November 17, 2010
Attawapiskat, ON - Sami Jo
As I sit in my bed at the nursing station in Kashechewan, ON we’re waiting to go to the local talent show being hosted at 8pm. It’s only 7pm and once again I am completely beat. My smiling muscles hurt!
We spent the day in the community of Attawapiskat, ON. From the minute we woke up until just now, I’ve been on the go. After a night at the Kataquapit Inn, Freida and I along with our three travelling partners from the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs were picked up by Joseph, Ruby and Celine and carted around the community. A much bigger community than Weenusk, Kashechewan has approximately 2000 people. Driving around what hits me is the amount of kids walking the streets. Houses are pre-fabricated and are order into the community based on need, but according to our driver there are never enough houses and people are put on waiting lists. Some houses have as many as 30 people living in them and they certainly aren’t that big.
We met with the school and community leaders explaining what Jumpstart was all about. Explaining that Jumpstart wants to help them help their youth participate in sports and recreation. We got to show them the activity kits that will be delivered to their community as well as hand off the 12 sets of hockey gear that Canadian Tire vendors have donated. Christmas in November! Stella, the local youth wellness worker who has been funded by Canadian Tire Jumpstart was all smiles as she will be tasked with ensuring the equipment gets used as well as figuring out what else is needed in the community.
From the meeting we went to lunch where we were treated with a local specialty of moose stew and bannock that one of the local women had cooked for us. As we ate, we chatted with local teachers as they explained how their community worked and what was most needed to curb the crime rate amongst their youth and how to engage them in physical activity. Only a couple teachers were of Cree decent, most were southerners of all different cultural backgrounds lured up to Attawapiskat by the peaceful way of life and all seemed to have fallen in love with the land and its people.
From lunch, we headed on a tour of the community including a stop at the local arena where DeBeers was hosting a tradeshow about their diamond mine situated a couple hours away that employs some of the local people. The indoor arena looked alright from the outside; however, in conversations with some locals, the arena is rarely open. The intention is to open the rink in September, however, there are always delays, whether the ice system is broken or the lights are out or something else, it seems that there is just never enough money to get all the repairs done and open the rink so it goes un-used. The ice pad sits lonely waiting for kids. Yet all the kids in the community seem to love hockey. They all tell me stories about their hockey exploits and seem to be bubbling over with anticipation of the rink opening. They ask me if I know when it will open and all I can say is, “I hope soon.”
We headed back over to the high school where I had no idea what to expect. As we set up, the gymnasium started to fill. Just like high school kids anywhere I could see the cliques forming, the kids looking at me with mistrust and wondering who this “white woman” was coming to their school. As I began my speech there were mumblings, kids whispering to each other and parkas loudly shifting. But suddenly the gym stopped as I pulled out my Olympic Gold Medal. The kids never took their eyes off the medal and gradually the whispers turned to silence. The gym door was open and as I continued my speech more and more people from the community started to pile in the gym. The paramedics, the nurses and the police officers lined the walls. A fully dressed firefighter even entered the gym. The elementary school kids started to filter over. I guess like any small town word travels fast. By the end of the my speech the gym was packed!
The second portion of the presentation included a ball hockey game. We had decided on teachers versus students. As I ran around the gym I felt like a kid again. I forgot about the fact that I didn’t know a soul or really speak the same language but through sport was able to participate in the community. Smiles and laughter were contagious and despite my team of teachers getting booed every time we put the ball in the net, I had a great time. About mid way through the game I looked around and realized there were no girls playing. We can’t have that! Immediately, I suggested next goal wins so that we could start an all-girls game. As I picked girls from the crowd to come play, they were shy, they didn’t seem to want to be part of the game. But as soon as the ball dropped, the girls forgot about their inhibitions and just started to play. It was so amazing to see.
I had to leave the game just as it got into the second frame as we had to catch a flight bound for our next community. I was sad to leave, but the smiles on the kids faces will last in my memory forever. Not only did we leave equipment behind, I think we left something much better; hope.
...Sami
Kashechewan Part 1.....
We arrive in Kashechewan late on Tuesday night and honoured by Chief Solomon greeting us at the airport.
