Xavier Kataquapit
Tuesday December 05, 2006
On an early spring morning in April, a lone hunter is sitting out in the open tundra. There are patches of snow but much of the land has shed its whiteness. It is time now for springtime colours of dark soil, grey clay and the faded yellow of last years wild grass.
The hunter is patiently waiting for the first early morning flight of geese. He knows that they fly early as they wake and they will not reappear again during the day in large numbers until evening.
This hunter in the blind is my grandfather or Mooshoom in the Cree language, James Kataquapit. It is the mid 1950s and life on the James Bay coast is not easy. The James Bay Cree are still following a mainly traditional nomadic lifestyle which revolves around the changing seasons and the movement of the animals, birds and fish. Springtime brings a sense of hope as the geese arrive to feed families along the coast.
Mooshoom is a seasoned hunter, tough and strong from hard labour and life on the land. He has been up before sunrise to prepare for his day of hunting. Although it is a cool morning, he has on a thin parka to cover himself up with layers of shirts and clothing underneath to help keep him warm.
His well-worn boots are ragged with constant use. Mooshoom walks everywhere. His pack contains a small amount of supplies for the day, including a packet of six shotgun shells and some bannock to feed himself. He has a single fire shotgun and he knows how to use it well.
Mooshoom is at home on the land and feels comfortable to be out alone. Out in the open, he sits alone in his blind or what can be called a blind. His camouflage is merely a few thin branches surrounding him.
To the untrained eye, it may seem that he is not well hidden but the blind is sufficiently set up to fool the wild geese. Looking windward, a small group of traditionally made decoys are sitting in the mud. They are black burnt logs with long slender necks made from thick branches that have also been blackened by fire. This quality of blind is based on a great expertise and a lot of knowledge from years of hunting and subsisting on the land. Mooshoom can build it in a very short time too. He does not have long to wait until the first early morning flights of geese are flying close to his blind. The geese are flying low on the horizon and are headed towards him. His location is not by chance but is situated on a carefully chosen flight path and landing area for geese.
As the birds come near, he begins calling them in a strong powerful honking sound, loud enough to travel far over the land. Mooshoom is on his knees, he curls into a tight ball and has his loaded gun on his lap. He keeps close watch on the birds but does not move an inch as he continues calling. The geese fly closer, turning to the direction of the goose call until they spot the small group of decoys. As they fly overhead and begin gliding down to land, he takes quiet aim while still hunched over.
Without moving much except for his gun, he fires. Two birds quickly fall and the rest of the group of birds frantically flap to escape the trap.
Mooshoom is an excellent marksman. He is a First World War veteran where he received more than enough experience to learn how to shoot properly. Marksmanship during the goose hunt is a necessary skill for survival. Shotgun shells are not in great supply and each shot has to be carefully taken in order to bring food home for the family.
For Mooshoom and other experienced hunters like him, it is normal to bring home more birds than the number of shotgun shells. He trains his young sons how to hunt and how to properly aim and fire the family shotgun. When he allows his sons to hunt by themselves, shotgun shells are carefully rationed one at a time with specific instructions that at least one bird per shell has to be brought back home.
There are no distractions in his world and no outside influences to occupy Mooshoom's thoughts except for the survival of his family. Mooshoom's thoughts often turn to the Nokoom, our granny and his children back at the camp on the James Bay coast near the mouth of the Attawapiskat River.
Nokoom is busy cleaning the geese and she expertly butchers them into long thin strands to be smoked in the family wigwam. The smoked meat will keep for several weeks and even months when properly stored. This will help to feed the family for a long time.
In the midday sun, Mooshoom sits back in the warm light to wait for the evening flight of geese. The world is silent except for the trickling water of melting snow and ice or the distant honking of a lone goose flying over the land. After a long, hard winter Mooshoom is happy to be back at his place on the land and in a position where he can feed his family. Life goes on thanks to Niska, the Canada Goose.
I love this piece and thought you might enjoy it as well.
You can read this and other articles at The James Bay Voice
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