lack of technology fit!!!

I googled technology fit, and this photo came up.


It's no secret, I am really enjoying the blog experience, it gives me a chance to keep in touch with friends and family all across the country. After visting my great friend Joe, he asked me "I've been logging on everyday to get updates, and nothing." All I have to say is that I have not been able to get on line since last Monday for significant amount of time to check update my blog.



Firstly, in Hearst, all the cables were gone at the hotel and I wasn't able to get on line at the hotel. Since they don't have wireless, I was out of luck.



Secondly, I wasn't able to get on-line in Constance Lake because they have major filters which prevents people from logging on certain sites. Apparently, it's sites like mine they want to keep people away from in Constance Lake



Thirdly, they didn't have no access whatsoever at the Eagles Earth Centre.



Fourthly (I don't know if that's a word..), I forgot my power cable up in Constance Lake so I wasn't able to log on for a significant time to update. Man, this must be a sign of things to come, I have been forgetting everything lately. I've been locking myself out of my apartment, forgetting my shoes in Massey, just to name a few.



One thing that bugs me is when people make excuses, so I'm kind of getting on my own nerves right now. I have so much to share with you all, and I can't wait to get to Waswanipi and jump on a computer to give you the low down on what has been keeping me so busy.



Here are a few things to get look forward to:

• I almost get ripped to shreds by a bear.


• I get up close and personal with Oji-Cree rapppers.


• Constance Lake Retreats a huge success.


• Memory Lane....my first community performance.


• Weiner night in Calstock.

Keep in touch people.

I'll be back!!

Running Week In Review Part 9

The Great Gig In The Sky

by: Pink Floyd

"And I am not frightened of dying,
any time will do, I don't mind.
Why should I be frightened of dying?
There's no reason for it, you've gotta go sometime.
I never said I was frightened of dying."

I'm just sitting in Pearson International Airport in the Maple Leaf Club, chilling out listening to tunes and waiting for my flight. Right now, I'm listening to The Gig In The Sky by Pink Floyd. What an awesome song, ground breaking if you ask me. I may be even bold to say, one of the greatest songs ever written.

There are hardly any lyrics, just the ones listed up top, that's it. The rest of the song is this lady belting out only god knows what. This is the best part of the song; it's totally up for interpretation. Actually, when the time came for recording this masterpiece, she was told to sing about all the troubles in the world. But I can't help but feel something something amazing.

Clare Torry, the beautiful voice in The Great Gig In The Sky

What I think she is singing is something that I feel quite often actually; a sense of power and fulfillment. And in her way, she is screaming freedom for all to hear and feel. You can't help but feel her. It's kind of like, standing alone and just screaming at the top of your lungs without having a care in the world. When you’re done, you feel free and released some much needed stress.

Without a doubt, running is my miracle cure. I have been through alot over the last year and a half, and it's because of running I have not only survived I have thrived. Running is only one part of my overal wellness strategy, but a big one. When I balance it all together, as cousin Leonard would say, "I'm ready for world domination." Lately, life is so uncomplicated and amazing. Lately, all I want to do is scream out like Clare Torry and celebrate my amazing life. And you know what? I don't care who hears and what they think.

Last Week's Total: 52.40km
My Prediction for this week: 40.00km
This Weeks Total: 50.12km

This week was great, I exceeded my expectations. But I did suffer a loss though, I left Saucony Hurricane's up in Massey in my motel room. I got over it pretty quick when I went back to Al's Shoe Warehouse to pick up a new pair of Asics Kayano's. I always wanted to switch back over to Asics, for some time, so this was my chance. I plan to continue running in Saucony's though, they are great road shoes. The Asics are an awesome all around shoe, but I find they work better off road.

I was so excited to run in my new Asics, I set a new Stan World Record for a 10km. I ran it in a staggering 48:05, shattering my previous world record by almost a minute. Not too bad for an old man with a bum knee if you ask me.

Next Week’s Prediction: 40.00km

I'm on the road again this week, going up to Constance Lake for some training with youth as well as a staff retreat. They have me working evenings, so I should be able to make this. If I'm smart, I should be able to beat it. When you have an addiction like I do, you always go out of way to get it in. Because when I do, I feel like I'm flying in the Great Gig In The Sky.

Download the song and crank it loud. It's so powerful.

What is your miracle cure?

What balances you?

All done in Sagamok

Community: Sagamok Anishnawbec
Group: Youth Mentorship Group
Workshop: Team Building, Communication, Peer Education


In order for the Youth Mentors to get the most out of this week, I wanted to utlize their skills. Here, a group is presenting a workshop on Self-Esteem. As you can see, the entire group is into the workshop. Peer Education is such a powerful tool to use with young people. Research indicates that Peer Education is just as effective if not more effective than an adult driven presentations and workshops.


