

Rosary Spence ........................................................... 28

References .......................................................................... 34


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ABOUT THE CREE PEOPLE

Cree is a Native American language and a member of the

Algonquian family. Cree is spoken in the Eastern James Bay area

and is spoken by about 13,000 people living in 9 different

communities. The two major dialects spoken in the Cree

language are Northern and Southern, with slight distinctions

between the two in relation to culture, stories, and customs. The

traditional way of life of the Cree people was like most

aboriginal communities in the boreal forest. Some groups would

look for foliage, medicine, and small game, while hunting groups

gathered animals for sustenance and for hides which was

important during the fur trades during the times of European

settlers. While hunting became a past time for many men, these

groups were not gender specific. The groups were made to

utilize an individuals best skill set and the community thrived on

this way of life.

The people of the Cree

traditionally lived in wigwams or tipis,

which were shared by families of

eight to ten people usually related

through marriage. These groups of

families formed bands, family groups

who moved and hunted together.

These bands could strengthen family

ties as well as inter-band relations as bands would usually have

strong ties to their neighbours through intermarriage and

through socialization during different times of the year.

An encampment of Cree tipis, photographed in 1857-57 by the H.Y. Hind expedition.


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The Cree are the largest group of First Nations in Canada,

with 220,000 members and 135 registered bands. Together,

their reserve lands are the largest of any First Nations group in

the country. The largest Cree band and the second largest First

Nations Band in Canada after the Six Nations Iroquois is the Lac

La Ronge Band in northern Saskatchewan.


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CREATION STORY

Below is a short version of the Creation Story from the Youtube

video, “Cree Creation Story”, told by Norm Wesley, member of

Moose Cree First Nation—https://youtu.be/Qn0zJ1QH2Zc

When we think about creation, we think about all the

different things that have been made. The greenery of the trees,

the animals, the body of waters, the rebirth and new growth.

Somewhere us humans come in there as being created into this

world. The fundamental question is where am I, where am I

coming from and where am I going? To know who you are and

where you are going, you have to have some sense on where

you came from.

It begins with two people who are walking in another

world. They have been walking for quite some time, they see

openings around them. They see an opening and saw the lush

greenery, the lakes, rivers, birds and animals, they all look so

nice. They have no way of getting there, so they continued their

journey and kept walking. They see a little small spec, the closer

they get the larger it gets. They see it’s a spider, and they

approach it. It turns and looks down on them, they say to the

spider “we long to go down to this world.” The spider tells them

to stand back, he then spins and spins until

he has created a large bowl, where the two

can climb down into. The spider then

instructs them, “you are not to look over

the side of the bowl as I lower you into this

new world”. They both agree and climbed

into the bowl and the creature lowers

https://youtu.be/Qn0zJ1QH2Zc


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them down. On the way down, one of them is overcome by

excitement to see what is going on, they climb over the edge to

try to look over, next thing they know the bowl starts rocking

back and forth violently. It does this until they reach the new

land. When the bowl stops lands, they see they are on a tall tree,

and have no way of getting down, as the tree has no branches or

foliage to climb down on. They see all the greenery, the animals,

water, and everything nature has to offer them. As they wonder

how they will get down from the bowl, the animals start to

appear. The first is a caribou, and they ask the caribou if he can

help them down, the caribou denies as he

has trouble walking on rocks and can’t

climb trees, he walks on. Other animals go

by; finally the fisher comes by and agrees

to help bring them down. The two people

get down to earth, and discover all the

wonders of this new world. They

eventually befriend a bear, who teaches them everything they

need to know about this new world. That is why the Cree call the

bear their brother. This story is given the teachings of where

Cree people have come from.

THE REBIRTH OF THE WORLD

There was a time when the people of the world were

quarrelling and fighting that it displeased the Creator so much

that the Creator flooded the lands in order to cleanse it of all the

bloodshed.

There was a spirit man named “Wesahgeja” who forms the

“second world.” As he is reforming and rebirthing everything, he


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needs a piece of the earth to do this. He asks three animals to

see if they could get mud from below to form this second world.

