• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

Pimachiowin Aki

World Heritage Site

  • News
  • Resources
  • Visit
  • Home
  • Shop
  • Donate
  • Contact
  • About Us
    • Pimachiowin Aki Assembly of Partners
    • Board of Directors
    • Timeline
    • Communities
      • Bloodvein River First Nation
      • Little Grand Rapids First Nation
      • Pauingassi First Nation
      • Poplar River First Nation
    • Annual Reports
  • Keeping the Land
    • Our Work
    • Cultural Heritage
    • Wildlife and Habitat
    • Sustainable Economies
    • Guardians Program
      • Colin
      • Melba
      • Owen
      • Enil
    • Education
  • The Land That Gives Life
    • Boreal Forest
    • Calendars
    • Climate
    • Cultural Sites
    • Habitation
    • Harvesting
    • Language
    • Named Places
    • Plants
    • Travel Routes
    • Water
    • Wildfire
    • Wildlife
  • Fast Facts
  • Search
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • YouTube

harvesting

Elders are Our Scientists

December 17, 2019

There has been much dispute about global warming and climate change but Anishinaabeg have long known that poor land use planning can have damaging results. The Elders who came before us have taught us to respect the earth. Pimachiowin Aki is a gift from the Creator, and Anishinaabeg have a sacred responsibility to care for it.

Years ago, Elders spoke about the impending changes in weather patterns and cautioned us that we must work together to make a difference for current and future generations, says Pimachiowin Aki Board Co-Chair William Young. “We have our own scientists,” he says, referring to the Elders in the communities. 

William generously translates as we speak with Bloodvein First Nation Elder Leslie Orvis. Born in Bloodvein, Leslie has worked all over Manitoba as a commercial fisherman, and is an experienced hunter and trapper.

Leslie sees the changes that Elders talked about long ago. “They used to be able to do various things, like make it rain. Now that’s all changed,” he says. 

While we may no longer be able to call upon the clouds to open up, the Elders in Pimachiowin Aki are the knowledge keepers. Sharing their traditional knowledge is invaluable. They talk about the effects that global warming has on the wildlife in their communities. 

At the end of November, Bloodvein was experiencing rain and unusually warm weather for about a week and a half. “When it rains this time of year,” Leslie says, “it freezes onto the twigs, trees and bushes, which the moose and rabbits rely on to eat.“   

Lack of food for wildlife inevitably affects the trappers and hunters.  

“The wolves are starving,” William adds. Recently three wolves were spotted on the road walking at night, desperately searching or food, coming closer than normal to residents’ homes.

Communities Affected by High Waters 

Dennis Keeper, a Pimachiowin Aki Guardian who observes the lands and waters in Little Grand Rapids is very concerned about the unusual weather patterns and erratic water levels that he has witnessed over the last few years.

“Usually at this time of year, the water levels drop and the current slows down,” he says. But this year is different. The lake froze once in the fall and then opened again near the end of November. Yet in June and July, water levels were lower than normal. Dennis says that in 2018 Little Grand Rapids had low water levels all year.

Pauingassi First Nation, 18 kilometres north of Little Grand Rapids, is experiencing its highest water levels ever, with some parts of the community swallowed up and becoming islands. The high waters prevent trappers from accessing their trap lines. 

“We have to rely on outside food, says Dennis. “It puts pressure on the community.”

It also affects communities’ access to transportation. Typically, for about one month each winter, people use winter roads to travel to and from the communities of Pimachiowin Aki. The roads are a direct route across the lakes. But those roads won’t open until the lakes freeze, and Dennis worries that the roads won’t be open for as many days as needed. 

 “It takes a month of minus 30 degrees Celsius for it to freeze,” he explains. It takes six to eight weeks to get the roads passed as driveable, which results in 22 to 30 days of winter road driving. The slow freeze-up can also result in the trucks having to carry smaller loads, cutting the weight of the loads in half from 80,000 pounds to 40,000.

This is unsettling news for Little Grand Rapids, which is expecting 1500 loads of supplies this winter via the winter road. The trucks will be carrying materials to build the community’s own much-needed high school this spring.  

“Global warming is not a myth,” Dennis says. “Come over here and see it for yourself.”

Elder Leslie says, “There will be days ahead that will be hard, and we have to prepare our youth by teaching them skills like hunting, trapping, fishing and survival.” He believes that we can, and should, all work together toward sustainable hunting in order to build a brighter future for all.

Filed Under: First Nation Communities, Indigenous Traditional Knowledge, Wildfire Tagged With: Bloodvein River First Nation, climate change, Elders, guardians, harvesting, Little Grand Rapids First Nation, Pauingassi, winter roads

Why Do Moose Avoid Travel in Winter?

