wêhci-kî-shîwâkamihk wînipêk - Why the water in James Bay is salt

John Carpenter

James Bay is salty because, when the wolverine wanted to attend Weesahkwechahk's feast, a skunk repelled him with its spray and the wolverine had to wash it off in the bay.

StoryTeller John Carpenter 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

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
Topics
Teachings Genre

wacask wêhci-ishinâkwanilik osôw - How the muskrat got his long, tapered tail

Gilbert Faries

Long ago, the muskrat's tail was big and flat and he disliked it very much. He went around the creek singing about his tail until it was cut off on both sides like it is today.

StoryTeller Gilbert 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
Topics
Teachings Genre

acicamôs wêhci-mihkwacâpit - Why the squirrel has red eyes

Gilbert Faries

The squirrel has red eyes because, when he nominated himself as leader of the forest, the other animals ridiculed him. He cried and rubbed his eyes to the point where they became red forevermore.

StoryTeller Gilbert Faries Community Moose Factory
Age/Level preschool Language Moose Cree (l dialect)
Year Recorded 1958 Year Last Edited 2009
Described by Marie-Odile Junker & Doug Ellis
Topics
Teachings Genre

mwâkwa wêhc'-îshinâkwaniliki osita - Why the loon's feet are near the tail

Gilbert Faries

It is said that the loon's feet are near its tail because, during a feast, the loon tried to seduce Shingibish's wife. Angered, Shingibish kicked the loon as he tried to run away and crippled his feet to that position near its tail.

StoryTeller Gilbert Faries Community Moose Factory
Age/Level preschool Language Moose Cree (l dialect)
Year Recorded 1958 Year Last Edited 2009
Described by Marie-Odile Junker & Doug Ellis
Topics
Teachings Genre

maskwa wêhci-tahkwâliwêt - Why the bear has a short tail

Gilbert Faries

The bear has a short tail now because of his greed. Long ago, a fox told the bear that if he dipped his tail in a hole in the ice, fish would come and nibble it and when he jerked up the fish would come out. The bear, however, didn't jerk up when one fish bit his tail, he wanted many more but he waited until his tail was frozen in the ice and when he jerked up, his tail tore off.

StoryTeller Gilbert 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
Topics
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
Topics
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

ê-oshihâkaniwit môso-wayân - Tanning moose-hide

Sophie Gunner

Sophie Gunner describes the many long steps in the process of tanning moose-hide. She also points out the different steps taken by men and women.

StoryTeller Sophie Gunner Community Moose Factory
Age/Level cycle 2 Language Moose Cree (l dialect)
Year Recorded 1964 Year Last Edited 2010
Described by Marie-Odile Junker & Doug Ellis
Topics
Teachings
Genre

ê-oshihâkaniwit wâposh'-wayân - Making rabbit-skin blankets

Sophie Gunner

Sophie Gunner describes the process of making rabbit-skin blankets and the challenge in making large ones. She also talks about other clothes made of rabbit-skin.

StoryTeller Sophie Gunner Community Moose Factory
Age/Level cycle 2 Language Moose Cree (l dialect)
Year Recorded 1964 Year Last Edited 2010
Described by Marie-Odile Junker & Doug Ellis
Topics
Teachings Genre

ê-oshihtâniwahk ashkimaniyâpiy - Making babiche for snow-shoes

Sophie Gunner

Sophie Gunner recalls how she eventually took an interest in netting snow shoes and how her mother taught her all she knew.

StoryTeller Sophie Gunner 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

ahtikamêk owâhkona ê-kîsisomihci - A favourite dish from whitefish roe

Sophie Gunner

Sophie Gunner describes the making of a great whitefish roe dish.

StoryTeller Sophie Gunner 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

wîsahkwêcâhk nêsta mâka pilêsiwak, nêsta wêhci-omikîwicik mistikwak - Weesahkwechahk and the birds, and why the trees have scabs

Sophie Gunner

Weesakechahk enticed all the birds into a trap by tempting them with his singing and building them a lodge in which to listen to him. Only the loon escaped the line but Weesakechahk chased him and flattened his back with a kick until he was dead too. Then he decided to cook them all in the hot sand, and before he fell asleep, he instructed his rear end to make a sound if anyone came. The next morning, however, all the birds had been taken, only the feet remained. In his anger, Weesakechahk put a rock in the fire until it was white-hot and then sat on it. As he walked around after though, the scabs on his rear got itchy and he peeled them off and plastered them on the trees as he walked by them. That is why trees have scabs, they say.

StoryTeller Sophie Gunner Community Moose Factory
Age/Level cycle 2 Language Moose Cree (l dialect)
Year Recorded 1964 Year Last Edited 2010
Described by Marie-Odile Junker & Doug Ellis
Topics
Teachings Genre

cahkâpêsh nêsta mâka mistâpêskwêwak - Chahkabesh and the giant women

Sophie Gunner

Chahkabesh makes giant girls laugh by sticking out his genitals until their mother spots him and puts him in a boiling pot of beaver. He eats the beaver and escapes.

StoryTeller Sophie Gunner Community Moose Factory
Age/Level cycle 2 Language Moose Cree (l dialect)
Year Recorded 1964 Year Last Edited 2010
Described by Doug Ellis
Topics
Teachings Genre

askiy kâ-âpacihtâniwahk ê-tahkopitâwasonâniwahk - The preparation of moss for babies' diapers

Sophie Gunner

Sophie Gunner describes the fetching of moss for babies' diapers and comments on parents who use cloth exclusively.

StoryTeller Sophie Gunner Community Moose Factory
Age/Level cycle 2 Language Moose Cree (l dialect)
Year Recorded 1964 Year Last Edited 2009
Described by Marie-Odile Junker & 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

miscâkalâsh kâ-kî-nipikopanê, êko mâka kâ-kî-wasnishkâkopanê - Mischagalash who is supposed to have died and then to have risen

Hannah Loon

It is said that Mischagalash died in a wrestling fight but came back to life and his mother was happy because he was such a good hunter.

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