He asks the beaver, the otter and muskrat. He asks the otter,

and unfortunately the otter was unable to reach the bottom and

was unsuccessful. He asks the beaver, but he ran out of breath

before he could reach the bottom and he was also unsuccessful.

The spirit man asks the muskrat to go under and try to bring

some mud up. He reaches the bottom and just gets enough of

the mud for the spirit man. The muskrat was the only animal

that was successful to bring the mud up.

The spirit man then creates the world again. He was the

one who named everything, such as the sky, under water

animals, above ground animals, the birds, the colours of the

animals and everything else.


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WOMEN AND THE ROUND DANCE

A long time ago there lived a beautiful woman. This

woman passionately loved her mother and refused to marry any

man, and chose to stay by her mother’s side. The woman stayed

by her mother for many years. The woman could see that her

mother was nearing the end of her life and began to feel very

sad, and began to wonder what she would do without her

mother. The women spent her mothers remaining years by her

side until finally it was time for her mother to move on from this

world. The woman’s fear had finally come and her grief was

unending.

It was at this time the beautiful woman began to wander in

her grief. She had been by her mother for her entire life and

could no longer find her purpose, she became very cold. She

wandered the fields, travelled to the top of mountains, she

moved through the thickest bush. She missed her mother so

much that her sadness would not pass. One day while travelling

over the rolling hills, the

woman saw lights of beautiful

colours circling in the sky. She

looked up to see a figure

standing alone at the top of the

hill. The woman called out but

the figure did not respond. The woman continued to get closer

and wondering who could be out this far into the wilderness.

She got closer, and closer, she saw it was her mother looking out

over the distance. Filled with excited, the woman ran toward her

mother to hug her, until she was so close that she could see that


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her mothers feet did not touch the ground. The woman startled,

took a step back. Her mother looked at her and smiled, telling

her daughter that she could not touch her.

The mother spoke to her daughter again, “I cannot find

peace because you still grieve for me”. The daughter looked to

her mother and could not find an answer in her heart. The

mother smiled at her daughter and began to speak again. “I have

brought something from the other world to help the people

grieve in a good way”. She began to sing songs, and as her

daughter listened, her heart began to warm again. The mother

then began to teach her ceremony and told her daughter, “Tell

the people that when this circle is made, we that have passed

will join them, and you will see us dancing with you, you will see

our lights shine in the sky”.

It is a common belief among Cree people that the northern

lights are ancestors dancing. This is how the round dance came

to be.


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THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNICATION IN TEACHING

Communication is extremely important. This statement is

especially true within aboriginal communities, where traditional

knowledge of ceremonies, storytelling, hunting grounds, etc.

were handed down from generation to generation.

Scholars who have studied Indigenous peoples have

attempted to describe how traditional teachings and culture play

important roles in the development of resilience among

indigenous peoples (Hansen et al., 2016). Many indigenous

cultures told stories in great detail, these stories were told to

provide perspectives to enable useful scenarios to reconfigure

life and the moral and emotional choices we make everyday.

“Although these traditional teachings were suppressed for

generations [undermined by a history of colonialism and

Eurocentrism] Indigenous people must be credited with the

ability of ensuring the continued existence of their traditional

cultures and ways of knowing.” (Hansen et al., 2016).

It is the duty of all indigenous people to take control of the

identity involving their language, Indigenous knowledge is not a

relic of the past, it still exists as an adaption to life in a changing

world. Indigenous language is essential, not only to Indigenous

people, but also to the nation of Canada as a founding and

important part of the countries heritage. Indigenous people

adapt to stress and adversity through Indigenous knowledge,

which emphasizes the need for balance. This balance can be

seen as the role traditional knowledge plays in modern life.

Some believe that traditional language may not play an integral

part in modern times. However, in contrast it is the belief that


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culture (and language by default) plays an intricate part in

building self-identity and self-pride.

