Gilbert and Gitchee Cheechoo / Cree from Moosonee, Ontario
Gilbert Cheechoo, and his son Gitchee (Gilbert Jr.) are Cree Indians from the southern tip of James Bay in Ontario, Canada. They live in the village of Moosonee, Ontario that is only accessible by riding a train for six hours north of Cochrane, Ontario. We arrived in Moosonee on a train crowded with families. It is Thanksgiving Day in Canada. The town is small but Gilbert explains that it was once a major outpost for the Hudson Bay Company. Moose Factory, which is across the bay, is a small island village. We visit it in by taking a water taxi across the bay. It is windy and cold and the boat taxis have small roofed structures to cut some of the wind. The word "factory" is not what it means today but was a governmental name like "district". Moosonee was also the birthplace of The Revlon Cosmetic Company and the town boasts a small museum.
We stay several days in Moosonee finally getting to record Gilbert and his son on the night before we leave. Gilbert likes to talk and is extremely knowledgeable about the area and its history. He uses a plain hand drum but the beat of the drum varies from traditional plains music. Gilbert talks at length about the pow wow competitions and the importance of discipline and attention for his drum group. On the train ride back to Cochrane, the train stops several times to let the moose hunters off in what appears to be completely isolated areas. We see no moose. A local tells us the smart ones are "off in the bush." |
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