Chisasibi, Eastmain, Mistissini, Nemaska, Oujé-Bougoumou, Waskaganish, Waswanipi, Wemindji, Whapmagoostui
New
June 2011
Walking Out Ceremony
The Walking Out Ceremony officially welcomes small children who have just learned to walk into the community. It’s an opportunity for toddlers to learn respect for nature and animals and to take on their future role in society.
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New
September 2011
Alfred Meets … Douglas Jolly
“The new Waskaganish drinking water plant is a lot better because we can treat more water. With the old system, the water used to run out. The plant was too small.”
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New
June 2011
Alfred Wapachee, Reporter
Alfred Wapachee, a reporter with JBCCS (James Bay Cree Communications Society) radio, is touring the structures built for the Eastmain-1-A–Sarcelle–Rupert project. While conducting his interviews for the program Hydlo & Friends, he shares his thoughts: “I never expected this. Everything seems to be in good shape. I thought the land was ruined.”
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New
June 2011
Alfred Meets … James Wapachee
“I’ve done lots of different jobs, but I can’t name them all. It’s the same for my friends and family who have worked on this project—too many to name them all.”
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New
June 2011
Alfred Meets … Kenny Jolly
“I’m proud of these contracts. With this project, people are working and earning money.”
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New
June 2011
Alfred Meets … Margaret Tent
“We keep track of the fish and eggs. My children are working with us here. The more I learn about my job, the more I enjoy it and the prouder I feel.”
Hydro-Québec's take on spring instream flow
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New
June 2011
Alfred Meets … Maryann Iserhoff
“I enjoy working and learning new things. I also like meeting lots of people and making new friends.”
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New
June 2011
Alfred Meets … Matthew Loon
Every morning, we fly out by helicopter and cast nets in the lake to catch fish. I like all the tasks I’ve been given. I see the work through to the end and I’m really proud of it.”
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New
June 2011
Alfred Meets … Sidney John Matoush
“I know many people from Mistissini who’ve worked here. I hope we’ll have jobs for as long as the dam exists, and I hope Kenny Jolly gets more contracts.”
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New
June 2011
Alfred Meets … Terry Mianscum
“I worked on a slashing contract for Robert Jimiken and Matthew Wapachee. I also worked in different places for the Eenatuk Forestry Corporation. Many of my friends have come to work here in the camps. Even my siblings have worked here.”
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New
June 2011
Alfred Meets … Viriginia Matoush
“We get to meet people from different villages and towns, Natives and non-Natives, and we become friends over the course of the project.”
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New
June 2011
Alfred Meets … Walter Jolly
“From the start, I’ve had different types of contracts. No matter the size of the contract, I’ve always enjoyed working here on the land where I used to go hunting and trapping. This project has helped many families. It’s met their needs and given them work.”
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New
June 2011
Walking Out Ceremony
The Walking Out Ceremony officially welcomes small children who have just learned to walk into the community. It’s an opportunity for toddlers to learn respect for nature and animals and to take on their future role in society.
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December 2011
I want to protect the environment!
Meet students enrolled in the new Natural Environment Technology Program in Chibougamau. These young Jamesiens and Crees want to discover the secrets of the earth, plants, and ecosystems of their territory. After this training, they’ll be able to work in their region and participate in forestry, mining or hydroelectric projects.
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December 2011
Family Album — Part 1
Memories of Eastmain-1-A and Sarcelle workcamps. Learn about those working behind the scenes, people who contribute, in their own ways, to the success of the projects and to quality of life on the jobsite. See the “magic eraser” and listen to the story of the wolves who loved airplanes.
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December 2011
Family Album — Part 2
Memories of Eastmain-1-A and Sarcelle workcamps. Just like a big family working together, even though the family members came from all over…
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September 2011
On the same wavelength
Welcome to the recording studio where Hydlo & Friends is taped. The radio show is aired in the nine Cree communities. Over the last three years, the team has put out 83 shows, about one every two weeks.
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September 2011
Sturgeon story
By Lawrence Jimiken — Part 1Lawrence Jimiken, Coordinator – Monitoring Committee, and Director – Niskamoon Corporation: “Ever since the dams were built, we have been asking Hydro-Québec and SEBJ to carry out studies to ensure the protection of the sturgeon. This species must remain in the rivers.”
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September 2011
Sturgeon story
By Lawrence Jimiken — Part 2Lawrence Jimiken, Coordinator – Monitoring Committee, and Director – Niskamoon Corporation: “Sturgeon grow very slowly. Some say that it takes 25 or 26 years for a sturgeon to spawn for the first time. Then it may spawn every 5 years. When it is 30, it will only have spawned twice. In Nemaska, we are trying to find ways to protect the sturgeon.”
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September 2011
Sturgeon story
By Lawrence Jimiken — Part 3Lawrence Jimiken, Coordinator – Monitoring Committee, and Director – Niskamoon Corporation: “Hydro-Québec is studying the decrease in lake sturgeon in the Rupert. I have visited the two hatcheries that have been built as part of the Eastmain-1-A project.”
