Author: Xavier Kataquapit

Holiday Season is here and you can see everyone is excited in the annual high of getting ready for Christmas. Different religions and cultures celebrate this period and some don’t at all. I grew up in the remote Indigenous community of Attawapiskat on the James Bay coast and through colonization and the invasion by Christian missionaries my people for many years ended up becoming swept up in either the Catholic or Protestant religions depending on who was doing the the invading. We all became part of this religion and managed also to incorporate some of our own original traditions and culture. However, most of our traditions and cultural practices were banned and considered evil by these new religions.

…. to read more, please click on the link below

https://wawataynews.ca/blogs-columns/i%E2%80%99m-dreaming-safe-and-happy-christmas

I think most of us feel like we have been through several very weird years with the Covid19 pandemic, climate change events like the recent forest fire summer and of course the terrible wars raging in Ukraine and Gaza. I wish I could be more optimistic in looking towards the future but it is not easy.

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https://wawataynews.ca/blogs-columns/protecting-our-elders-should-be-priority

November 11 or what we refer to as Remembrance Day is a very sad time for myself and my partner Mike. I have been doing a lot of research on my great-grandfather John Chookomolin and my grandfather James Kataquapit who along with 22 other young men from Attawapiskat were literally kidnapped by an army recruiter back in 1917 and taken to Europe to participate in the Great War. My great-grandfather John did not return however grandfather James did make it back after the war.

…. to read more, please click on the link below

https://www.wawataynews.ca/blogs-columns/we-will-remember-why

Winter is fast approaching and I worry about all my family members and friends from up the James Bay coast and in Northern Ontario that have to deal with the treacherous conditions on our highways during the snowy and icy season.

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https://wawataynews.ca/blogs-columns/take-care-winter-roads

I am feeling a little better about the state of democracy these days thanks to the election of Wab Kinew as Canada’s first Anishinabe Premier. He was elected recently with a majority government in Manitoba. So, congratulations to Wab and his New Democratic Party team and as well thanks to all those members of the voting public who chose to make their decision based on values that have to do with social democratic ideals of sharing, openness, tolerance and caring for everyone, the environment and the future of our planet. The fact that he has promised to save and enhance the public health care system is a bonus.

…. to read more, please click on the link below

https://wawataynews.ca/blogs-columns/kitchi-meegwetch-wab-kinew

I am so tired of losing people I am only in my late 40s but it seems as though most of the people I grew up with my age and even younger are passing away far too often. A generation older than me including my parents, aunts, uncles and grandparents are gone. The whole landscape of my life has changed in what seems like a very short time.

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https://wawataynews.ca/blogs-columns/spirit-those-who-have-gone-us

I feel like a survivor at times and there is good reason for that. As an Indigenous person living in this time and country, I have seen so much happen over the past four decades of my life. The sad reality is that I have lost many young and Elders close to me over the years through tragic situations.

…. to read more, please click on the link below

https://www.timminspress.com/opinion/it-is-time-for-an-indigenous-prime-minister-2

I have been enjoying all kinds of meat and produce from local farmers here in northern Ontario. This is a time of the year I look forward to because with summer comes all the fresh vegetables like lettuce, celery, cucumbers, carrots and many more green, yellow and red veggies. I like to cook and as my partner has a health issue that restricts our moving around like we once did, much of my time is taken with doing stuff around the house and coming up with interesting meals.

…. to read more, please click on the link below

https://wawataynews.ca/blogs-columns/farmers-are-real-heroes