December 17, 2019

Each season brings its own gifts to Pimachiowin Aki. As the landscape, wildlife, plants and trees go through seasonal changes, life on the land changes, too. Use our calendar to gain seasonal knowledge and trace our traditional land use activities throughout the year.   

In February, Moose avoid travel because the ice on the snow cuts their shins.

Download the calendar

Filed Under: Calendars, Cultural Heritage, Indigenous Traditional Knowledge, Plants, Wildlife Tagged With: harvesting, land use, moose, traditional medicine

On the Land | Winter Report

December 17, 2019

During this time of year, known as freeze-up, people usually stay close to home. But Dennis Keeper, Little Grand Rapids First Nation Guardian, reports that hunters and trappers are travelling greater distances than usual to prepare for the winter ahead.

A devastating fire has made moose and rabbits scarce, he says. “With no vegetation for the animals to eat, we have to go farther to find them. But we don’t have to go far to collect firewood.”   

People in newer homes do not have wood stoves, but they do collect wood for outdoor fires. Those who live in older homes rely on wood for cooking and heating their homes throughout winter. A wood stove is a great asset, especially when the power goes out during a winter storm.  

Pauingassi Guardian Colin Owens is confident that all members of his community will be warm this winter. Six men are hired to cut wood for those who are unable to cut it themselves, he says.

Stocking Up

Preparing for the long winter includes stocking up on meat. Little Grand Rapids was fortunate to harvest  moose this year. They also had a good waterfowl season. “This will help the community,” says Dennis. “We’re just waiting for the ice to be able to go fishing.”

In Bloodvein First Nation, trappers are setting traps for rabbit, lynx, beaver and muskrat on just one side of the island. “They’re going out on the land to put out traps, but they can’t cross the river until it freezes,” Melba says.

Once the land is covered with enough snow, travel will be made easier with snowshoes and snowmobiles.

The fur of beaver, rabbit, lynx, fox and wolf is used to make warm mittens and hats. Rabbit fur is used as an extra layer for keeping your feet warm. Blankets are made out of rabbit fur and moose hide is tanned and made into durable outerwear.

Filed Under: Wildfire, Wildlife Tagged With: guardians, harvesting

The Eyes and Ears of Pimachiowin Aki

September 16, 2019

Anishinaabeg were placed on the land by the Creator and have a sacred responsibility to care for it, guided by the principles of Ji-ganawendamang Gidakiiminaan (Keeping the Land). Keeping the Land includes making sure that the traditional knowledge that has been passed down for generations is never lost. 

Pimachiowin Aki Guardian Colin Owens lives by these words and is working to share his knowledge with youth in his community of Pauingassi. He is an experienced trapper and fisher who is on the land year-round. 

Fishing is an important skill to have. Children in Pimachiowin Aki are fishing with a rod from about the time they can walk. Summer for youth in communities across Pimachiowin Aki may be a vacation from school, but that doesn’t mean it’s a break from learning. Last month, Colin took students from the Pauingassi school out on the water to show them how to fish using nets—his favourite way to catch whitefish as soon as they start swimming, in June. Whitefish, filled with nutrients and medicine, are important to the community, Colin says. 

This fall, Colin will be busy monitoring hunting activities “to make sure the hunters are not being wasteful,” he says. He will also spend more time with the students, teaching them how to harvest ducks and smoke fish.  

An important teaching that Anishinaabeg pass down to the next generation is showing respect for animals that have given up their lives. This is done by ensuring that no part of a harvested animal is wasted and by gibimi-giiwewatoon (giving something back to the land) after harvesting. For example, hanging duck wings in trees to respect the spirit of the harvested animal.

Guardians are stewards who keep Indigenous knowledge alive. They travel across Pimachiowin Aki, acting as the eyes and ears of the land and waters as they monitor the health of ecosystems and cultural sites. Guardians share their knowledge and concerns with authorities, community members and visitors.

Pimachiowin Aki’s Guardians program is similar to the highly successful Indigenous Guardian programs that operate across Canada. There are Guardians in the four First Nation communities of Pimachiowin Aki. Colin Owens has been the Guardian in Pauingassi First Nation since 2017, and was the Resource Assistant to the First Nation’s Lands Coordinator for many years before then.

Learn more about Pimachiowin Aki Guardians

Filed Under: Indigenous Traditional Knowledge, Indigenous Youth Tagged With: fish, guardians, harvesting

Fall Moose Hunt

September 16, 2019

A moose can provide six months of food for a family, but moose hunting is more than just practical. It’s a family tradition, passed down through generations. 

Norman Pascal of Pauingassi First Nation learned how to hunt from his grandfather, Bushie Pascal, when he was “old enough to know how to handle a gun,” at the age of 14. Today, he hunts duck, geese, moose, beaver and muskrat. He learned from past generations to only take what you need. “Just because you see five moose, you don’t shoot five moose,” he says. 

