Media.Knet.Ca

The latest press release from Matawa First Nations Management is appealing for support efforts to continue for the people of Nibinamik First Nation.

This press release about the community and the relief efforts is available on-line for everyone to read.

• Press Release # 9 - September 23

Efforts continue to coordinate the support systems required to assist the people of Nibinamik First Nation with teams working together from across the region. All donations and offers of assistance are appreciated. It is important that we work together to ensure the community receives the best possible care today and over the next few months.

Donations can be sent to:

Matawa First Nation Management - Nibinamik Emergency Fund
233 South Court Street
Thunder Bay, ON
P7B 2X9

If you have any questions, please call 807-344-4575 or 800-463-2249 and ask for Bruce Visitor, Director of Operations or Helen Franceschi, Finance Clerk.

Oshki-Pimache-O-Win Education and Training Institute has been established under the mandate of the Chiefs of Nishnawbe Aski Nation to develop, design and deliver post-secondary programs and services. The Institute is an independent institution offering courses in language and culture, social services, computer and information technology, management and administration, and teacher education.

The Annual General Meeting of Oshki-Pimache-O-Win will be held on October 1, 2003 at Chapleau Cree First Nation. All NAN First Nations or Education Authorities are invited to send one voting representative to the meeting. Representatives attending the meeting will be eligible to stand for election to the Governing Council. Following the meeting, on October 2, a workshop for board members and those who work with boards will be provided.

For further information, or to receive a registration package, please contact:

Ruth Baxter, Executive Director,
Oshki-Pimache-O-Win Education and Training Institute,
107 Johnson Avenue, 2nd Floor,
Thunder Bay, ON  P7B 2V9

Telephone: 807-346-2770
Fax:  807-345-2924
E-Mail: rbaxter@oshki.ca

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Oshki-Pimache-O-Win Education and Training Institute has been established under the mandate of the Chiefs of Nishnawbe Aski Nation to develop, design and deliver post-secondary programs and services. The Institute is an independent institution and currently offers courses in social services, website development, language and culture.

The Institute is seeking an Executive Director. The Executive Director is responsible for the overall operations of Oshki-Pimache-O-Win Education and Training Institute and is the principal spokesperson for the Institute in all communications with First Nations members, federal and provincial government agencies and non-government organizations regarding funding, sponsorship, partnerships, and program offerings.

Reporting to the Oshki-Pimache-O-Win Governing Council, the Executive Director will:

• Oversee the effective operations and on-going development of the Institute;
• Make recommendations to the Oshki-Pimache-O-Win Governing Council for the continuing development of the Institute;
• Liaise with First Nations, First Nation communities and organizations, federal and provincial governments, business, and other post secondary institutions and organizations; and
• Promote Oshki-Pimache-O-Win and its programs.

Applicants should have:

• a Post Secondary Graduate Degree in Education or a related field;  
• significant understanding and knowledge of Aboriginal language, culture, and issues in the NAN territory;  
• 10 years progressive experience as a post secondary teacher, manager or administrator;
• significant experience in budget planning implementation and evaluation;  
• experience working with a Board of Directors, multiple partners and government agencies; and
• fluency in Ojibway and/or Cree.

Salary is negotiable, depending on qualifications and experience.

Interested candidates are invited to submit a letter of interest and a resume to:

Executive Search Committee,
Oshki-Pimache-O-Win Education and Training Institute,
107 Johnson Avenue, 2nd Floor,
Thunder Bay, ON  P7B 2V9

Fax:  807-345-2924

For further information, please contact Steve Chase at (807) 346-2779 or by e-mail at schase@oshki.ca.

Closing date for applications is Friday, October 24, 2003.

We thank you for your interest in Oshki-Pimache-O-Win, however only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

The official Ground Breaking ceremony was held in Deer Lake yesterday in spite of the weather.  Elders from the community were on hand to share their feelings and offer their blessings to this special occasion.  Also in attendance were members of Keewaytinook Okimakanak; Geordie Kakepetum, Jim Teskey, and Peter Campbell, Frank representing Smith Carter Architects and Engineers Incorporated, members of the Education Authority, Chief and Council of Deer Lake First Nation, Teachers and Staff of David Meekis Memorial School along with various members from other financial organizations were also on hand to take part in the ceremony.