Indigenous concepts of resilience can be understood as

arising out of the ability to be flexible and having a vision about

how to succeed (Valaskakis et al.,2009). It is now as important as

ever, for indigenous people to take back control of their

traditional culture, to take back their stories, and of particular

importance, their ability to be self-sustaining in regards to their

own community wellness. “Positive self-concept and a sense of

culture have been major factors in the development of

educational success” (Hansen et al., 2016). It is our duty to

provide teachings to our coming generations, to pass down

knowledge that has been passed on throughout the history of

our people. There is a need to root ourselves in tradition, not for

the sake of the past but for the sake of the future. Our children,

with the gift of their culture, can work towards ensuring our

future survival. Western Eurocentric education has had

inappropriate and detrimental effects on Indigenous people. As

some scholars have observed, Indigenous students underachieve

in school because a Eurocentric curriculum alienates them

(Adams, 2000; Hesch, 1999; Silver, 2013).

Decolonization promotes an Indigenous model of resilience

in a very real sense “It is not just a set of beliefs. It has developed

into a finely tuned model of Indigenous resiliency. “Those

Indigenous communities that have taken active steps to preserve

and rehabilitate their own cultures are shown to be those in

which youth suicide rates are dramatically lower” Therefore,

Indigenous communities do well when they restore their cultural

traditions from a history of colonial suppression” (Chandler et


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al.,1998). Cree elders advise that the educational agenda ought

to incorporate traditional knowledge and culture in order to

make schooling and programming more relevant and culturally

appropriate to practical life within indigenous communities.


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CONTRASTS BETWEEN LANGUAGE

Language operates within relations of power (Foucault,

1995). Power is used to exclude, silence, or validate certain

bodies. “Foucault believes that power produces ideas of truth,

and that truth and knowledge are socially produced. It is through

understanding the relations of power that we learn how ideas of

truth and knowledge emerge, and how in this process some

people are privileged and others are excluded or silenced.

Language as a discourse is important to the role it plays in the

production of subjectivity. The self emerges through social

processes and events in history” (McKay, 2013). The Eurocentric

mode of communication has historically differed from the

aboriginal communities of Canada. Europeans were captivated

by their ability to move their forms of written language.

Aboriginals on the other hand, were a oral society who passed

knowledge and taught one another through storytelling, this

entailed memorizing an abundance of knowledge in detail. This

knowledge was then passed to the next person through

discourse which created a web community, one that is

connected through knowledge and communication of ideas and

questions, one where each individual collectively has a voice. It is

in this way of thinking that Aboriginal people function with the

basic respect of all people.

Aboriginal identities are socially produced through

language, It is through discourse that we can successfully engage

in Cree language revitalization. In English, there is a

disconnection with others over how language is used, it is

traditionally positioned to access power. In an Aboriginal

epistemology, one is positioned to understand oneself through a


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life long process, a process that extends relationships to the

universe and all that encapsulates life. It is through these

differences in language use that we can begin to see how

aboriginal communication patterns can sometimes contrast

those of English speakers. “The Cree language has purpose; it is

relational to others, not hierarchal. In Cree, language is used

within a paradigm of respect, truth, and humility. Therefore,

language is about connections; English, on the other hand, often

operates in competition, which is to say that it is about relations

of power” (McKay, 2013).

“For Cree people, nature is not something that is external

to them. This philosophy is guided by values of respect,

compassion, generosity, and love for all relations. The idea of

Euro- Western knowledge as superior to Indigenous ways of

knowing disturbs the balance” (Mitchell, 2005). In a Cree

worldview, the emphasis is on the relational aspect of living, or

living amongst and within other valuable beings. Because of

colonization, many aboriginal people were displaced into

Eurocentric systems of knowledge. However, this did not benefit

Cree people, because of power relationships maintained in their

(Eurocentric) interactions often placed them at a disadvantage.

We must remember that our native languages are not

inferior nor is it positioned in hierarchy of who can learn them.

Language is about interconnectivity between people and their

ideas. Foucault theorizes that languages operate within relations

of power, this statement itself is tied to Eurocentric ideals. The

Cree language then, might suggest that language and

intercultural discourse may rely on emotional connection.


