Day 12 (Sunday, August 28th, 2011):
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| Jules taking soil samples & recording |
Well, Jules went back to Ottawa, this morning. Jules packed up his tent & all his things last night & I offered to let him sleep in the cab of my truck (extended back cab) so he didn’t have to pack his stuff in the wee hours of the morning. Well, Jules is a funny guy! I didn’t know he literally packed everything, including his sleeping bag. As a result, he froze his butt all night & only used the thin wool blanket in my truck. Maybe, he was saying all night, “we sure aren’t in Kansas anymore Todo (from the movie, Wizard of Oz)” (lol)…well, he sure wasn’t in warm Ottawa anymore (hee, hee).
The great thing is we had a great laugh the last night Jules was with us. After we said all our good-byes around the fire, Jules said good night & went off to dream land, so we thought!
On his way back from the bathroom, he was walking in the dark & tripped over the tent ties of my tented outhouse. We all heard a big “THUNK” & called out into the darkness, asking “who’s out there”. Jules came out disoriented from the darkness & told us he just tripped. We did as all “Aboriginals” do when someone trips up….WE LAUGHED…& LAUGHED…then we ask after, if he was okay (lol). Welcome to “Aboriginal Humor” Jules (lol)! We thank you for the great laughs…you will be missed!
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| Seismic Cutlines right through traditional lands...when I I was walking through here, I was wondering how many animal's homes & what sacred plants were destroyed... "let's keep justifying our actions" |
It was another day off because most went to the Cold Lake First Nations Rodeo, while Graham took Jules to the Edmonton Airport. According to Graham’s project questionnaire, rodeo is part of a cultural activity (interesting); therefore some of the participants went & took in the festivities again. As for Angelle, Gerald, & I we stayed back at camp & did the little odds & ends. Our usual visitor, Dennis didn’t visit for morning coffee, it was pretty quiet. Therefore, Angelle & I went to Sandy Beach, tried to ignore the garbage all over, and tried to enjoy our afternoon lounging in the sun, telling stories, & relaxing. I sure do love this lake, I can’t say enough of how much it’s my favorite but what gets me STILL is the filth. It confuses me…okay, here is a few members of Cold Lake First Nations who are wanting the right to maintain the use of their traditional territories (meaning the Peace Camp that made the news recently just North of Sandy Beach) & the Alberta Province has plans to develop this area as a public recreational camping area & they can’t even maintain or ensure that Sandy Beach or Hilda Lake recreational areas are clean and/or respected. I don’t get it!
What I mean is, Angelle & I went to visit the Peace Campers, the other day, to say “hello” & there is a sign to all CLFNS members, that they need permission to enter the area yet all the non-aboriginal people keep entering to launch their boats. This is frustrating, the more I am on this project, the more I understand how & why our people (Aboriginal) are angry…more & more, each day, we are being forced out of our traditional lands in the name of “development” and/or “progress”…what a FAÇADE! |
| "OUR" Mother ~ Earth at her finest! |
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