There were many words of happiness and anticipation looking towards the school being completed as Councillor Raymond Meekis said in his opening remarks ,"Finally, finally." After the elders and representatives spoke, the ground breaking ceremony took place with the widow of the late David Meekis (which the current school is named after) Ella Jane Meekis and youth representative Skye Patayash taking part in this ceremony.  

Shortly afterwards the signing ceremony took place under the big tent away from the drizzle. This was followed by a community feast to celebrate this historic day.  

To view pictures, go to http://www.deerlake.firstnation.ca and look in the photogallery

Three more press releases from Matawa First Nations Management provide the latest information about the situation and support required by the people in Nibinamik First Nation.

The latest press releases about the community and the work are now available on-line for everyone to read.

• Press Release # 6 - September 17
• Press Release # 7 - September 18
• Press Release # 8 - September 19

Efforts continue to coordinate the support systems required to assist the people of Nibinamik First Nation with teams working together from across the region. All donations and offers of assistance are appreciated. It is important that we work together to ensure the community receives the best possible care today and over the next few months.

Donations can be sent to:

Matawa First Nation Management - Nibinamik Emergency Fund
233 South Court Street
Thunder Bay, ON
P7B 2X9

If you have any questions, please call 807-344-4575 or 800-463-2249 and ask for Bruce Visitor, Director of Operations or Helen Franceschi, Finance Clerk.

The September 18 issue of Wawatay News contains two more news stories about the work being completed within the Kuh-ke-nah Network of Smart First Nations demonstration project.

This week's issue of the Kuh-ke-nah page in Wawatay News include the following articles:

• Keeping their community satellite systems going: Fort Severn, Webequie and Slate Falls are three of the 12 First Nations across Northwestern Ontario that have to use a C-Band satellite connection for their community broadband services. Local technicians and administrators in each of these communities share their business strategies for maintaining their local broadband network.
• Rez Pez; the hilarious on-line diabetes health initiative: Rod Fiddler, the Sandy Lake Diabetes Coordinator, is working with a variety of communication technologies along with a heavy dose of humour (Sandy Lake style) to get a very important message across about the food we eat and its effects on our health.
• K-Net Showcase - contains photos from the K-Net photo gallery with images of the some of the elders who are living and working across the north, ensuring the traditions, culture and language are protected and maintained.

Rick Garrick is researching additional stories for future articles. If you have a story that you want to share about this project and the work that is happening in your community to get connected, please send us an e-mail.

The NAN Decade Youth Council would like to extend our condolences and deepest sympathies to the community of Summer Beaver throughout these trying times.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the friends and families of the deceased and we pray that you will find comfort during these dark days.

We would also like to address the Youth of Nibinamik.  Our thoughts are with you as well and we pray that you will find the strength and courage to overcome the pain and sadness of losing a loved one.  We share your grief and we sense your sorrow.  Be strong and have faith.

Once again, our thoughts and prayers are with you all.  May the Creator be with you and guide you in the days ahead.

In Unity and Respect,

The NAN Decade Youth Council

A Good Man Moves On.

On Saturday September 14, 2003 Mike Nothing passed away in Sioux Lookout after a lengthy illness.

Services were held for family and friends in Sioux Lookout at the Sioux Lookout Funeral chapel.  The burial service will be held in Bearskin Lake First Nation on Wednesday. His wife Susannah predeceased him in November 1997.  I was fortunate to be able to attend a service for Mike along with many friends and family in Sioux Lookout this past Monday.

Mike was from the community of Bearskin Lake. I first met him in 1977 when I went to the community as a Hudson’s Bay clerk (manager trainee).  Even though we had age gap, cultural differences and a language barrier, we worked through all these and Mike not only became my father-in-law, but an elder (role model), and a friend to me.  Mike was probably one of the most honest and straightforward individuals that I have ever known.  As one of his daughters spoke during Monday’s service I remembered receiving a gift of a t-shirt about 15 years ago from her that stated… “Everyone is entitled to my opinion” and I laughed to myself thinking that the same could be said of Mike as well.  He had his ways…and he was a very determined man.  When Mike left us, he didn’t quit living, he just decided he was moving on and no one was going to talk him out of it.