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WOMEN’S KNOWLEDGE

Hunting, fishing, and food preservation are all essential

knowledge that has been passed from generation to generation

and is something to be celebrated among Cree people. For

example knowledge of where the fish would be and the ability to

navigate are prerequisites to successful fishing in the James Bay.

“Although men did most of the hunting, it is well known that

women and children traditionally accompanied the hunters on

land” (Ohmagari et al.,1997). Women however frequently

engaged in hunting small game like squirrels, rabbit, and fox

while also occasionally engaging in fishing. The role of women

was considered of equal importance and complementary to the

roles of men. In a community that was reliant on family

members and friends, everyone

had a role to play in need for

survival. Although women

accompanied hunting groups,

they were also in charge of camp

where they were responsible for

food processing, fire making and

cooking.

The role of women is important in this context as they

were knowledgeable in many aspects of living. Unlike men who

were a majority of hunters, the women would hunt, fish, forage,

clean, cook, and take care of the young. In this context it was the

women who became the greatest teachers. In the Cree

community “bush” skills were not taught as part of formal

education, but instead learned through hands on experience and

http://www.crystalinks.com/cree.html

http://www.crystalinks.com/cree.html


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apprenticeship. Children were told to watch and do as the elders

did. The children also learned important life skills like self-

reliance, independence and competence.

The role of women as knowledge keepers is important in

its own right. With the men out hunting and fishing the women

would still be able to teach hunting and fishing skills to their

children. The repertoire of knowledge that women had of “bush”

skills was equally important if a father did not return or had died

on a hunt. Knowledge could still be passed on to the children by

their mother who was not only knowledgeable in her own duties

but also had extensive knowledge of duties that she did not

herself take part in.

Because of these skills and knowledge held by Cree

women, they are regarded as extremely important to the Cree

way of life and are also regarded as Keepers of Knowledge.


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WOMEN WITHIN CREE CULTURE: PURPOSE, ROLES

AND POWER

It is common knowledge that women within Cree culture

provide knowledge of life. Women are regarded as the “fire

keepers” of their societies; be they woodland, swampy or plains

Cree. But, true understanding of the view on women in Cree

culture can be derived from their language, as well as from their

sense of home. “Iskwew” pronounced (es-kwayw) is the term

used for a woman within the Cree language. This term is taken

from the word for the fire in the centre of the tipi or wigwam

called “iskwuptew” (es-kwup-tayw); this means that the women

were literally named after the warmth and comfort brought by

the fire within the tipi or wigwam.

However, the fluid Cree language like many indigenous

languages was only spoken verbally and was unwritten beyond

pictographs. And like most cultures, the Cree have a story of

origin for themselves as a whole.

As Cree Elder Norm Wesley would say: “I think the

fundamental questions are 'where do we come from? Where am

I? And where are we going?' To know where you are, to know

where you are going, you have to have some sense of where you

come from.”

The sense of where their people “come from” starts with

the Great Spirit Kitchi Manitoo, who, within Cree culture is a

divine being without gender or physical attributes of the like, and

is never personified within Cree stories. This builds the

foundation for gender within Cree culture, as gender fluidity is


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common and accepted even within language. It also builds the

foundation for their creation.

The term “time immemorial” can be used to describe how

old the Cree Creation Story is; Kitchi Manitoo created the earth,

but it was Wasakechak that incited a great flood over the earth

by not following his duty of caring over the earthly beings at that

time. It is from that flood that all beings besides Wasakechak

and an otter, beaver and muskrat drowned. With the help of the

three mammals, Wasakechak formed North and South America

with his ability to expand what had already been created. After

restoring the land from the flood, Kitchi Manitoo is said to have

taken from Wasakechak his ability to expand and created

animals and people for the restored earth. However, the Great

Spirit left Wasakechak only the power to trick and deceive and

he is now known by many Cree as a trickster. This is a Creation

Story wrought with supernatural power, however, this

supernatural power seemed to reflect the fact that the Cree

were a powerful society.

