‘I can breathe,’ summer festival helps rejuvenate Neskantaga First Nation | 24CA News
A small northern Ontario First Nation has come collectively in its annual summer time pageant to each have a good time and rejuvenate its neighborhood.
The solar broke by way of the weeklong rain in Neskantaga First Nation on Friday, which allowed for canoe races, egg toss competitions, lottery attracts and bingo video games.
There was additionally a sardine consuming competitors and fresh-caught sturgeon.
The neighborhood flies in each Indigenous and non-Indigenous bands to carry out — Trooper and Harlequin performed within the native enviornment this week — and the festivities draw Neskantaga First Nation members house to the neighborhood of about 350 folks.
The first nation, situated about 450 kilometres from Thunder Bay, Ont., is simply accessible by air and an ice highway within the winter.
About 100 band members residing off the reserve have returned house.
“Coming home means I can connect with my roots, I can visit my family, I can hear people speak the language more,” mentioned Charla Moonias.
“When I’m in Thunder Bay, it’s just work, work, work. So when I’m here, I can breathe, I can enjoy nature, I can go on the boat, I can go fishing, I can just relax.”
The pageant provides residents an opportunity to overlook, even when just for a couple of minutes or hours, a few fixed stress: clear water.
Neskantaga has the longest boil-water advisory in Canada, stretching again greater than 28 years. The neighborhood, the federal authorities and varied contractors proceed to attempt to deal with a much-maligned water therapy facility.
Until it’s mounted, the residents use bottled water for ingesting, washing dishes and typically bathing — particularly kids.
In 2020, Neskantaga was evacuated over an oily sheen noticed in its reservoir. The sheen was later discovered to be mineral oil from a damaged pump seal.
Suicide additionally stays an ever-present menace in the neighborhood.
The First Nation declared a state of emergency a decade in the past over a rash of suicides and suicide makes an attempt.
Like a lot of Ontario, the reserve is in a housing disaster. The neighborhood wants at the least 100 extra houses, leaving many households with out enough housing.
The summer time pageant, which has similarities to others which might be happening in First Nations throughout Ontario, permits residents a break from the hardships the neighborhood has confronted through the years, mentioned Chief Chris Moonias.
“It’s a time to come together and it’s a time to celebrate and it’s a time to forget the problems and forget the issues we face,” he mentioned. “And it’s good to remember that life is worth living, we deserve to have some fun.”
Sol Mamakwa, the New Democrat provincial legislator for the Kiiwetinoong using the place Neskantaga is situated, visited the village for just a few days to examine in.
“It’s good to be here when Neskantaga is not in crisis,” mentioned Mamakwa.
“These festivals are so important because it gives people something to look forward to.”
Kendra Moonias loves this time of 12 months. The 15-year-old relishes the continuous neighborhood actions.
“How I see it is this is the only time the whole community gathers together instead of gathering at a funeral,” she mentioned. “And it’s all about the fun and about being together.”
Also on provide: recent sturgeon. Kue Wapoose caught eight sturgeon within the close by Attawapiskat River and boiled the fish up over a fireplace on the shore.
“It’s a real delicacy and it’s an honour to make it for the community,” he mentioned.
© 2023 The Canadian Press