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September 2011
Sturgeon story
By Lawrence Jimiken — Part 4Lawrence Jimiken, Coordinator – Monitoring Committee, and Director – Niskamoon Corporation shares an anecdote while visiting the Eastmain workcamp hatchery with his wife.
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September 2011
Sturgeon story
By Lawrence Jimiken — Part 5Lawrence Jimiken, Coordinator – Monitoring Committee, and Director – Niskamoon Corporation: “When I fish for lake sturgeon, I take note of my captures. We must be concerned with the number of fish that we catch. Otherwise, the population will decline.”
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September 2011
Sturgeon story
By Luke TentLuke Tent, tallyman: “I know sturgeon and its habits. They asked me to join the team when it was time to stock the river with fish. On my maps, I indicated locations favored by sturgeon. Crees need to participate in decision making about where to release the fish.”
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September 2011
Sturgeon story
By Matthew IserhoffMatthew Iserhoff, tallyman: “My grandfather fished lake sturgeon and that’s how I learned to kill them and how to manage this resource during spawning. They have developed spawning grounds in the areas that were flooded. They work well!”
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September 2011
Sturgeon story
By Kenny JollyKenny Jolly, tallyman: The sturgeon we fish here is more abundant. Since the derivation of the Rupert, we catch more fish than we used to.”
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September 2011
Sturgeon story
By Walter JollyWalter Jolly, tallyman: “Crees have always respected sturgeon in the Rupert during the spawning period. Over there, they have developed a spawning area. We think the fish will lay their eggs there.”
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September 2011
Sylvanna Carries on the Tradition
Sylvanna Weistche knows all the steps involved in preparing cisco, from how to dry it to the various ways to cook it. Following in the footsteps of her parents, grandparents and great-grandparents before her, Sylvanna is carrying on a time-honoured tradition.
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September 2011
All is Well…There is Fish
The results of the studies done on the cisco population in 2010 and 2011 show that the partial diversion of the Rivière Rupert in 2009 has had no impact on the abundance of species at the Smokey Hill fishing site. Although the fish are still there, however, they still have to adapt to their new environment. This poses a challenge for the fishermen of Waskaganish, who must re-learn to "read" the river to find the fish.
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August-September 2011
The cisco like you have never seen it!
Learn about cisco-related activities, including how pools are built, how dip-net fishing works, testing of a new fishing technique and upstream migration as filmed by underwater cameras.
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August 2011
Looking out for colleagues
Training in swift water rescue is offered to those who work on the banks of a river. Making the right decisions and looking out for your colleagues: this training can prove very useful both at work and when fishing.
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August 2011
Smokey Hill: Traditional Knowledge – Cast in Stone!
Scoop-net fishing is a traditional activity among the Crees. At the Smokey Hill fishing site, people use stones and rocks to create pools and then fish them with scoop-nets. People of all ages gather at this site every year, from August to September. It's a great opportunity to pass traditional knowledge on to the younger generations.
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June 2011
Tough soil for little plants
On tallyman George Neeposh’s territory, men are planting seedlings to restore an old quarry. The dry soil makes the job more difficult. The best way for workers to stay motivated is to joke and laugh together.
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June 2011
Safe boating
In tallyman Marco Voyageur’s sector, signs are installed on the banks of the Rupert to improve the safety of users.
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March 2011
A plant with the latest technology
The new drinking water plant at Waskaganish was commissioned on November 2, 2009. It will meet the community’s needs until 2025.
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April 2010
Two thumbs up!
The partial diversion of the Rupert posed major engineering and environmental challenges. Downstream of Rupert dam, five weirs, two spur dikes and one rock blanket were built. These eight structures make it possible to maintain the level of the river along nearly half its length. Great teamwork!
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2010
Ambitious youth build their future
At the Centre de formation professionnelle de la Jamésie, students are trained in civil engineering.
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2010
Nemiscau Memories – Ehgoodeh! Meegwetch! — Part 1
Like a family photo album! Friendship and bonding bringing together Adam, Alfred, Camille, Carol, Daniel, Donna, Françoise, Gilbert, George, Harry, Heather, Isaac, James, Jane, Josie, Kevin, Llyod, Margaret, Morley, Pascale, Robbie, Robert, Sidney, Simeon, Thomas, Tommy, Victoria, Walter, Wanda and many others.
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2010
Nemiscau Memories – Ehgoodeh! Meegwetch! — Part 2
Like a family photo album! Friendship and bonding bringing together Adam, Alfred, Camille, Carol, Daniel, Donna, Françoise, Gilbert, George, Harry, Heather, Isaac, James, Jane, Josie, Kevin, Llyod, Margaret, Morley, Pascale, Robbie, Robert, Sidney, Simeon, Thomas, Tommy, Victoria, Walter, Wanda and many others.