Living in clans; there were separations of duties between

women, men and children. Men were highly associated with

physical power and skill; as their duties ranged from warfare to

hunting, and trapping to building wigwam and tipi framework.

The roles of the women involved using their attention to detail

to push the economy of wares and collectable herbs and foods

forward; they would trap small game and pick medicines, as well

as weave baskets and form pottery. The two gender roles were

high in contrast, but what one lacked, the other made up for.

As for the children, their first roles were to listen. Perhaps


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from ages seven to fourteen they would

learn from their parents and other

relatives about their roles and find

whatever they were most skilled at to help

the rest of the clan family.

It is strongly believed that through

the women; the children and men both

learned the values that are believed to

bring balance to life, as much of the

symbolism for women is associated with the home tipi or

wigwam. It is this very representation of the value of the women

and their teachings that calls for a ceremony to be performed to

honour when a tipi or wigwam is erected.

With many cultural and traditional practices upheld today;

Cree women are monumental role models that constantly push

their societies forward as ambassadors in many different fields.

The warmth of the home fire can be felt in the power of the

women you will read ab out ahead.


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CREE WOMEN TODAY

Mekwan Laura Jane Tulpin

Mekwan Tulpin is of both the

Mushkegowuk Cree Nation of Fort

Albany (Peetabeck) and of Belgian

descent. She is Kuskachahpesh (Owl)

Clan, and the next matriarch in line

according to her family lineage. Her

parents are Mary-Jane Metatawabin

and Leo Tulpin, and she has lived on

both the North and South ends of

Ontario. She lived between Fort

Albany and Simcoe in Norfolk County, Ontario, and now resides

on the Six Nations and Grand River Territory.

Mekwan’s grand-parents, Abraham and Theresa

Metatawabin, and matriarch mother have helped to envelope

her in culture and language – the name “Mekwan” in Cree

means “feather,” and the name “Metatawabin” means “ten

sunrises.” Mekwan’s story is one that has many triumphs and

tribulations; one of the first tribulations she encountered was in

her earlier years when she realized that she could not control the

circumstances she was born into, or how life was presented to

her by her parents. In high school she decided to take charge and

checked herself into a group home to help herself graduate

without interference.

“My upbringing was sort of unique in the sense

that I was living between remote Northern

Mekwan Laura Jane Tulpin Mushkegowuk Cree

Nation of Fort Albany Owl Clan


25

Ontario, as well as Simcoe down here,” she said.

“In elementary and high school, living between

those two areas was really different, in the sense

that I had some really unique perspectives.”

Mekwan explained that her uncle and grandparents chose

to live off of the land more, and could be what society would

consider to be “poor,” but were never selfish with love and

affection. She also explained that she tended to be one of very

few students of indigenous descent when living south, and had

to combat many internal feelings of being stereotyped. However,

she never ceased to be proud of who she is and she praises the

community of Fort Albany often as it taught her to be creative

and resourceful. Soon her path grew to follow closely with her

athletic skill in lacrosse.

“Sports and physical activity has always been my

outlet,” she said. “I love lacrosse and all of the

opportunities that it's brought me now. I had

played every single sport possible before –

basketball, baseball, badminton, track and field, I

was a cheerleader and a football player in high

school. I literally did every sport I could in school,

and when I came across lacrosse, it was just that

attraction to the game and wanting to learn

something new.”

The form of lacrosse that is played today is a derivative of

the Haudenosaunee's Tewaarathon, and Mekwan’s interest in

lacrosse bloomed as she craved to understand the indigenous

and cultural aspects of the sport.


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“A part of my introduction to lacrosse was in high

school,” she said. “I remember when I was

younger, like in elementary school, my mom

worked at the Woodland Cultural Centre in

Brantford and she had these books and stuff. And I

remember seeing lacrosse, and then I was like

'what is this sport?' I became fascinated by it from

the books that were there, but I never knew

anything beyond that.”

Mekwan then explained that she asked her gym teacher at

the Simcoe Composite School about lacrosse, because she

wanted to experience it herself. A connection was made with a

woman from Six Nations named “Rose”.

