tipâcimôwin awahkânak ohci - About animals kept as pets

Xavier Sutherland

When Xavier, the narrator, was a child, his family had a beaver for a pet. During the day he slept but during the night he worked hard at cutting willow sticks until there was a pile blocking the door. He worked hard to close the door completely like he would on the river and in the morning he would be asleep.

StoryTeller Xavier Sutherland Community Peawanuck (Winisk)
Age/Level cycle 2 Language Swampy Cree (n dialect)
Year Recorded 1960-62 Year Last Edited 2010
Described by Marie-Odile Junker & Doug Ellis
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Teachings Genre

nikik ê-itâcimikosit - A story about an otter

Xavier Sutherland

Xavier, the narrator, used to have an otter as a pet. He slept at night and was up early in the morning but returned to bed in the afternoon. In winter, his family would cut two holes in the ice and tie a string around the otter's paw. The otter would dive into one hole and come out the other, effectively placing the string for the net under the ice.

StoryTeller Xavier Sutherland Community Peawanuck (Winisk)
Age/Level cycle 2 Language Swampy Cree (n dialect)
Year Recorded 1960-62 Year Last Edited 2010
Described by Marie-Odile Junker & Doug Ellis
Topics
Teachings Genre

ôko wîna okâshakaskiwêsiwak - About hawks

Xavier Sutherland

Xavier, the narrator, used to have hawks in his family's care from the time when they didn't even have feathers yet. They ate a lot of fish, once a day, and when they grew bigger they didn't want to leave. Also, the hawk was useful in keeping mice away.

StoryTeller Xavier Sutherland Community Peawanuck (Winisk)
Age/Level cycle 2 Language Swampy Cree (n dialect)
Year Recorded 1960-62 Year Last Edited 2010
Described by Marie-Odile Junker & Doug Ellis
Topics
Teachings Genre

nîshtam kâ-pâpalik kâ-pimihlâmakahk môsonîwi-ministikohk - The first airplane comes to Moose Factory

Andrew Faries

When the first airplane arrived at Moose Factory, the residents panicked. Some believed a windigoe had come to kill them and so they shot at it. The older people believed it was the end of the world. One man, Jimmy Asheesh, had a dream that he would see this arrival before he died. He passed away soon after.

StoryTeller Andrew Faries Community Moose Factory
Age/Level preschool Language Moose Cree (l dialect)
Year Recorded 1958 Year Last Edited 2010
Described by Marie-Odile Junker & Doug Ellis
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Teachings Genre

wêskac môsonîwi-ministikohk - The old days at Moose Factory

Gilbert Faries

Gilbert Faries recounts a typical midsummer's feast where there was racing, wrestling, and dancing. Distinguished managers would also attend.

StoryTeller Gilbert Faries Community Moose Factory
Age/Level preschool Language Moose Cree (l dialect)
Year Recorded 1958 Year Last Edited 2010
Described by Doug Ellis
Topics
Teachings Genre

ê-ishilawînâniwahk ê-ôshkinîkinâniwahkipan - Stories of youthful exploits

Willie Frenchman

Willie Frenchman recounts a harrowing, months-long canoe expedition.

StoryTeller Willie Frenchman Community Moose Factory
Age/Level cycle 2 Language Moose Cree (l dialect)
Year Recorded 1964 Year Last Edited 2009
Described by Doug Ellis
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Teachings Genre

wêskac ê-ishi-pimâtisinâniwahk - Life in the old days

Willie Frenchman

Back in the old days, when people died of starvation, the last person left alive would not starve, he would become a windigo.

StoryTeller Willie Frenchman Community Moose Factory
Age/Level preschool Language Moose Cree (l dialect)
Year Recorded 1964 Year Last Edited 2010
Described by Doug Ellis
Topics
Teachings Genre

ê-nipahihcik ililiwak, ê-mowihcik mâka - People killed and eaten

Willie Frenchman

A father and son duo have killed and eaten other Indian families for 20 years until the son is set to marry a girl and his father confesses to what they've done. The new bride's brothers attack and kill their brother-in-law and burn both him and his father.