The Sagamok Youth Mentors and I. They exceeded my expectations this week, I was told that these youth were good kids, but they proved to me that they were exceptional.

I am pleased to say, that the evaluations were awesome. Many of the youth said that this was one of the best workshops they have attended. I can only take a some credit for that, most of the credit should go the participants. Without a great group, you cannot acheive a high degree of success.

Here I am with an awesome young lady who is making a difference in her community, Cheyenne Abitong. I am so impressed with her outgoing nature, kindness and respect for other people, her ability to recognize and celebrate her strengths, and her focus on the positive. This girl is going places, and will make the difference in other communities in the very near future.

Thank you to my new friends in Sagamok for making yet another week memorable.

My work in the safe SEX industry. Special Sagamok Edition

I'm giving Sagamok all my best, and today I flashed some serious Latex HEAT.

I gave them a quickie lesson on the inner workings of a female condom, and even though I lack a vagina, I gave them a demonstration on how to don this little latex lifesaver. Try and say that 69 times fast, I tried, it's hard.

It was a spirited talk; the young people were really interested in this fairly new type of birth control. There were a lot of laughs, but yet very meaningful.

I am concerned for the sexual health of our people, and demonstrations like this will surely give our people more options have to protect themselves and make informed decisions that could save their life.

Puttin' out the vibe in Sagamok

The sun shines bright here, so much in fact that I needed to don my welding mask sunglasses. Just started today with the Youth Mentors, they are a great group of young people. This will surely be another fantastic week, I can feel it, taste it, and smell it.

Thanks to my new friend, Ms. Owl for being the sunshine in this picture.

Running Week In Review Part 6, 7, 8.

Man, I'm so lazy. I need to get back into Daniel Son mode. I'm just typing in this entry watching Karate Kid. This movie brings back so many memories, good ones I might add. It's a tale of a kid who gets forcefully entered into boot camp. Not what you think, it's not a workout routine, but he gets his ass kicked by the Cobra's led by Johnny. I love movies from the 80’s; it always features some badass dude named Johnny.



Anyhow, he is so determined for respect, he enters an agreement with Mr. Miyagi to learn martial arts. He thinks Mr. Miyagi is taking advantage of him, when he sands his floor, paints his fence, sands his walk way and goes short of cleaning his grummy toilet boil. Daniel is so committed he spends every waking moment learning karate and dreaming of that damn tournament to kick some cobra tail.

This week, I feel like pre Mr. Miyagi Daniel Son. Daniel was a lazy kid who seems to walk around with little focus in life; just chicks that's it. I shouldn't be so hard on myself; I have just been having a hard time getting focussed. In terms of my running, I've still been on the ball...as usual.

July 22 - 28, 2007
Last weeks total: 50.19km
Total for this week: 30 km

This is the week I drove up to Timmins, played in a golf tournament and hung out at my cousin Leonard's house for a couple of days. I knew I wouldn't get a lot in, but I did have a beautiful run in the trails around Hersey Lake in Timmins.

July 29 - August 4, 2007

Total for this week: 41.36

The highlight from this week was running with the unity runners. To the left of is Nadia and Warren, they are supporters of our Unity Runners. Like me, they didn't go on the trip, they just came by to show them some love. Just above my head is not a huge zit, that's Adam Alisappi. He's running in the Honolulu Marathon in December with other people from Moose Factory who are walking the 26.2 miles. Good luck Adam and good luck the Unity Runners.

August 5 - 11, 2007

Total for this week: 52.40

I made it back to Brantford and back into my city running routine.

As for prediction, I'm not sure. My magic 8 ball has no numbers in it, so it's not giving me an accurate answer. Plus, I'm heading up to Sagamok on Sunday, returning Thursday night. I'll play it safe and say 40 km.

When I left Moose Factory, I told my mom I was going to head home and prepare for all the work I have this month. And as I said, I've had a hard time getting into work. Now, though, I feel like I met my Mr. Miyagi and I'm all set to rock.

Back down south

What a great trip home, it had to be the best trip yet. It was filled with community spirit and get togethers with family and friends.

The night before I headed back to Brantford, my Wesley family had a traditional meal. This was an extra special event, because we don't get together as much. Plus, this was meant for just brothers and sisters, but since I was leaving, my Auntie Aggie gave me a special invitation.