“She would drive all the way from Ohsweken to

Simcoe to pick me up and then she would take me

to practice. Then she would take me back to

Simcoe, and then she would go home herself,” she

said as she began to get emotional. “So, that is a

lot of time in one day to dedicate to one girl in

sport.”

Mekwan said that Rose's efforts made a huge impact on

her participation in the sport, as did Becky Smith. Both of these

woman are now passed on, and Mekwan shared her

thankfulness for them and how they benefited her skill

development. She explained that in the beginning she couldn't

catch, throw or pass – but the challenge wasn't discouraging as

she found she enjoyed developing as a player. She began playing

in a box lacrosse league when she turned twenty-one on the


27

Grand River Attack team in the women's division.

After taking off as a player with a lot of dedication to the

sport, Mekwan later became Assistant Captain for Team Ontario

and MVP for the championship game in the Canadian Female

Box Lacrosse Nationals in Calgary in 2015.

Mekwan was also involved in playing field lacrosse and

tried out for the Haudenosaunee Women’s National Team.

“I had tried out for the Haudenosaunee Women's

Team, but there's only like three spots available

for non-Haudenodaunee members and I'm Cree,”

she said. “So, there were really great skilled girls

from B.C., and Southern Ontario and from the

states too, and it was only like my fourth season

playing lacrosse,” she explained.

She made it to the second-to-last cuts for the team, but

she broke her wrist and it affected her try-out capacity.

However, that didn't stop her from travelling to Oshawa for the

tournament to support the Haudenosaunee team. While there,

she wondered if there was a Belgium team, and she decided to

incite help to establish a women's team in Belgium by reaching

out to their lacrosse league online.

“They said 'it's funny you ask, we're looking to

establish a national women's team,'” she said.

“So, for the 2015 European Lacrosse

Championships, I attended those with the Belgium

team.”

“It's cool because now I'm a part of that history,”


28

she said. “That was the first-ever national lacrosse

team for Belgium.”

Mekwan is very thankful for the opportunities she has

been given. She tributes much of the confidence she has

developed to her involvement with Turtle Concepts and the

strength she admires within her mother. She is now the female

lead in Lacrosse 4 Development (L4D) with Right to Play, an

instructor with the Haudenosaunee Lacrosse Program and a

member of the Aboriginal Sport and Wellness Council of Ontario.

She hopes to be an example for indigenous youth and inspire

them to live healthy lives. The advice she would like to offer to

youth, aspiring athletes and even those that simply read her

story is very sound:

“Stick to your passions and what you enjoy,

because it will eventually become something,” she

said. “It will eventually come to fruition and

something will line up, that's just the way it goes.

The universe is always going to take care of you

Belgian Women’s National Team at the

European Lacrosse Championships in

Nymurk Czech Republic (2015)


29

somehow is what I like to believe, so the strongest

part of that would be participation.”

“Just having the courage to participate, and take

the opportunities as they come,” she said.

Mekwan began her sport pathway competing in the North

American Indigenous Games (2002, 2006, 2014) and has been

involved as an athlete, sport manager or coach. She has since

participated in multidisciplinary sporting activities at various

levels of competition and has received numerous recognitions

and life experiences. Her highest honour will be competing at the

FIL Women’s Lacrosse World Cup this summer in Surrey,

England. She often shares about the significant impacts made for

her through life so far as a multi sport athlete, taking healthy

risks and choosing to reinvent her history.


30

Rosary Spence

“Any opportunity I get to talk about my

culture, where I come from and the

traditions behind making mukluks is

important to me. It’s all about

educating and creating awareness of a

culture that’s so beautiful.” - The

Reflector, December 2014

Rosary Spence is of the

Mushkegowak Cree from the Fort

Albany First Nation on the west coast

of James Bay, ON. She is the second eldest of four brothers and

three sisters, and has worked in social working as well as

broadened her education in marketing and business. Once living

in the remote, fly-in reserve of the Fort Albany First Nation, she

now resides in Toronto, ON.

