Cree walkers complete 1600-kilometre trek

David Kawapit and five friends left Whapmagoostui, a small Cree community on James Bay in early January. With a guide, they begana 1600-kilometre treksouth, much of it on snowshoes, following a traditional trading-route, in support of Canada’s native-rights movement, known as Idle No More.

They were joined by people from other aboriginal communities along the way and this afternoon they arrived in Ottawa almost 400-strong.

Known in Cree as the Journey of the Nishisyu, or Journey of the People, the group stopped on Victoria Island to a warm welcome and a hearty lunch. The island in the river just below Parliament Hill, was the sight of Chief Theresa Spence’s hunger strike earlier this year, protesting the sorry state of many aboriginal communities across Canada. Chief Theresa Spencewelcomed the group and said shewas inspired by their tenacity. She alsosaidit may be time now, that instead of listening to their elders,the elders should be listening to the young people.

Following the meal, the group walked across the bridge and assembledin front of the Parliament Buildings.

The arrival is bittersweet. Some of the walkers says the experience has been life-changing, and they’ll miss being together.


Picture: Cree walkers meet minister at end of Idle No More trek | Credit: cbc.ca

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