StoryTeller Willie Frenchman Community Moose Factory
Age/Level preschool Language Moose Cree (l dialect)
Year Recorded 1964 Year Last Edited 2010
Described by Doug Ellis
Topics
Teachings Genre

kotakîya kêkwâna kâ-kî-tôcikâtêkwâpan - More early activities

Willie Frenchman

Willie Frenchman recounts more perilous hunts and encounters, and how he survived crossing a near-frozen river.

StoryTeller Willie Frenchman Community Moose Factory
Age/Level preschool Language Moose Cree (l dialect)
Year Recorded 1964 Year Last Edited 2010
Described by Marie-Odile Junker & Doug Ellis
Topics
Teachings Genre

ê-washkwayi-cîmânihkâniwahk - Making birch bark canoes

Willie Frenchman

Willie Frenchman explains the process of making a birch-bark canoe.

StoryTeller Willie Frenchman Community Moose Factory
Age/Level preschool Language Moose Cree (l dialect)
Year Recorded 1964 Year Last Edited 2010
Described by Doug Ellis
Topics
Teachings Genre

pakwacililiw - The Bushman

Hannah Loon

Hannah Loon recalls hearing a bushman making noise in the forest as she and her sister and friend were in her father's canoe.

StoryTeller Hannah Loon Community Moose Factory
Age/Level preschool Language Moose Cree (l dialect)
Year Recorded 1965 Year Last Edited 2010
Described by Marie-Odile Junker & Doug Ellis
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Teachings
Genre

mêkwâc ê-awâshîshîwiyâpân - Childhood memories

Hannah Loon

Hannah Loon recalls several childhood memories and traumas. For example, while taking care of her older sister's children, she witnessed her friend's mother set herself on fire and had to protect the children against the spreading fire.

StoryTeller Hannah Loon Community Moose Factory
Age/Level preschool Language Moose Cree (l dialect)
Year Recorded 1965 Year Last Edited 2010
Described by Marie-Odile Junker & Doug Ellis
Topics
Teachings Genre

ê-mâshihitocik wîskacânish nêsta mâka wâpikoshish - A fight between a whiskey-jack and a mouse

Hannah Loon

Hannah Loon remembers how a whiskey-jack kept swooping down and carrying the mouse away only to have his prey fight back and fall from his clutches. This happened many times until they had an open fight on the ground and the mouse won.

StoryTeller Hannah Loon Community Moose Factory
Age/Level cycle 2 Language Moose Cree (l dialect)
Year Recorded 1965 Year Last Edited 2010
Described by Doug Ellis
Topics
Teachings
Genre

ayamihitowin - A conversation

Hannah Loon & Ellen McLeod

Ellen McLeod tells Hannah Loon how she left home to catch up to her brothers who were going to the settlement for Christmas. Her father, who didn't want to go, actually met them there.

StoryTeller Hannah Loon & Ellen McLeod Community Moose Factory
Age/Level cycle 2 Language Moose Cree (l dialect)
Year Recorded 1965 Year Last Edited 2010
Described by Marie-Odile Junker & Doug Ellis
Topics
Teachings
Genre

tântê kâ-ohci-wîhcikâtêkopanê cîpayi-sîpiy - How Ghost River got its name

John Wynne

Ghost River got its name from an ambush in which Cree people killed a lot of Iroquois. Divination had allowed them to determine the enemy's position in advance.

StoryTeller John Wynne Community Kashechewan (Fort Albany)
Age/Level preschool Language Kashechewan Cree (mixed n-l dialect)
Year Recorded 1956-58 Year Last Edited 2009
Described by Marie-Odile Junker & Doug Ellis
Topics
Teachings Genre

nîsho ililiwak ê-nakishkawâcik wâpaskwa - Two men meet a polar bear

John Wynne

As two men hunted in their canoe (without their moose-shot rifle), they saw a polar bear passing close to them. They quickly got to shore and ran away but when the faster of the two looked back, the polar bear was running away across the water.

