The gravel road leading into the village of Mattagami First Nation weaved through the northern Ontario bush like a garter snake. The year was 1960 and our family was on its way to our new home in Mattagami. My dad had accepted a position to teach in the community’s one-room schoolhouse—28 students from Grades 1 to 6.
If you were to visit Mattagami today, you would find a modern village in every sense of the word. The community that I remember, however, was quite different from the Mattagami of 2021. Electricity and telephones had not yet arrived, so kerosene lanterns and battery-powered radios were staples in most homes. In addition, for parts of the year, snow-covered, impassable roads isolated the community from the outside world.
As we drove through the sleepy village for the first time on that mild afternoon in September, the only ones who seemed to note our passage were a few sled dogs who rose to their feet as we drove by, and a couple of old men sitting on the front steps of their houses, who squinted curiously at our passing.
Little did I realize that behind the doors of the houses we passed that afternoon, were a number of people who would dramatically impact my life during the next four years. Still to this day, the impressions left by several of the village’s old-timers remain. Their indelible presence and fascinating stories conjured within me a past that brimmed with wonder and mystery, such as the Iroquois Wars, Wendigo, the giant snake, the shaking tent ceremony— events and larger-than-life characters that were shrouded in the mists of time.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der December/January 2022-Ausgabe von Our Canada.
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Diese Geschichte stammt aus der December/January 2022-Ausgabe von Our Canada.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
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Day & Night
Clive Branson of Ottawa explains the fascinating psychological effect of seeing the same scene in daylight and then at night
BACK-ROAD ADVENTURES
Capturing the history and beauty of Quebec’s Eastern Townships in winter
A Very Merry Christmas
Waiting for the turkey to roast has never been so much fun!
BEAUTIFUL BERMUDA
This lovely island nation boasts friendly locals and incredible views
Room with a View
This window on the natural world brings a sense of peace and joy
Sled dog Salvation
Tracing the incredible journey of a musher from Edmonton who fled her abusive spouse with her dog team and made it all the way into Ripley’s Believe It or Not
Christmas on Display!
Unpacking and showcasing the family collection of Santas, snowfolk and village scenes is an annual labour of love
SOLITARY PURSUITS
Enjoying brisk winter days in the great outdoors
WILLIAM POPE: An Artist for the Ages
A tribute to Norfolk County’s Naturalist
The Intrepid OJIBWAY
The story of a man, and a community, who fostered a sense of pride and dignity for those to come