Dear Wanapitei: Letters From Our Community By JJ (Jennifer Jupp) and Woody (Eoin Wood) Directors HEN WE THINK of it, we try to keep letters and emails that come to us espousing the W kinds of things that make us want to get up every day and go to work for Camp Wanapitei. The testimonials that follow (with names changed for anonymity) are a compilation of our favorites. We imagine that these words will ring true for many campers and parents. All the best to you and yours in 2013, JJ & Woody Jake had a wonderful trip! He has grown, in every sense of the word, so much since he le" for camp. I can't begin to te$ you how deeply moved hard work and ski$. You have given him an Mother of VI Camper, 2012 and appreciative we are with the quality of invaluable gi". our son’s experience. The boy returned A few minutes ago in the car, he declared I just wanted to let you know that my kids transformed, positively glowing! Each of you himself to be bored. "Were you bored at had a blast at camp. They could not say independently commended him to me for his ...continued on page 29 enough great things about it. Thanks for taking such great care of them. Mother of Junior Girl and Boy Campers, 2010 Join Us for Family Camp! We welcome you to our second annual Wanapitei Family Camp program in August. The experience for Matthew was See the back page for details. extraordinary… Community Banquet is July 27th, 2013. Father of VII Camper, 2012 Harvest Night is August 24th, 2013. Please plan to join us. T H E P A D D L E R ● W I N T E R 2 0 1 3!!!!!! !!! P A G E 2 Trent Temagami Colloquium: Celebrating 40 Years of Tradition By Catherine Monahan Trent University Student and Coloquium Organizer ORTY YEARS AGO, three dedicated professors with a love for the outdoors F embarked on a journey that still continues today. Trent University and Camp Wanapitei joined for the first time, bringing together scholars and adventurers, and those who, undoubtedly, are a bit of both. This year, the Trent Temagami Colloquium celebrated its 40th Anniversary. Over 100 participants of all ages and The participants of the 40th Anniversary Trent Temagami Co$oquium in 'ont of the Dining Ha$ in professions joined together at Camp September 2012. Wanapitei in September to explore the land, share ideas, and learn more about serves as the perfect place to bring find the perfect place to showcase the the Canadian identity. A place steeped together those interested in Canadian, true Canadian experience. Camp in the traditions of First Nations groups Indigenous, and Environmental studies. Wanapitei, at the time under the and time-honored camp customs, and As an interdisciplinary and inclusionary direction of Prof. Bruce Hodgins, the staging place of several instrumental event, the Trent Temagami Colloquium offered beautiful vistas, hearty food, and environmental conflicts, Temagami is an opportunity for anyone and tales of generations past. The following everyone to engage with each other and September, thirty five students and a the land. small team of faculty were headed down The trip had its unlikely beginnings in Red Squirrel Road in a big yellow school the halls of Trent University in bus, just as we do today. Peterborough, Ontario. A new addition Over the years, hundreds of to the Trent faculty, Canadian Studies participants have made the journey. The Professor John Wadland was looking for trip is a favourite of many Trent Volume 16, Number 1 Winter 2013 a way to get to know his students, and students, alumni, and faculty, as well as to connect them to the land they many of the Wanapitei community. The EDITOR ..................................... JENNIFER JUPP sought to learn about. His newly Colloquium has become a magical DESIGN & LAYOUT ......... ERIN SUNSTRUM introduced course – entitled ‘Canada: weekend of opportunity to connect to The Paddler is published by the Land’ -- brought a fresh attitude to the land, each other, and our shared Camp Wanapitei Co-Ed Camps Ltd. a canoeing and outdoor leadership centre the field; don’t just read about Canada, histories. All ages come together to based in Temagami, Ontario. live it. He endeavored to take learning canoe, hike, square dance, and carry on Off-season address: out of the classroom and onto the land, academic discussions. Now organized Camp Wanapitei encouraging fellow faculty and students by Prof. Stephen Hill, the trip is an 5 Wyndham Street North #303 Guelph, ON N1H 4E2 to open their eyes to a different way of opportunity for those interested in understanding what it means to be Canada, wilderness, nature, Aboriginal PHONE: (519) 767-9714 