Tshaukuesh Elizabeth Penashue - Nitinikiau Innusi: I Keep the Land Alive

Nitinikiau Innusi

CONTEMPORARY STUDIES ON THE NORTH

ISSN 1928-1722

CHRIS TROTT, SERIES EDITOR

7 Nitinikiau Innusi: I Keep the Land Alive , by Tshaukuesh Elizabeth Penashue, edited by Elizabeth Yeoman

6 Inuit Stories of Being and Rebirth: Gender, Shamanism, and the Third Sex , by Bernard Saladin dAnglure, translated by Peter Frost

5 Report of an Inquiry into an Injustice: Begade Shutagotine and the Sahtu Treaty , by Peter Kulchyski

4 Sanaaq: An Inuit Novel , by Mitiarjuk Nappaaluk

3 Stories in a New Skin: Approaches to Inuit Literature , by Keavy Martin

2 Settlement, Subsistence, and Change among the Labrador Inuit : The Nunatsiavummiut Experience , edited by David C. Natcher, Lawrence Felt, and Andrea Procter

1 Like the Sound of a Drum: Aboriginal Cultural Politics in Denendeh and Nunavut , by Peter Kulchyski

Nitinikiau Innusi

Tshaukuesh Elizabeth Penashue

Edited by Elizabeth Yeoman

Nitinikiau Innusi: I Keep the Land Alive

Tshaukuesh Elizabeth Penashue 2019

Introduction Elizabeth Yeoman 2019

23 22 21 20 19 1 2 3 4 5

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University of Manitoba Press

Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Treaty 1 Territory

uofmpress.ca

Cataloguing data available from Library and Archives Canada

Contemporary Studies of the North, issn 1828-1722; 7

ISBN 978-0-88755-840-5 (PAPER)

ISBN 978-0-88755-584-8 (PDF)

ISBN 978-0-88755-582-4 (EPUB)

Cover and interior: Vincent Design Inc.

Cover photo by Camille Fouillard

Printed in Canada

The University of Manitoba Press acknowledges the financial support for its publication program provided by the Government of Canada through the Canada Book Fund, the Canada Council for the Arts, the Manitoba Department of Sport, Culture, and Heritage, the Manitoba Arts Council, and the Manitoba Book Publishing Tax Credit.

Contents

Diaries of Tshaukuesh Elizabeth Penashue

Prologue

by Tshaukuesh Elizabeth Penashue

Before the protests, I couldnt have imagined I would ever be able to do all the things Ive done. I have a recurring dream that Im walking with other women across rotten ice in the spring breakup. Were in great danger but we keep walking. Sometimes in the dream people tell me I wont make it, but I always go on. In one version of the dream, my husband and I are driving a skidoo across a seemingly endless, narrow path of ice with open water on both sides. Then we come to a place where the ice path goes uphill and down again toward a rushing river. We turn at the bottom, and I ask him to let me down to see which way to go. Then we continue onward and we make it to the other side.

Ive wanted to make my own book for so many years. Im slow and its hard work but I never gave up because this is very important. I want to see it before I die. It will be my legacy for my children, my grandchildren, my great-grandchildren, all my descendants. I know Elizabeth Yeoman helped me but it was still very hard work. I dont speak English well and I cant write in English but I explained everything to Elizabeth. When I was writing in Sheshatshiu or in nutshimit in the tent I had many interruptions and sometimes I didnt finish what I was writing, people needed me to help, children were hungry or they wanted me to play with them... so later Elizabeth and I worked together to complete the stories I didnt have time to finish earlier. Like my mother, I was so busy and so often interrupted. My mom had to keep the fire going, clean the caribou skins, make food. She took breaks but she always continued with her work. Its the same with my book. Im an Innu woman like my mom, with many responsibilities and interruptions but I never gave up.

I first started writing when I went to the bombing range with my sister Rose Gregoire, Mani-Mae Osmond, and Jane the doctor, We started the spring walk and the summer canoe trip to teach people about our land and about the Mishta-shipu, the hydro projects. When I first spoke publicly at Patshishetshuanau, a lot of people came to hear what I had to say. Later I was invited to speak in many places. I went to the bombing range with other activists. We put tents on the base to protest. We were jailed many times, in Goose Bay and Stephenville. We walked from Windsor to Ottawa and they put us in jail there tooTshaki Ashini and me, Tanien Ashini and Penote Michel. I went to Europe twice to speakManian and Peter Penashue and their daughter, Thea, and Mani-Katinen Nuna and I went the first time. The Europeans put a flag supporting the Innu on Nelsons column in Trafalgar Square. The second time we went to Europe, Tshak and the Europeans put up a tent to show people what our lives were like and we held a walking protest. We went to court to support a Belgian who was in jail for protesting on behalf of the Innu. Back home, we walked on the Nutapinuant meshkanau on snowshoes to protest. Every day we walked and we had a lot of supportthe Akaneshau brought us food, bread, and jam and other things to eat. We stopped at the Tshenuamiu-shipu and then we turned back. Once we walked to Manitu-utshu from the other side of the Mishta-shipu. We camped there for a few days. We walked to Minai-nipi with our children and four Innu from Uashat. Later we had to change our route to walk to Akami-uapishk u . Many young people have walked with me. I also organized canoe trips on the Mishta-shipu for over twenty years and many people joined us on those trips too. I try to educate my people, Innu people, especially the children, through these trips. We also do a walk on the road to Patshishetshuanau every fall. Everything we do is to show the government that our culture and way of life are crucial for our survival. We cant go back to the old ways completely, but we must pass the knowledge and skills on to our children and grandchildren.

I began this work by studying and writing my journal. It felt so good to do that and it gave me strength. I want to help other women to be strong too. So many people have helped and supported me; they were so kind and welcoming; they respected me and they helped me get the word out. People from many backgrounds and places, in many parts of the world, and here in Labradorwhen Im at the bank or shopping, they come up to me to tell me they support my work. They give me courage to continue. Thank you to all of them.

When I started writing my book, I knew I didnt want a book with Akaneshau stories, just my stories. I dont mind if an Akaneshau helps me, but its my book. When I started working on the book, I couldnt find anyone to help me but I kept looking. I asked one of my cousins, Germaine Andrew, who went to school in St. Johns, my sister Nush, and Judy Ponebut none of them could do it. Germaine is very good at writing and reading, but she works in the clinic and she has her own children and grandchildren. I know shes too busy. But Im glad I didnt give up. Another Innu woman in Quebec helped me for a couple of months, but it didnt work out. Finally, two women, Karlie King and Elizabeth Yeoman, came on my walk. They saw all the things I was doing and they wanted to help me.