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October 2009
Homage to Tommy Neeposh, a man who shared
On October 8, 2009, the Tommy-Neeposh lookout was inaugurated. Nearly 80 people attended, including some 40 members of the Neeposh family. Tommy Neeposh, who passed away in 2008, shared his love of the land with his family and with other hunters and trappers. This generous man also proved his openness by allowing the Eastmain-1-A/Sarcelle/Rupert project to go ahead. To show its gratitude, Hydro-Québec named the transfer tunnel after him.
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June 2009
Taking care of fish
The Eastmain-1-A/Sarcelle/Rupert project has impacts on fish habitats. Protecting them is important. Spawning grounds, weirs, fish passes and other structures were set up to compensate for the losses caused by the construction.
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June 2009
Special fishing in the Rupert
Where do fish live? Where do they spawn? The tallymen certainly know a lot about the land. Their invaluable collaboration helped us identify the most important fish habitats to protect. They are also participating in the implementation of mitigation measures and environmental follow-up studies.
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June 2009
Nemao Baby Boom
Watch the birth of sturgeon larvae. See them grow in pools. Witness their return to the Rupert. The hatchery located at the Eastmain workcamp can produce up to 10,000 young lake sturgeon every year! The goal of the lake sturgeon enhancement program is to produce at least 5,000 young lake sturgeon annually between 2008 and 2012.
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June 2009
Why does water flow through the spillway?
At Rupert dam, the river keeps flowing. Under the Boumhouman Agreement, Hydro-Québec made a commitment to ensure that the people who use the river can continue to hunt, trap, fish and navigate. This also helps fish to spawn, which is good for everyone. That’s why water keeps flowing through one of the gates all year long. This is called an ecological instream flow.
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2009
Rupert Memories – I’m happy to live
They came from Waswapini, Mistissini, Québec, Waskaganish, Eastmain, Kanehsatake, Chisasibi, Nemaska, Montréal, Pikogan… They pooled their talents and energy to carry out a huge project, and in doing so, they created unique ties.
Produced and directed by Jane Voyageur and Wanda Gabriel -
September 2008
How did people live, before?
Knives, tools, gun parts, axe heads, utensils, glass beads, canoe parts… From 2002 to 2010, archaeology teams conducted digs on more than 275 sites affected by the Eastmain-1-A/Sarcelle/Rupert project. Their job was to find, identify and describe any traces or vestiges of life in the past. The objective was to preserve Cree heritage and better understand the lives of the people who occupied the land over the past millennia. Many Crees and their families took part in the field work.
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September 2008
The right men
In summer 2008, vegetation clearing intensified in the Rivière Rupert sector. Strong and energetic men at work.
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2008
A change of plans: let’s talk!
Meeting at the Nemiscau workcamp to inform the communities of Nemaska and Waskaganish on upcoming work in their areas and the workcamps it will require.
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2008
Training on first aid and chainsaws Good advice
In spring 2008, students had a class in first aid and training on the safe use of chainsaws.
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2008
Inauguration of the Eastmain-1 commemorative monument “Remember this, and you will live a good life” — Harry Moses
On October 30, 2008, some 50 people gathered for the unveiling of a monument near Eastmain 1 reservoir. The monument Iiyiyiu Iinuu honors the Aboriginal peoples and the land from which they have lived for thousands of years. It also pays tribute to the dead whose graves were submerged during the reservoir impoundment. The monument has six panels representing each of the six communities affected by the project: Mistissini, Nemaska, Waskaganish, Wemindji, Eastmain and Chisasibi.
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2008
A sabtuaan for community life and mutual aid
On June 18, 2008, a sabtuaan was inaugurated at the Rupert workcamp. Many Crees work at the construction sites, and we wanted to facilitate their integration. The sabtuaan provides a familiar gathering place where they can cook traditional meals. Workers of all origins are welcome, and this contributes to a good quality of life at the construction site.
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November 2007
Thank you to the Cree workers
Many Crees worked at the Eastmain-1-A/Sarcelle/Rupert construction sites. At the peak of the work in 2008, there were 434 workers, mainly from the communities of Mistissini, Waskaganish and Nemaska. Johnny Saganash explains that despite the language barrier, workers from both cultures managed to find common ground from which to work.
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October 2007
From father to son
Tallyman Tommy Neeposh and his son Jimmy, talking about the future with optimism: “…for every problem there’s a solution…never give up!”
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September 2007
Future “rock stars”
In September 2007, students learned the secrets of drilling and dynamiting at the Centre de formation professionnelle de la Jamésie in Chibougamau.
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July 2007
Cree companies clear the way
In 2007, work began on clearing vegetation from the areas that would be flooded by the Rupert diversion bays. Several contracts were awarded to the affected tallymen, and Cree businesses also obtained major contracts. Vegetation was cleared to facilitate navigation and access to lakes and rivers.