OR (888) 637-5557 SUMMER PHONE: (705) 237-8830 Canadian. In the summer of 1972, history and everything in between to E-MAIL: [email protected] Professors John Wadland, Bob Page, INTERNET: www.wanapitei.net and Bruce Hodgins journeyed North to ... continued on next page P A G E 3 T H E P A D D L E R ● W I N T E R 2 0 1 3 ...Trent continued Weekend 'om previous page come together and celebrate interdisciplinary learning. As such, participants include those from the Trent, Carleton, Wanapitei, and Bear Island communities; and even, in recent years, international groups interested in similar topics. All are warmly invited to attend this yearly event. You don’t need to be a Trent student, alumni, or faculty, or Wanapitei staff – a friendly disposition and an interest in Canadian studies and history are all that is needed! Please see www.trenttemagami.ca for more information and next year’s dates. We hope to see you next September! Music is always a highlight at the Co$oquium. Bruce Hodgins’ Reflections On The Year Wasn’t the weather grand! From Juniors to Voyageurs the canoe trips By Bruce W. Hodgins were spectacular. On site, Wanapitei Wanapitei President and Honorary had more great hikes and more high Director quality canoe instruction, great campfires and wonderful square dances. HE SUMMER of 2012 was a What a dedicated, mature staff. very wonderful and exciting Co-Director Jennifer Jupp introduced time for Wanapitei and for a fantastic Family Camp. Several of the Carol and me. We were parents had Wanapitei roots as Tpresent in Camp most of the time; we campers or staff themselves. Tiny kids co-led a wonderful three day canoe trip now, but watch for them as future to Diamond Lake and back, a three campers ever so soon. generational trip with a group of Carol’s Carol and I were so glad to see American Creelman relatives. Two of dinghy sailing back to Wanapitei with Bruce on the bridge in August of 2012. the kids want to come back to two great new (to us) boats capable of Wanapitei in 2013 as campers. We had use for extensive learning and Lake (three days, two nights on the same also hiked with the group up past Eddy Temagami cruising. Away back, we site). A third staff took gear, tents, and Lake, and hiked the round trip to Red often had at least two sailing trips Squirrel Falls. What fun! ... continued on page 27 T H E P A D D L E R ● W I N T E R 2 0 1 3!!!!!! !!! P A G E 4 sunblock, tent setup and getting ready Day 1 for rain. Speaking of rain, we almost Distance travelled: 8 km kind of had some! Well, we got ready for Hours on the water: 4 Endless Energy some. Thomas and Kyle led games of Weather: Thunderstorms, rain showers, Mafia while the leaders prepared high winds, sunny breaks scrumptious mac and cheese. With the QOTD: “Woah! This… is Bob Island!” with the Juniors sun setting and swimming out of the -Russell, on face-shaped rocks named picture (everyone spent at least half an Robert and the profusion thereof. hour in the drink that day, enjoying the Today we defied the thunder gods refreshing water) we ate uncooked (fire themselves to forge a bold path into the and Temagamis ban, darn it) s’mores while Verity gave unknown! Our departure from camp us an acrobatics demonstration and was delayed by inclement weather Dante wowed us with his karate skills JUNIORS (Thunderstorm #1), but we piled into our four canoes and set off down Lake Temagami undeterred. DATES: July 17 – July 19 2012 Stopping for lunch at the Flat LEADERS: Levi Bruce, Carling Rock campsite, we were DalBianco, Dumaresq de entertained during our repast of Pencier, Alicia Hodgins bagels and creamy, creamy cream PARTICIPANTS: Kyle Carr, Verity cheese by Ethan and Carrie, Thomas Carrie, Dante Ross’ (thankfully hands-off) Fenos, Mathieu Forester, Ethan forensic efforts to reconstruct the Hartman, Xander Linzel, Patrick very dead seagull we discovered a Richardson, Russell Roberge, small animal had left strewn about Hayley Taylor, Anna Wood. the campsite. Our stomachs full, but the seagull’s demise still a Day 1 mystery, we continued on our way, Distance travelled: 3 km dodging sudden and unpredictable Hours on the water: 1 weather (Thunderstorms #2 and 3, Weather: Sunny with light winds both fortunately quite small). QOTD: “If you were in a canoe Forging on against impossible odds that was on fire and there were (Hayley demonstrated some truly sharks swimming around you heroic bladder-holding capacity), would you jump in or stay in the Juniors beat the heat on the slip’n slide during evening program. we reached Devil’s Point early in boat?” -Hayley, on canoe and the afternoon.