August 2006 - Interview with Elizabeth Penashue

Translator (Innu-Aimun): Rose Gregoire
Interviewer: Franziska von Rosen
Place: Sheshatshiu, Labrador

Franziska von Rosen: Could we begin by you giving me your name and telling me a bit about your background?

Elizabeth Penashue: I am Elizabeth Penashue. I am from  Sheshashui. My mother and my father, my brothers and my sisters always stayed in the “country.” My parents always hunted in the bush in the country. Sorry I do not speak English very much. I should speak it more.

My mother and my father taught me everything in the bush, in the country. Now when I go out in the country, often without my husband and take children and grandchildren with me, I know how to do everything to survive because my parents taught me so well. Now I want to pass that knowledge on to my children and my grandchildren every time I go into the bush.

FvR: Where were you born, Elizabeth?

EP: I was born somewhere in the area of Churchill Falls.

FvR: Was the drum and dancing part of your experience growing up?

EP: I did not see much of that when I was out in the country. In the community I saw dancing. My mother and my eldest sister were baby-sitting my young brother when my mother and my father were invited out to another camp where there was a drummer. But I stayed home. When I was baby-sitting my brother, I would think why does my mother always go to dance. Now I understand. Every time I see the people dancing I feel I want to dance. And every time I dance I think about when I walk in the bush in the country for a month. Then when I dance, I think I’m strong. I really respect the drum and the dance.

When I walk in the bush with my people, my children and my grandchildren, I am just very proud of my culture. When I dance, it is just like completing a circle, continuing that pride. It is so important.

FvR: Why do you want your grandchildren to learn to dance?

EP: Because my mother and father always went to drum dance and I dance. It is important to pass that on to my grandchildren. When I see the drum and stick, that is so important. I remember my mother’s father sang with the drum, and at first I did not understand. I am just quiet and I look, thinking why, why. Now I understand and it is so important.

FvR: Can you remember any one event or events when that understanding about the drum came to you?

EP: There was one event but she did not know what they were celebrating.

FvR: What more would you like to say, Elizabeth?

EP: I want to say that it is very, very important what I am doing. A canoe trip to protect the rivers and the animals and the people. Every time that I go when we stop for the camp and go into the woods, to cut the sticks and the boughs for the tent, I can see the people a long time ago; I can see old traps, and then I stop and pick the boughs. I look and I sit down. I am thinking how many years these people are here? It is not only one place; it is many, many places.

Sometimes we stop and I see the old camps.  Sometimes they left an old stove. If they know they are not going to use it any more, they leave it in the woods. That is why we have to protect the rivers. If the government builds a dam, all of that will be under the water. Trees, everything and animals. Sometimes I feel that animals talk to me: What are we going to eat?  Where are we going to stay?

It is so important what I am doing – going into the country with my grandchildren. I want the children to come when I go into the bush to teach them, so that when I am gone they will have this knowledge. And I often say to my children and grandchildren, I hope one of you will do the same thing that I am doing when I am gone. That is why I will not give up yet. I still feel strong and healthy. I do not want to give up what I am doing for the sake of Innu culture, the animals and everything. If I stop, what is going to happen to my people and the children? Everybody needs to eat good food. People and animals need clean water. Animals should not drink dirty water. And sometimes I find it very hard to explain to the government what I try to do.

FvR: Thank you.

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This project was made possible with the support of the Department of Canadian Heritage through Canadian Culture Online

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