Spence found that she always had

an affinity for both the arts and artistry

early on, as she found herself enjoying

drama, choir, band and traditional bead-

work. She is now a singer and songwriter,

as well as a designer for the Manitobah

Mukluks – a well-renowned company

that contracts indigenous artists to help

keep indigenous traditions alive.

But, it was Spence's grandmother

that was the first to introduce her to

traditional leather-working. She

Rosary Spence Mushkegowak Cree

Fort Albany

Mukluks by

Rosary Spence


31

explained that her grandmother was a “very creative” woman

and used her bead work to make intricate designs for moccasins,

furnishings and even clothing made by hand.

“My grandmother was a very well-respected

moccasin maker and she was very, very intricate

with her bead work and with the leather works

that she created,” said Spence. “So, I was around

that a lot growing up and my grandmother played

a major role in how I create things today and the

hard work I do today as a workshop facilitator,

and educator. A lot of her teachings are engraved

in me and I'm able to share them.”

Spence was taught how to

bead by her grandmother at a very

young age, and from her interest in

the arts she takes as many

opportunities as she can. She is

currently designing for a new

international company called

Dreamcatcher Eye-Wear, and has

been an ambassador and design-consultant for her brother's

graphic design company called Urbanish. In July of this year,

Spence plans to learn how to work with and utilize Italian leather

styles in Florence, Italy. But even as a busy artist, she never

forgets to attribute much of her inspiration for designing and

song writing to her community.

“I find that in my journey so far [art has] offered a

great deal of healing for me and I'm very thankful

for that, to be able to have that ability to heal

Beading by Rosary Spence


32

myself but also contribute to society this way,” she

said. “Whether I'm performing as a singer or

songwriter, I always acknowledge the territory

that I come from and a lot of my music is inspired

by my family which is back home,” she said. “As a

designer, a lot of my work and inspiration comes

from my home territory. Anytime I have an

opportunity to interview or speak in the media, or

if I'm working in a community arts company – I'm

always, always giving reference to my community

that I'm from.”

Spence learned as much as she could during her time with

her grandparents, who “lived off of the land.” But, she is also a

survivor of the Children's Aid Society (CAS) system – which is

often compared to the Sixties Scoop during the onslaught of

residential schools. She explained that from four to 16 years old

her life was “unstable,” and that she was never in one place long

enough to make friends. Yet out of this came one of her biggest

drives which is to be a good role model for younger generations

– especially for her daughter.

“My daughter was born when I was 16, so I have

an 18 year old daughter now,” she said. “But one

of the things she said to me when I moved to

Toronto in 2008 was she was so amazed by the

city and by everything here, she said 'can I grow

up here?' And it brought me back to when I was a

kid and wanting so bad to just grow up in one

place, but I was never able to for reasons that

were beyond my control. Now I could give her that


33

opportunity to grow up somewhere and be stable,

so I did.”

Spence explained that she was able to overcome all of the

issues and abuses of her childhood that were imposed on her,

because she wanted nothing but a good life for her family.

“I have to do it not only for myself, and not only

for my community, but for the younger ones

coming up,” she said.

Out of being placed in different homes, Spence explained

that when she was 12 years old she was very fortunate to have

lived with an indigenous family. It was at this time that she

completed her first fast and reached a different level of

spirituality she had never experienced before. This has brought

her to think about “urban” indigenous people – who might not

have been given the opportunity to develop a spiritual and

cultural connection – and how she can help them.

“Part of my act of resistance I would say, against

colonization, is my act of being a part of a

movement of reviving culture. So, bringing old

practices that not a lot of people practice anymore

and bringing it to the forefront,” she said. “I did

hide-tanning workshops in the city and I've done

them for mainly indigenous women so far, but I've

done some that involve men and women.”

“I also do moccasin making, mukluk making – any

leather work shop really,” she said. “I do Cree

language workshops and classes. And I would


34

eventually like to get into land-based survival skills

and getting proper training for those workshops

to teach indigenous youth living in an urban

setting.”