The meal was absolutely awesome, we had; boiled goose, roasted goose, na-mes-steak (smoked goose), fresh buns, bannock, goose stuffing, potatoes and veggies. My Uncle William is passionately digging into the food along with my mom. My father is off in the distance with my Auntie Josephine and Edna to his right.

(Back) Uncle Danny, Me, My Father (Front) Auntie Edna, Auntie Josephine, Auntie Agnes.

I had such a blast listening to all of the stories of their childhood. You know it's getting really good when I don’t say much; I just sat and listened throughout the whole evening. Family is such a blessing; I missed my Wesley family gatherings.

So now I am in Brantford typing this journal post, 14 hours from home. Whenever I get back from Moose Factory, it takes me a few days to settle in. After this trip, it will definitely take me a few more.

Unity send off

On August 5, 2007...

The community had a ceremonial send off to the Unity Runners as they left Moose Factory, they will be running to the next site of the National Cree Gathering in Grand Rapids, Manitoba. Moose Factory hosted last years event. When the unity runners stormed into town last year, it really inspired many of the youth to take up running and get involved for this year.


Councillor Rick Cheechoo addresses the Unity Runner and the many supporters that showed up at the ceremony.


Brenan Govendor with the Eagle Staff. He invited me to run with them on their send off, which was a great honour. Brenan is a great young man, he is also one of the youth living an alcohol and drug free life and is giving back to his people by participating in activities like this.


The run was surrounded by culture, drummers gave the runners strength in the four corners of the community.

I am so proud of our Unity Runners, I really wish I was going with them.

We remember

Today is an extra special day for the people of Moose Factory. The St. Thomas Anglican Church Memorial Service, a day where we pay honour and celebrate the lives of our loved ones that passed on before us.

My father assisted in officiating the service, so I sat with my louttit side of the family. We are gathered around my Grandfather, Great-Grandfather and my Grandmother who passed away this February. Like the rest of my family, I really miss my Grandmother, she was the feathers the make the quilt that makes warm and cozy.

As I'm sure you know, when our loved ones pass away, things are just not the same anymore. There is a void in your life, and we learn to move on with the love and support from our friends and family.

Celebrations like this are important in acknowledging that they are gone but it some respects closer than ever. Sure, there are so many of my loved ones that are gone, but all I have to do is close my eyes and they are right there.

To my loved ones;

I hear your laugh
I see your house, where I used to sleep over as a child
I look at the pictures and smile

I can still taste the food that you cooked me when I was a child
I talk about you with my family and friends
I dream of you

I will honour your legacy by living a good life
I am thankful for your blood flows through my body and gives me life

Your teachings have molded me to the man I am today
I am at peace with you resting in peace
I never walk alone
You are always with me

The BIG 50!! My family in pictures.

I won't lie, when I started my on-line journal, I knew I would eventually get to 50, then 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, etc. I don't recall introducing my family on this site. Although there are a few people missing, like my brothers and a few of my aunts and uncles, here are a few of my family members.


Today was Tanis' biological sisters wedding, here is my father, mother, sister Tanis and I. We are flashing a well known gang sign, the Wesley clan.


Here are two most important woman in my life, my mother and sister.


My mom and my auntie Mary. I have such a great relationship with Mary, we can really be silly around each other. We spend a lot of time laughing when we are together.


When my father saw how my beautiful was sister was at the church today, he got pretty chocked up.


My father with his two sisters, Auntie Josephine (left) and Auntie Agnes (right). My father's side is having a traditional meal tomorrow afternoon, "just for the brothers and sisters" auntie Aggie says. But I was given a special invitation since I'm heading back south on Monday.

I will post more pics tomorrow from my Wesley feast.


My mother and her younger brother Stan. I was hoping to catch my uncle Bill, but he escaped before this shot.

We were so blessed to have adopted Tanis just 3 weeks after she was born, she has been a absolute blessing to my family and our entire community. Here she is with her biological family, Melanie and David.

Participating in Cultural Activities

I was hoping for an intertribal but only Cree's showed up for the traditional Saturday bingo game down at Phoebe's house.

Nobody really walks away a winner, except of course for a select few who win. I, however, walked back to my parents house with my head held high and as proud as ever. Mainly because I didn't pay for my card, also because I got to sit around and play a fun game with Phoebe's parents, Frances and Phillip and her younger sister, Caroline.

Under the B 33!!

The Gathering is a wrap

Today is the last day of the gathering and things are slowly winding down. Since the Youth Conference is all done, I had time to check out some workshops today at the Cree Cultural Interpretive Centre.

Click on each photo to enlarge

Eddie and Caroline Trapper did a workshop in Snowshoe Making, here they are preparing sinew using a cutting instrument and some moosehide.

