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How To Skin A Caribou In 20 Seconds

Hunting is a way of life where I live, in Canada's Far North. It is necessary for survival. I hunt woodland caribou because it's good meat and large enough to feed my family. Some families will devour one caribou in a few days - or even quicker. With so much food insecurity in the North,…

A Song For Hope: I Need Angels

It was three years ago. I had just gotten back from my month-long annual spring hunt out on the land, during which time I had no contact with the outside world. Upon returning, the first news I heard was that there had been a stream of suicide attempts in my community of Attawapiskat – an…

Third Album A True Test

Earlier this year we put out Midnight Shine's third album, High Road, and it's the first time in my music career I set out to purposely write an entire album. Since there are no recording studios in my home community of Attawapiskat, I've had to create my own. It's situated in my front porch, and…

Survival: On The Land, And In Music

I’m in my cabin washing dishes while the boys get sucked back into their electronics, and feeling far away and disconnected from the music industry. Taking time to teach my sons the Cree traditions, building survival skills, and developing resilience into their very core is important to me. Someday they will walk in my footsteps,…

Dream Come True: Opening For Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

Earlier this year, our booking agent called us with the most exciting news of our music career to date: he secured us a spot at RBC Ottawa Bluesfest. We were booked to play closing night, on the Main Stage, opening for Peter Wolf, and Tom Petty! Every upcoming artist would have done just about anything…

The Good Ol’ Hockey Game

For as long as I can remember, hockey has been a passion of mine. As a boy in Attawapiskat, I started playing hockey in net on the outdoor rink - I wasn’t a good player and my skating was choppy, so I got thrown in net. The school would collect donated gear from the south…

Connecting With Youth Through Music

This week was a very busy time for me, trying to juggle work demands while assisting ArtsCan Circle during their visit to Attawapiskat. I heard about ArtsCan last winter and the good work they did in Fort Albany. They had fiddlers, record producers, photographers, and other artists working with youth, and it was really moving to see…

Spring Goose Hunt

The spring goose hunt this year was not a very fruitful one. Elders say it's because of the limited amount of snow, which makes for poor spring hunting - in James Bay, anyway. Weather has been wonky too. Most of this winter was mild and I don't recall one snowstorm at all. I guess you can't…

Winter In James Bay

Winter is here. I always welcome winter because it's my favourite season. Winter means exploring the vast James Bay and Hudson Bay landscape, which is an amazing experience full of special moments. Life is both slow and tough for us up here, and I like it that way because it gives us time to take in…

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