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350TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION July 16-22, 2018 Help us celebrate Waskaganish in all its beauty and wonder! Information Guide 350th Team & Sponsors 350th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION PLANNING COMMITTEE Charles J. Hester, Director of Culture, Sports and Leisure Darryl S. Hester, 350th Anniversary Coordinator Stacy Bear, Cultural Department - Member Ryan Erless, Director of Community Services - Member Hugo Cowboy, Recreation Department - Member Jimmy (Tim) Whiskeychan, Tourism Coordinator - Member Conrad Blueboy, Youth Chief - Member William T. Hester, Elders Council - Member Simeon Trapper, Elders Council - Member Ruth Salt, Elders Council - Member Roy Weistche, Community Planner - Member A. Thomas Hester, Communications Officer - Member Walter Hester Jr., Local Radio - Member Darryl J. Salt, Cree Trappers Association - Member Bradley Wyman, Northern Store Manager - Member CONTACT INFORMATION P.O. Box 60 70 Waskaganish Rd. Waskaganish, QC J0M1R0 Tel.: (819)895-8650 ext.3235 Cell: (819)316-0396 Fax: (819)895-8901 E-Mail: [email protected] The Summer 350th Anniversary Celebration is made possible by funding from Cree Nation of Waskaganish, Cree Nation Government, Waskaganish Albert Diamond Golf Classic, Government of Canada, Niskamoon Corporation & Northwest Company Table Of Contents Welcome: Message from Chief Darlene Cheechoo .................................................... 4 Message from 350th Anniversary Celebration Committee ......................... 4 Waskaganish: A small town with a big history .................................................................... 5 - 6 Pictures from HBC Archives ......................................................................... 7 Information: Map of Waskaganish ..................................................................................... 8 - 9 350TH ANNIVERSARY SPRING CELEBRATION Rupert River Sports Complex Floor Plan ......................................................... 10 Gathering Place Gymnasium Floor Plan ......................................................... 11 Art Symposium/Tradshow - Workshops ........................................................ 12 Artist/Artisan Booth Seating........................................................................... 13 Traditional Activities/Games Schedule .......................................................... 14 Other Special Events ...................................................................................... 15 Music & Dance ............................................................................................ 15 Welcome MESSAGE: to the land and waters within our territory and to the activities which are so integral to our From Chief Darlene Cheechoo culture and identity. We are grateful for all of On behalf of the Council of the Cree Nation our elders who are eager to share the wealth of of Waskaganish, the Elder’s Council and the their knowledge and life experience. Youth Council, I would like to welcome you to Waskaganish as we commemorate our 350th Come and enjoy the family activities, games, year. The third event of this year’s festivities workshops and demonstrations that are usu- takes place on July 16-22, 2018. ally done during the summer. In addition to the activities, join us at the entertainment We would like to share with you, through tra- venue where the following musicians will be ditional activities, games and demonstrations, performing: Blue Rodeo, Kashtin, Kashkun, some of the skills and knowledge that have Melisa Pash and many other performers. enabled us to survive and thrive through the ages and up to modern day. During the com- Looking forward to seeing you in Waskagan- memoration events, you shall meet some of ish for the summer event and festivities! our highly regarded traditional artisans from God Bless You All! Waskaganish and the Cree territory. Chief Darlene Cheechoo Deputy Chief Samson Wischee We proudly maintain our strong connection William T. Hester, Elder Chairman Youth Chief Conrad Blueboy MESSAGE: From 350th Anniversary Celebration Committee Waachiyehkw misiwe! Greetings to all! The Included in this publication is all the infor- Waskaganish 350th Anniversary celebrations mation you will need to enjoy the Summer organizing committee welcomes you to our Edition of the 350th Anniversary Celebrations community! Since time immemorial the site which run from July 16-22. We encourage you on which Waskaganish is built was known as to visit the display booths of our many talent- “Kaneyaauhkaatshiid”. It served as a summer ed Eeyou/Eenou artists/craftsmen. One of our gathering place for our people. In 1668, the es- objectives is to showcase the many Cree crafts, tablishment of the first trading post