We are staying at the Nurses station in town. Very warm and welcoming accommodations. We settled in and then off to the Band office to met some of the Band council and to share some dinner made for us by the students cooking class at the local school. Yet again, humble, wonderful warm people. Beautiful faces looking on at us with a hint of shyness. Thank God Sami is with us. Instantly they gravitate to her. She’s a celebrity with great warmth and her celebrity status all due to her extraordinary accomplishments with sports. It is an instant barrier breaker and a common ground for the children to engage and connect, after all she plays hockey and so do they..... At least they’d like to. Its strange we all know the benefits of sports and recreation -- we talk about the social benefits. It is so obvious when you see it right infront of you. The children stood and sat taller as they talked about their hockey accomplishments. I got the sense that in their minds they were doing the "if she can I can game"...... and so they should... its exactly what Sami's message is about and why Jumpstart cares!
We are invited to a local talent show one of many celebrations for Addiction week. A week dedicated to help the children understand the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. What a great week to be here and present, share and inform the community about Canadian Tire Jumpstart.
What was amazing to me as I look around the gym was the amount of children. Easily tonight children outnumbered adults by 3 to 1 – if not more. We were told that 50% of the population in Kash are under the age of 20.
Tomorrow will be another day filled with meetings –but for tonight its dance off’s, sing off’s and battle of the bands.... oh ya and a swarm around Sami for autographs.
see you tomorrow .... Freida
Attawapiskat – and our Cree naming of Jumpstart “Grasshopper” – Freida Rubletz
What a wonderful day spent with the children, health workers, our Youth Wellness worker Stella, and my new guide to the Native People Joe.
Joe became our guide to the community he has called home since birth. He’s a well travelled medicine man that has returned to Attawapiskat out of love and heritage.
Our first set of meeting was with the teachers and guidance councillors in the community. We were able to talk to them about Jumpstart and our commitment to the community. Interesting though, as i spoke of what we are here to do and our commitment to the community I look around the room. Stoic faces with a hint (no actually outward mistrust) I used all the words I could to explained Jumpstart. When i ran out of words i asked Ruby another one of our guides to help bring in a sample of the kids activity kit we brought.
New sweep of the crowd – and a new look of awareness. Jumpstart isn’t just dropping a couple of balls from the sky we are giving them a chance to choose their sports for their communities to help their children – and a little awareness of how we are here to stay and help.
Next stop a scrumptious lunch made by one of the elders in the community and off to hear Sami Jo fill an auditorium with words of inspiration. Words filled with YOU CAN, words that the children only heard for the first few minutes – but felt and understood the min she pulled out the Gold Medal. Lets think..... You are in a First Nations Reserve crippled in many ways by the isolation. Hurt deeply by youth suicide – and an Olympian shows up with a medal we only see on TV – I believe with all i am that the room changed for hearing to listening!
I know we left Attawapiskat with a pride to be part of the Jumpstart family as new Community Partners in our new James Bay chapter. I reassured them that they didn’t have to rush into hasty decisions about their activity kit. Now that they have an understanding of Jumpstart I encouraged them to talk to the children and find out what sports they wish to play and help them by showing them that Canadian Tire Jumpstart is here to help.
.......Swept out of the gym and off to the airport – 20 min flight and now landing in Kashechwan.
Freida
Arrival in Peawanuk – Weenusk – Freida Rubletz
Our arrival really signified the remoteness of the community. Our plane lands and taxies to park next to a pickup truck and a car belonging to one of the 3 people managing the airport.
And so our tour begins.....
We are greeted by a man name Ivan our host for the day. It starts with a drive around the community. A series of roads past house after house, prefab’ed houses slightly different colors slightly different front porches abut all yet the same.
Its a community filled with wonderful people, elders, Native Canadian’s rich in culture and dedicated to teaching their children how to live and respect the land around them.
What we experienced is a community desperate to take care of their kids and help them to experience as much as they can... what we learned was the limitations of their ability to do this given some of the natural barriers of access.
We met the Chief and council, teachers and elders. Each committed to helping in any way they can to assist Jumpstart in helping their children. I’m not sure the community fully understands the opportunity, but I’m confident that they will work to understand.
Freida
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