Well he’s gone to a better place and as Rev. Susan Barclay stated in her message...Mike has gone to the place where God has prepared many rooms for our afterlife.  I know that Mike’s room or mansion will have state of the art conference-call telephones so he can discuss all the important issues with his many friends and business associates in the “big city”.  Just about every picture of Mike that I have in my photo albums has him pictured with a telephone in hand.  Certainly every time I visited his home in Bearskin Lake or Sioux Lookout, Mike would be engaged in the most important conversations.  

In the early days when I lived in Bearskin Lake there was no TV, VCR, or electricity in the reserve homes.  Other than music, the telephone was the main piece of technological entertainment available and in 2003 that invention was still Mike’s favorite pastime.  

It was only about a week ago that I erased his latest message on my answering machine as we all do when our message space gets used up.  Everyone that knows Mike should be able to relate exactly to what I am talking about.

One of my favorite memories of Mike is the summer my family vacationed in Bearskin Lake and I fixed up his car and his truck with him supervising.  Mike taught me how to fix carburetors and fuel lines with pieces of plastic, glue, and snare wire.  Another one is the time in Sioux Lookout is when we explored logging roads for a full day unsuccessfully looking for a missing moose hide.   Talk about a “wild moose” (hide) chase.

Back in the early days, Bearskin Lake was part of the Big Trout Lake band, so before they had Reserve Status, Mike was the councilor for the entire community… that in my understanding would be equivalent today to the role of chief.  Mike then became the driving force in establishing Bearskin’s own Reserve status.

Later, he started a store in Bearskin Lake called “Bearskin Lake Variety” to help the people have a locally run store and to make a good living for his family.  Mike had a neat store stocked with very effective high demand products and I remember enjoying the salami and fresh bread Mike flew in.  We made it a regular routine to buy some from the store and have a mini-feast.  He bought furs and one year made $150,000 profit while still paying good prices to the local trappers.  In fact, I bought fur myself for about 16 years…but I recall that Mike had people from all over the north selling to him because of his good prices.

However, the very next year Green Peace started to boycott the fur business and their misguided actions spelled the end of the fur business…and this caused Mike to suffer a big financial loss.  Mike had given away most of his money to others as he usually did to help people out.  I remember his “shaver” was a burning cigarette (which I though was pretty cool) in the old days before BIC became a staple.  Later when the community started the Bearskin Lake Consumer’s COOP store, Mike closed the family store so that the community store would be able to grow.  This is the way Mike lived…he was a very committed servant to his community many times at his own expense.   When he closed his store, he had about $30,000 of customer debt on tab, which he “lost”.  In today’s dollars that would be at least $100,000.  

Mike later sold his building to Pastor Ziggy Beardy for a nominal amount so that the group of believers could have a church building to hold services in.  Mike himself spent a lot of time in prayer and he felt at home in the Anglican Church.  I am glad that Mike has ended his earth journey to be with His Savior and is now united with departed family and friends.  I am glad that we all have many fond memories of an extraordinary man who was a role model for the community, family, and his peers.  My prayers are given to all who are affected by his passing.  He truly was a man’s man…but I think Mike had a little help from the Lord.

Eric Kudaka
Thunder Bay

Matawa First Nations Management is coordinating the relief and support systems for the families and friends in Nibinamik First Nation. Since the tragic air plane crash on September 11, help and donations have been flowing into the community.

Efforts to coordinate the support systems required to assist the people of Nibinamik First Nation are being made by teams from across the region. All donations and offers of assistance are appreciated. It is important that we work together to ensure the community receives the best possible care today and over the next few months.

A series of press releases and a fact sheet about the community is now available on-line for everyone to read.

• Fact Sheet about Nibinamik First Nation and the days following the accident
• Press Release # 1 - September 12
• Press Release # 2 - September 14
• Press Release # 3 - September 15
• Press Release # 4 - September 15
• Press Release # 5 - September 16

Donations can be sent to:

Matawa First Nation Management - Nibinamik Emergency Fund
233 South Court Street
Thunder Bay, ON
P7B 2X9

If you have any questions, please call 807-344-4575 or 800-463-2249 and ask for Bruce Visitor, Director of Operations or Helen Franceschi, Finance Clerk.