Gesgapegiag Represented at the North American Indigenous Games Wendy Dawson Even Have an Outdoor Court

Inside this week Rivière-au-Renard, Shigawake musical Cruiseship: Medical evacuation festival lineup takes place near Chandler Contract 400119680 VOLUME 43 / NO 31 / AUGUST 9, 2017 $1.50 (Tax included) Gesgapegiag represented at the North American Indigenous Games Wendy Dawson even have an outdoor court. Their opportunities for practice GESGAPEGIAG: - The North are pretty limited.” American Indigenous Games Athletic performance aside, were a long time in the making Jeremy Speller feels as if the and took over 25 years to de- whole experience for the ath- velop. letes is much larger than the In 1975 in Reno Nevada, games themselves. Willie Littlechild, a Cree from “It has been so amazing. Hobbema, Alberta, presented You know, starting with the the idea for the games to a opening ceremonies – there are group gathered from the Na- over 5,000 youth athletes here. tional Indian Athletic Associa- Seeing all of these different In- tion. Two years later in digenous people from all over Sweden at the Annual Assem- Canada and the U.S. has been bly of the World Council of In- very empowering. The youth digenous Peoples, Mr. are full of energy. It’s just elec- Littlechild put forward the mo- tric. It is really cool to see the tion to host international In- youth competing against each digenous Games. It was passed other, but still having the need in unanimity. to interact with each other after It was finally in 1990 that the games – seeing friendships the dream for the North Amer- develop. They are trading pins. ican Indigenous Games be- Photo: facebook They are trading their gear and Eastern Door and Northern 19U basketball team at the NAIG 2017. came a reality. Charles Wood, their jerseys. I think that these who was chairperson of the or- on...,” he said. Jeremy Speller, whose offi- the 16U team and his father youth having a large stage like ganization that year, explained The first North American cial capacity was as assistant Craig Barr – they have been this is just awesome,” he ex- the first steps leading to the Indigenous Games were held in coach of the 19U basketball supporting all the players, get- plains. games during an interview with Edmonton, Alberta, and saw team, also acted as the chaper- ting them to the tournaments Sebastian Caplin one of the CBC at the time. 3,000 athletes participate in 15 one of the four participants (Se- and practices – just to get them athletes on the 16U team was “The vision of the NAIG, different sports. Since that time, bastian Caplin, Blair Gedeon, ready for these games. Andrew clearly impressed, “It has from the very beginning, along the games have been hosted Ted Jerome and Keishawn Martin too, he was really in- changed me to see how many with my brothers, Willie Lit- every three years and the host Bradstreet) during their time at volved in the fundraising.” Natives are out there that are tlechild of Ermineskin First cities have been in either the games. The 16U team which in- playing sports.” Ted Jerome Nation at Hobbema, and Big Canada or the United States. A graduate of St. Thomas cluded Ted Jerome, Sebastien concurred, “It was a fun expe- John Fletcher of Peigan in The most successful games to University in political science Caplin and Blair Gedeon made rience meeting new people Southern Alberta, was one of date were held in 2006 in Den- and native studies, he will be it all the way to the semi-final, from around the world.” our interest and concern about ver, Colorado, with over 10,000 returning to school this fall to where they lost by 5 points to When asked about the im- what was happening among the participants. complete his masters in Indige- British Columbia. They still portance of sport with Indige- young people in all of our com- This year the North Ameri- nous governance at the Univer- had the chance to bring home nous youth, Jeremy Speller munities... We took it upon our- can Indigenous Games were in sity of Victoria. some hardware at the bronze feels it is one of their greatest selves to try and find something Toronto. From July 16 to 23, “The opportunity for these medal game, however, lost by opportunities but he feels like constructive for the young peo- over 5,000 athletes participated youth really comes from Tyler one point to Minnesota. more can and should be done. ple to look forward to. What it in 15 different sports. Among Vaughn from Listiguj, the head The 19U team, which in- “I think that more funding was eventually was that we those participants, four young coach for the 19U team. He cluded Keishawn Bradstreet could