in James traditional tools, techniques and skills used by Bay not only changed Kaneyaauhkaatshiid our people since time immemorial. These art- into a permanent settlement but is also gave ists/craftsmen will also conduct workshops for birth to its name. Waskaganish which means those interested in learning how to make Cree “little house” in the Cree language and is in traditional tools and garments. reference the little house built to serve as the first trading post. We thank those that have traveled near or far to join us. Like our ancestors in the days of old, we welcome again you to Kaneyaauhkaat- shiid! Together we will feast, play games, sing and dance as we celebrate the 350th anniver- sary of Waskaganish! Thanks again! Enjoy Waskaganish in all its beauty and wonder! 4 History 1668 WASKAGANISH: A SMALL TOWN WITH A BIG HISTORY Many towns and cities are In more detail, our tradition- proud of their history, and al territory is the location of rightly so. However, our small camps of about 4,400 years Cree community on the shore old belonging to hunters with of James Bay is a town that has cultural tradition that appears made history for not only its to be similar to ancient Mar- people, but for all First Nations itime Archaic sites of New- as well as for Canada itself. It foundland and Labrador. Re- is with pride that we celebrate search may yet demonstrate our 350th anniversary. In 1668 the relationship between these it was the birthplace and then ancient populations and our in 1670, the first trading settle- people. Later, about 1,600 ment of the famous Hudson’s years ago, waves of Peoples Bay Company. It was the first A replica of the Nonsuch, it was with clearer possible ties to ‘capital’ and governor’s resi- built by Messrs. J. Hinks & Sons ourselves swept over our ter- dence for the huge colony of of Appledore, Devon. Today, the ritory. Rupert’s Land; a colony that replica Nonsuch has a perma- nent home in Winnipeg at the included most of Canada and Our ancestors were a part Manitoba Museum. parts of the United States. The of a continent-wide trading townsite, or a nearby location, network that existed for thou- was the 1610-11 wintering site of the ill-fated sands of years before the arrival of Europeans, Henry Hudson expedition looking for the fa- and for this reason Cree hunters, in the year bled Northwest Passage and an island in our 1610, traded with the explorer Henry Hudson archipelago was the 1632-33 wintering site of before his crew put him overboard and sailed the Thomas James Northwest Passage expedi- back to England. Again, we welcomed the tion and thus the site of. Charles Town, one of English in 1668 when they arrived here to see the earliest towns in the Canadian North after if they could tie themselves into our trading the Viking settlement and the ancient fishing network as a source of exotic European goods communities in Newfoundland and Labrador. we could trade with our neighbors. It was this 1668 arrival of these English, on the ship, Our community is part of a traditional territo- Nonsuch, with their desire to find a way to tie ry and we think of town and the land together. into our ancient commercial trading network Their histories are intertwined even though without having to deal with France’s control of the land has been occupied for at least 4,400 the Saint Lawrence River that we mark as the years and our ‘town’ was begun only 350 years beginning of our permanent “town”. Because ago. Interestingly, the idea of a town has been these English were judged to be creating a re- shown to be consistent with traditional pat- terns of Cree land use; namely concepts sur- rounding “resource areas”. 5 History 1668 source area for exotic goods was attacked by France and to feed into our network, our its New France colonists. ancestors were quite welcom- The New France hero, Iber- ing and ready to help keep ville, put a quick end to the them fed and safe until several attack by dropping a grenade hundred hunters could come down the chimney, thanks to the next spring to fill their a ladder left in place for quick ship with quality furs. Our access to the roof in case of welcoming of those traders chimney fire. in 1668, and our readiness to provide for and partner with Though we continued to use them in the fur business gave the location as needed, the birth to the famous Hudson’s HBC abandoned our town- Bay Company and the pro- site for 90 years after this claiming of Rupert’s Land in attack during a period when Rupert House, 1968 1670. THE HUDSON’S BAY England and France were not COMPANY WAS BORN at war. In 1775 they returned HERE AND THEIR SETTLEMENT HERE and built two small wall tents of log and can- BECAME NOT ONLY THE FIRST HBC vas, possibly giving rise to our present name of POST IN THE WORLD, BUT IT ALSO BE- “Little House” or Waskaganish.