StoryTeller John Wynne Community Kashechewan (Fort Albany)
Age/Level preschool Language Kashechewan Cree (mixed n-l dialect)
Year Recorded 1956-58 Year Last Edited 2009
Described by Marie-Odile Junker & Doug Ellis
Topics
Teachings
Genre

ê-pâshiwâtahk kîwêtinohk - A northern blizzard

John Wynne

Four people were once trapped by a blizzard that buried both them in their tent and their dogs outside. They only managed to dig out their dogs the next day.

StoryTeller John Wynne Community Kashechewan (Fort Albany)
Age/Level preschool Language Kashechewan Cree (mixed n-l dialect)
Year Recorded 1956-58 Year Last Edited 2009
Described by Marie-Odile Junker & Doug Ellis
Topics
Teachings
Genre

atimwak ê-kotaskâtitocik - A dog-team race

John Wynne

The Attawapiskat dogs were thought to be smarter than the Albany dogs but the latter proved to be faster and they won the race.

StoryTeller John Wynne Community Kashechewan (Fort Albany)
Age/Level preschool Language Kashechewan Cree (mixed n-l dialect)
Year Recorded 1956-58 Year Last Edited 2009
Described by Doug Ellis
Topics
Teachings
Genre

ê-'nâtawimôswâniwahk kwêtipawahikani-sîpîhk - Moose-hunting on the Kwetabohigan River

Joel Linklater

Joel Linklater and a companion were hunting moose and as soon as one of their prey waded into the water, they shot at it. They only managed to wound it, however, and they continued to chase it until at last Linklater shot it and it went into the willows to die.

StoryTeller Joel Linklater Community Kashechewan (Fort Albany)
Age/Level preschool Language Kashechewan Cree (mixed n-l dialect)
Year Recorded 1956-57 Year Last Edited 2009
Described by Marie-Odile Junker & Doug Ellis
Topics
Teachings
Genre

ê-âhkwatâhkwacit môs'-wayânihk - Stuck frozen in a moose-hide

Joel Linklater

One winter, a hunter shot a moose and killed him, but night was approaching and he was far from home so he decided to skin the animal to keep from freezing. When morning came, however, he was stuck in the frozen hide and remained there for three days until someone came to thaw him out.

StoryTeller Joel Linklater Community Kashechewan (Fort Albany)
Age/Level preschool Language Kashechewan Cree (mixed n-l dialect)
Year Recorded 1956-57 Year Last Edited 2009
Described by Marie-Odile Junker & Doug Ellis
Topics
Teachings
Genre

ayâkwâmsîtotaw môs! - Beware of the moose!

Joel Linklater

During mating season, two hunting companions decide to play a trick on a nearby moose.

StoryTeller Joel Linklater Community Kashechewan (Fort Albany)
Age/Level preschool Language Kashechewan Cree (mixed n-l dialect)
Year Recorded 1956-57 Year Last Edited 2009
Described by Marie-Odile Junker & Doug Ellis
Topics
Teachings
Genre

ê-wanishininâniwahk nôhcimihk - Lost in the bush

Joel Linklater

Joel Linklater got lost at night in unknown territory and finally decided to spend the night in the muskeg. When his three companions went out looking for him, they too almost got lost but eventually found their home again. When Linklater awoke the next morning, he could see that he'd only been about 2 miles from his tent.

StoryTeller Joel Linklater Community Kashechewan (Fort Albany)
Age/Level preschool Language Kashechewan Cree (mixed n-l dialect)
Year Recorded 1957-57 Year Last Edited 2009
Described by Marie-Odile Junker & Doug Ellis
Topics
Teachings
Genre

ê-kî-kîwê-miskahk kâ-kî-wanitâspan opâskisikan - Retrieval of a lost rifle

Joel Linklater

While trapping beaver with a young companion on the Pagashi river, Joel Linklater's gun fell into the water. He fashioned a hook out of a stick but couldn't grab it, so he stripped down and swam for it. He finally found it about six feet below the surface.

StoryTeller Joel Linklater Community Kashechewan (Fort Albany)
Age/Level preschool Language Kashechewan Cree (mixed n-l dialect)
Year Recorded 1956-57 Year Last Edited 2009
Described by Doug Ellis
Topics
Teachings
Genre