When someone kills a moose, they think about the whole community. If a family doesn’t have the capacity to hunt, hunters will share the meat with them. “We share the meat with whoever asks for it,” says Norman. 

Hunters will also hunt for the Elders in the community. Pimachiowin Aki Guardian Dennis Keepers says that there are eight people who look after the Elders in his community of Little Grand Rapids. They will harvest beaver and duck, and fish and hunt moose for them. Dennis says he “has lots of family in the area,” but the Elders he hunts for are not related to him. The Elders give him gas or other hunting supplies as payment. 

Moose hunting is so important to the Anishinaabeg of Pimachiowin Aki that many children enjoy official breaks from school in order to join their families on fall moose hunts. 

Dennis, who also learned how to hunt from his grandfather, plans to pass on his knowledge to his son when his son turns 10 years old. “I will take him and his friends out to learn how to survive out in the wild,” he says. 

In October, when moose are mating, you can hear the bellow of the males along the lakeshores.  Hunters use horns made of birch to call them. They typically lure the males by imitating the sound of a female moose (cow), or by imitating the sound of a male moose (bull).

Anishinaabeg are careful not to be wasteful. They honour the Creator’s gifts through the continued harvest of plants and animals in a manner that ensures continuity of all life on the land. The Guardians in each community of Pimachiowin Aki are constantly monitoring their areas, building relationships with hunters, and watching out for poachers and trophy hunters. 

In our ancestors’ time, a person who wasted an animal would be punished, explains Bloodvein First Nation Guardian Melba Green. “You take only what you need and don’t waste it,” she says. Today, community members report back to the Guardians, sharing what they observe when they go out onto the land. Any illegal activities or other areas of concern, including wastage, are passed along from Guardians to the relevant authorities. 

Anishinaabeg are respectful of all living things. Once a moose hunter skins the meat and hide, to share the good news of their successful hunt, they display the head in front of their home. It is a show of pride, but also a show of respect for the moose, which has given up its life to feed the people of Pimachiowin Aki. In an act of respect, the moose beard is hung in the trees. This tradition is to give back to the land, Norman points out.

Sadly, not all traditions are being kept alive. “The older generations used to make leather from the moose hide but there’s nobody doing this anymore,” says Norman.

Dennis stresses the importance of talking to the Elders, to learn from them. “All the knowledge they have, once they’re gone, it’s gone.” Knowing this makes Dennis’ job as a Guardian all the more important. A huge priority is to bring youth and Elders together on the land, he adds.

Photo: Hidehiro Otake

Filed Under: First Nation Communities, Indigenous Traditional Knowledge, Indigenous Youth, Uncategorised Tagged With: Elders, guardians, harvesting, moose, Pauingassi First Nation

Look Away from the Geese (and Other Fall Tips)

September 16, 2019

With Waatebagaa-giizis (September) comes the ‘leaves changing colour’ moon. The days become shorter, the air feels chillier, and we know that takwagin (fall) is upon us. The communities in Pimachiowin Aki ready for winter by harvesting medicines like wiikenzh (sweet flag), picking manoomin (wild rice), and collecting wood. Other preparations for the colder months include hunting moose, duck and geese.

Traditionally, the men in the communities do the hunting—while men know when to hunt for which animal, women know which medicines to harvest and when. Bloodvein First Nation Guardian Melba Green says that this kind of knowledge has been passed down through generations “from our ancestors.” For Anishinaabeg, it’s like instinct, she says. “We know which way to go, by following the trails for many years.”

Anishinaabeg know that the shorter, cooler days of fall and the leafless fall forests provide ideal conditions to hunt moose as the animals concentrate along the rivers, lakes, and forest openings to mate, Melba adds. 

Tradition tells us that hunting on a windy day may prove more successful, she says. The noise made by the moving trees helps to camouflage the sound of a hunter’s feet. Also in the fall, legend cautions Anishinaabeg to not watch the Vs of geese flying south or it will be a long and hard winter.

Come October, trappers will set their sights on muskrat, beaver and otter, and will dry the pelts for future use. The taste of the beaver meat changes after the first snowfall, making this the best time to harvest.

Melba says that Anishinaabeg share their knowledge with each other. “If one wants to know how to skin an animal, you can go to a trapper and they will share their knowledge. It’s been like that for many, many years,” she explains.

Photo: Hidehiro Otake

Filed Under: Indigenous Language, Indigenous Traditional Knowledge Tagged With: Anishinaabemowin, guardians, harvesting, hunting, moon, moose, trapping

  • ⟨
  • Go to page 1
  • Go to page 2

Footer

Stay connected

Sign-up for seasonal news from Pimachiowin Aki.



  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • YouTube

  • Contact
  • Visit
  • Shop
  • Donate
  • Legal
  • Privacy Policy

© 2025 Pimachiowin Aki

Built by PeaceWorks