be put into facilities that would put together a plan for a men from Gesgapegiag partici- was the driving force behind had one win out of four games support sport. I understand that Games through which the pated in both the 16U basket- the participation of the local played, however, as Jeremy hockey is an amazing sport, but young Aboriginal people could ball team and the 19U team of players having coordinated Speller explains, it still remains it’s not accessible to everyone. come together to excel in their the Eastern Door and the North, practices and participation in exceptional considering the Ice rental and equipment, travel athletic field of endeavour and the official team representing tournaments in the two years small population base upon can go into the thousands. to come together to do other Quebec, among other Eastern leading up to the games. We which the Eastern Door and the These communities need to things: to make new friend- and Northern locations, at the put our teams together last year. North draws its teams. “The ships, to renew old ones, and so games. Tyler, Matt Barr, head coach of kids from Gesgapegiag don’t Cont'd on page 7 END OF AN ERA: Auberge Le Coin du Banc sold after 42 years Cynthia Dow many local people she em- jold, Suzanne Guité and Al- ployed over the years. berto Tommi. People were at- COIN DU BANC: -“People The Auberge attracted vis- tracted by the eclectic décor tell me they feel like or- itors from all over the world, and the special atmosphere. phans,” Joanne Rehel told many who returned time and Syd liked a riot of colours, SPEC. The former waitress time again to enjoy good food, and the inn reflected that,” from the Auberge Le Coin du and the crash and boom of Joanne said. Banc said long-time cus- waves on the nearby beach. She noted that sometimes tomers of the unique historic Winnifred Lemarquand, Syd would get a scolding inn at Corner of the Beach who also worked for many from Lise about being too seek her out at her new loca- years for the innkeepers, told generous. “He always put out tion almost every day. She SPEC that, “It was like work- a huge bowl of fruit and now works at the Restaurant ing at your own home. The things to eat, to help those Suisse, opposite Point St people were so nice. Lise was Photo: G. Gagné who couldn’t pay much.” He Peter. the heart and soul of the inn.” also would go house to house Auberge Coin-du-Banc looked like this in October 2012. Run by Sydney Maloney The former waitress is now asking if he could pick wild- and Lise de Guire, the working at the Au Bons Sec- handiwork. Joanne, “That’s why there was flowers on other people’s Auberge evolved from an old ours store in downtown Percé. It was Syd, a rather eccen- never a dress code or rules. property as he loved to use Mabe house bought in 1973 The main part of the house tric carpenter, who added cab- They wanted people to feel them to decorate the tables. after Syd’s family-run inn on was probably built in the mid- ins and several additions to comfortable.” “He had a lot of creative Bonaventure Island was ex- 1800s by Edward Mabe, a the house to expand his busi- Visitors did feel comfort- ideas.” propriated for the creation of member of a merchant family ness. There were even bed- able, including the famous “What I liked most about the park and gannet refuge. which ran a lobster cannery rooms in the barn! Joanne and wealthy. Joanne noted working at the Auberge was They opened it on June 26, on the site, and had a ship- noted that although he had lit- that Prime Minister Pierre El- that it was a rendez-vous for 1974; the beginning of a very building business and store. tle formal schooling, he could liott Trudeau was a frequent all kinds of people. The diver- special adventure. These mariners sailed regu- draw construction plans as visitor in the 1970s, bringing sity of guests was amazing. The famous innkeepers larly to the Caribbean to trade well as any architect. with him his young family in- From lawyers to artists to con- first met in 1969 when Lise de salt fish for sugar, molasses Forever designing things cluding current Prime Minis- struction workers, everyone Guire, a nurse from Montreal, and other staples. Many of the in a very unique and quirky ter Justin Trudeau. Despite came,” Joanne said. visited Syd’s family’s inn on artifacts which festooned the manner, Syd had two goats being a very avid federalist, She added, “We knew last the Island. She told friends floors, walls and ceilings of who shared a pasture opposite Syd was pleased to play host autumn that the Auberge she had never met anyone the dining room and lobby of the inn.

Load more