This is a part of one of her upcoming goals – to be to be

able to provide a camp that allows urban indigenous youth to

come away from the city to enjoy time learning survival skills and

re-connecting with the land. Currently, she is in the process of

writing a memoir titled after her daughters question, “Can I

Grow Up Here?”

She hopes that with her own story, she can encourage

indigenous people to take opportunities as they present

themselves, just as she has done. Her life and journey is one of

triumph over both stereotypes and hardships; but she is proof

that with a strong mind and dedication, one can beat the odds.


35

Rosary Spence

RECORDING ARTIST • ACTOR

DESIGNER • WORKSHOP FACILITATOR

Website: www.rosaryspence.ca

www.dreamcatchereyewear.com

Twitter: @rosaryspence

Instagram: @rosaryspence

Facebook:

www.facebook.com/rosaryspence

www.facebook.com/designsbyrosary

Listen to Rosary Spence on @AppleMusic.

https://itun.es/ca/jnswN

http://www.rosaryspence.ca

http://www.dreamcatchereyewear.com

http://www.facebook.com/rosaryspence

http://www.facebook.com/designsbyrosary

https://itun.es/ca/jnswN


36

REFERENCES

Adams, H. (2000). Challenging Eurocentric history. In R. Laliberte, P. Setteee, J. Waldram, R. Innes, B. Macdougall, L. McBain, & F. L. Barron (Eds.), Expressions in Canadian Native studies (pp. 40-53). Saskatoon, SK: University of Saskatchewan Press.

Chandler, M. J., & Lalonde, C. (1998). Cultural continuity as a hedge against suicide in Canada's First Nations. Transcultural psychiatry, 35(2), 191-219.

Hansen, J. G., & Antsanen, R. (2016). Elders' teachings about resilience and its implications for education in dene and cree communities. International Indigenous Policy Journal, 7(1) Retrieved from http://proxy.library.brocku.ca/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/1762752388?accountid=9744

McKay, M. (2013). Language, Identity, Power Relations, and Discourse: A Cree Language Response to Linguistic Imperialism. Native Studies Review, 22(1/2), 27-53.

Michell, H. (2005) Nehithawak of Reindeer Lake, Canada: Worldview, epistemology & relationships with the natural world. Australian Journal of Indigenous Education, 34, 33–43.

Ohmagari, K., & Berkes, F. (1997). Transmission of indigenous knowledge and bush skills among the western james bay cree women of subarctic canada. Human Ecology, 25(2), 197-222. Retrieved from http://proxy.library.brocku.ca/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/206004180?accountid=9744

Silver, J. (2013). Aboriginal adult education: Combating poverty and colonization. In J. Silver (Ed.), Moving forward, giving back: Transformative Aboriginal adult education (Chapter


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1). Winnipeg: Fernwood Publishing.

Valaskakis, G. G., Stout, M. D., & Guimond, E. (2009). Restoring the balance: First Nations women, community, and culture. Winnipeg: University of Manitoba Press.

Wesley, Norm. "Cree Creation Story." YouTube. YouTube, 21 July 2015. Web. 22 Mar. 2017.

http://www.fourdirectionsteachings.com/transcripts/cree.pdf

http://www.native-languages.org/cree-legends.htm

https://prezi.com/8tsvgjivwiit/roles-of-men-women-and-children-woodland-cree/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qn0zJ1QH2Zc

http://www.sicc.sk.ca/archive/heritage/ethnography/cree/origin/oral.html

https://www.thestar.com/life/2016/04/23/miss-indian-world-contestants-promote-native-culture.html

http://www.iksokapimagazine.com/2014/06/03/june-2014-tasha-spillett/

http://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/first-nations-youths-1.3375740

http://www.simcoereformer.ca/2015/10/14/tulips-connection-to-roots-sport


http://www.fourdirectionsteachings.com/transcripts/cree.pdf

http://www.native-languages.org/cree-legends.htm



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qn0zJ1QH2Zc













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Daughters, Sisters, Mothers & Wives - ONLC · La Ronge and in northern Saskatchewan. DAUGHTERS,...

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