They gave the youth some hands on experience cutting sinew. This was a very popular workshop, a lot of people checked it out.

This morning right after community breakfast, Jocelyn Cheechoo spoke about her job in San Franciso at The Rainforest Action Network, http://www.ran.org/.

Later on that morning, Jocelyn presented a workshop on Global Environment Issues. This gave our people a better understanding of what's going on globally and how these changes will effect our people.

Here are two young people that I really admire, Jocelyn Cheechoo and Catherine Cheechoo. Catherine is the Nishnawbe-Aski Nation (NAN) Decade for Youth (http://www.nandecade.ca)coordinator/, she has been working with NAN youth for many years and is just finishing her first year in that position. There are so many Moose Cree People that are working all across North America, it is such an honour to apart of that special group of people.

My Father, Norm Wesley, presented a workshop on Traditional Cree Life Cycle. This was an excellent presentation, it gave the participants knowledge on our local First Nation Culture. All to often our people tend to adopt other traditional activities as our own, therefore neglecting our own unique culture. The Mushkegowuk People are unique, and our culture is unlike any other culture on the planet. I'm very happy that the people of Moose Factory are getting more organized to preserve and revive our regional traditional knowledge and practices via The Moose Factory Historical Society.

This is a pic of the Chisasibi youth, Phoebe Sutherland and I before they jumped on their bus to fly home.

This year's gathering theme is "Honouring our Youth and Geese." I think this theme is quite unique, and it shows how much we value our young people as well as our geese. As Mushkegowuk Cree, the goose is the sacred animal, our lifestyle revolves around them.

I had the pleasure of getting to meet Gerald McComb III at some training I did this spring here in Moose Factory. This young man lives an alcohol and drug free lifestyle, definately something I admire. As a person who has lived my entire life alcohol and drug free, I know how hard it can be sometimes. Take it from Gerald and I, it's possible to live a life without Alcohol and Drugs.

Another one bites the Bannock

As the people of Moose Factory continue on with their lives, I humbly pack up my gear and prepare for my next trip. Actually, I'm excited to have the rest of my trip home off so I can hang out and participate in the daily activities.


This is I flexing the dragon.

This is the Chisasibi chaperones and I at the conclusion of the conference. The Chisasibi youth saved the conference, due to overhwelmingly low attendance from the Mushkegowuk youth. Special Megwetch to the Chisasibi delegation for coming out and making a difference at this years gathering.

Hard-core Training

Today at the youth conference I had to lay the law down and demonstrate what could happen if they mess with me. I am laying out a combination bingo-breakdown/crouching tiger/tamarack attack technique. This is unofficially the most lethal move out there, made popular by the great Mushkegowuk Chief Alfred "The Spruce" Cree.

Check out their reactions, they are so intimidated. A definate sign of respect.

Gathering of our People in full swing

What a perfect time to come home; its middle of the summer and it's sweaty hot, and of course, The Gathering of our People is on. This is the time of year the Moose Cree People get together in Moose Factory to celebrate our creeness.

Every morning starts off with a community breakfast, this morning's community breakfast was sponsered by Mushkegowuk Council. Mushkegowuk is a PTO which represents 7 First Nation communities along the west coast of James Bay.

This is a picture of my auntie Mary with her grandson Liam. Liam is her pride and joy.

There are so many other activities planned for this week. Today is my last full day at the Youth Conference and I'll be able to check out the other activities, workshops and speakers.

Stay tuned for more pics.

Making the best of my trip home.

Here some pictures of what I have been up to over the last few days.

Last night was the Moose Cree Education Authority Post Secondary Awards Banquet and your truly was the man in the drivers seat once again. Tanya Jefferies asked me to MC the event, which was an honour. I don't get to strut my stuff much at home, so it was a special night.

check me out, I'm actually working.

My dear mom and dad looking sharp at last night's dinner.

Here I am with Melissa Biederman, she is currently living in Birch Island and is enrolled in a post secondary program. I am so proud of her, she is wonderful mother of two beautiful children and is a winner of a bursary award last night. They awarded an impressive $17, 700 in awards and bursaries last night.

My father and I at the conclusion of last night's event. He is the Executive Director of the Moose Cree Education Authority, and proud member of the team that serves the educational needs of Moose Cree First Nation.

The Mushkegowuk Youth Conference is in full swing. This is me and Brent Edwards, a great workshop facilitator from Fort Albany. He is presenting a workshop on breaking free from the shyness and his comedy troupe, Edwaduck Skit Row is performing tonight at the Gathering of our people.