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Destination: NAN
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Mille has studied hard to learn all she could about Nishnawbe Aski Nation.. |
Date: 01.21.03
Location: NOMADS Base Camp Grand Marais, MN USA
Weather Conditions: Sunny, clear and crisp -10 F
The expedition departure is only a few short weeks away. Just a split second, considering it has taken almost two years to get to this point!
Let's just say to run an expedition takes a lot of homework. Before you set out on any expedition you need to really know as much as possible about the area where you are planning to go. |
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| We have to establish contact with the people living in the local area to figure out the best routes of travel and the logistical options like where to re-supply, how to get there, what are the most important points of interest, what is the history of the area, culture, traditions and on it goes! Traveling from community to community, often following ancient routes shown to us by the elders, we need the support of the people where we travel - and most importantly, we must have their permission to travel on their land! |
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Eric waiving goodbye at the end of last years expedition as they arrived in Weagamow. |
We were given that permission last winter. This is our second expedition to the Nishnawbe Aski Nation. Last year Paul, Eric and 16 Polar Husky Superstars dog-sledded through the heart of the land. This year we set out to travel the very different country along the coastline of Hudson Bay. Covering an area the size of Michigan (the 11th largest state in the US), the Nishnawbe Aski Nation has a population of only 25.000 people spread out in 49 communities. As you can imagine, it is mostly wilderness. |
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Aaron loves maps! Being the "map man" on our team, he had the pleasure of folding the NAN wall maps. |
The Nishnawbe Aski Nation came to be in 1977. In 1905 Canada declared that the land on which the Oji-Cree, Cree and Ojibway Indians were living (90,000 square miles) would become "Canadian". In return every native would be paid $4 a year. They were moved to reservation lands where the government paid for schools, supplies and medical facilities. The natives kept the right to hunt, trap and fish the land but it was no longer theirs. They were now - like it or not - part of the Canadian Nation. You may wonder why they did not fight for their land. Well, the short answer is, "They were tricked!""To own land" was unheard of in the Oji-Cree culture before white man arrived. The Oji-Cree were a nomadic people traveling and living off the land following the seasons. For example, in the spring they would make family camp upriver and in the winter they would move further inland. Nobody owned the land. As they had no word for "land owner" their language, they had no concept of going to war to fight for "their land." |
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| But as time went by and they came to understand what land ownership meant, it created lots of problems. Then, 25 years ago, the chiefs and elders decided enough is enough. The Oji-Cree people wanted say over their own land on which generation upon generation of their people were born and lived. They basically just told the Canadian Government that they wanted their land back. They wanted their own government and that they were now prepared to fight for their land and their rights. They wanted freedom. That resulted in a new nation: The Nishnawbee Aski Nation. Amazingly, every native person in the treaty area still receives $4 a year! |
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| Speaking of freedom, today is the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. This year marks 35 years ago that he was murdered. Martin Luther King is one of Mille's heroes. She admires him because, "He fought evil, but he understood the power of fighting a peaceful battle. He had a beautiful dream and he believed in freedom for all people."Freedom is so many things. Join Mille in the chat room on Wednesday with your thoughts on "freedom." If you ask her (or any of us) when we feel ultimately free, the answer will probably be when we are out on the trail, dog sledding with Polar Huskies and exploring new places. Add your thoughts about freedom to the chat discussion board today! |
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This week's Polar Husky Superstar: Beacon. 1 month old he is the youngest of the Polar Husky gang!Watch Beacon explore! |
On that note - one Polar Husky JUST started exploring the world outside the "doghouse" yesterday. This week’s Polar Husky Superstar is "Beacon", the latest addition to the Polar Husky gang born December 21st! Happy 1 month birthday Beacon!!A son of Freja and a single puppy getting all the attention in the world, Beacon is quite advanced for his age. He is very outgoing, incredibly cute...and extremely fat! At 3600 grams he weighs the same as mighty Terex did when he was 5 weeks old. |
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