Mack Hall, HSG
When You’re up to Your Apostrophe in Frozen Alligators
The current spell of global
warming has set us to checking pipe insulation, wrapping old towels and sheets
around outside faucets, considering how much firewood is left in anticipation
of power lines being downed by ice, making sure the generator is working, taking
an inventory of batteries, and catching up on the laundry.
Our northern neighbors may
scoff at us, but when in our semi-tropical milieu we find ourselves up to our
apostrophes in frozen alligators we are ‘way out of our comfort zone.
If we were to travel even zonier
north and then east we might come to the land of the Innu in Labrador and find
ourselves zoned out of many of our existential frames of reference.
Anthony Germain has
reported for Canadian Broadcasting for some years, both on radio and tv, not
only in Canada but in China and as a war correspondent among bloody scenes in
Whosestupidideawasthisistan. Midlife through the journey of life, as Dante
might say, Anthony did not find himself in a darksome wood but in class as he
returned to school part-time to teach journalism to university students and to
learn how to teach younger children.
As part of his practicum Anthony
is now teaching (MTIE Board Office - Home (innueducation.ca)
in Natuashish in the Mushuau Innu First
Nation in northern Labrador (innu.ca). No roads lead to or from
Natuashish; it accessible only by sea or the airport’s gravel runway.
The Innu Nation consists
of a population of some 3,200 people. Natuashish is one of two towns, with
about 800 people. The school is K-12, following the provincial program and also
layering in Innu language, songs, art, and naturecraft.
And it’s cold.
Cold.
In January and February
the temperature lurks constantly around zero, and there are only about six
hours of daylight. Even the ice and snow complain about the cold.
To the Innu our current
snap sometimes dropping into the teens would be merely brisk.
The Innu have lived there
for some 8,000 years, though, and they make it work.
As for me, well, I’m going
to put another log on the fire right here where I am.
natuashish school - Bing images
-30-
No comments:
Post a Comment