Posted on by benjancewicz

Church, Boughs, Tents, Geese, Stars, and Firewood

So.

Internet at the Ka Mamunuiitananuch Cultural Site ended up being a lot less cooperative than I expected, and I ended up having just enough time to upload the pictures for the Elder’s Gathering every day on social media… and very little else.

So, now I’m catching up with my journal posts. I couldn’t upload much video work on the Elder’s Gathering page either, so I’m editing videos and uploading them now. My computer also had issues, which I’ll get into.

But for now, my plan is to make posts covering 2-3 days, until I catch up with the present day. So here it goes!

Sun, Aug 25

Naskapi Elders: Three Naskapi women standing together outside. All three are wearing colorful headscarves – one red, one multicolored, and one yellow. They are smiling and standing closely together, one with her arm around the other two. Behind them, there are some trees and small buildings under a cloudy sky.
Inside St. John’s Anglican Church: The interior of a small church, with light-colored walls and wooden pews. People are standing, singing, or holding hymn books during a service. Several women dressed in white and purple shawls stand in the foreground. A few other attendees are seated in the pews, while a minister in white robes with a green belt moves down the aisle.

Today started with a peaceful morning at St. John’s Anglican Church in Kawawachikamach. It was wonderful to see some of the Noohooms from the Elders Gathering outside, enjoying the quiet start to the day.

A rugged side-by-side vehicle parked on a gravel lot in front of a building with brown wood siding. The vehicle, a Yamaha Rhino with a camouflage paint job, has visible dirt on its tires and body. There is a white door on the side of the building in the background, along with a few windows and a satellite dish. A couple of green trash bins are also visible near the building. The sky is partly cloudy with patches of blue.

The Naskapi Nation has been generous enough to let me use a side-by-side vehicle to get around, and I’m incredibly grateful for it. I get a little dirty, but that’s all part of the experience out here. In the summer, the dust is everywhere no matter what you drive.

A close-up shot of a serving of caribou stew inside a takeout container lined with aluminum foil. The stew contains large chunks of tender caribou meat, potatoes, carrots, and peas, all immersed in a savory broth. The rustic presentation showcases a hearty, traditional dish, highlighting its rich, homemade quality. The background features a plain, light-colored table surface, with part of a red soda can visible on the right side of the image.

For lunch, I had in one of my absolute favorite dishes—caribou stew, prepared by the cooks at the Naskapi Kitchen.

A Naskapi woman is seen holding a bright red chainsaw, working at the base of a spruce tree. She's wearing gloves and safety gear while cutting down the spruce boughs. Behind her, the forest is dense, and orange-tinged needles show signs of early fall.
A woman, smiling, carries a large bag of spruce boughs on her shoulder through a forest. She wears glasses and black clothing, with the surrounding landscape full of lush green moss and trees.
A woman standing in a forest, holding freshly cut spruce boughs in her arms. She is smiling and surrounded by conifer trees and a mossy forest floor.
Four women standing on a gravel road, holding various tools, including chainsaws and axes. They pose proudly in front of a truck filled with spruce boughs, with a cloudy sky and forest in the background.
A bearded Benjamin Jancewicz, wearing a cap and hoodie, uses a chainsaw to cut a spruce tree in the forest. He focuses on the task as small branches fall away from the cut.

Afterward, I spent some time photographing Naskapi women as they gathered spruce boughs for the elders. At one point, they handed me a chainsaw to help out, which I happily did—though I didn’t realize I was getting my picture taken too!

A man wearing a green "Wrangler" T-shirt and blue baseball cap is seen carrying a sturdy wooden pole as part of tent setup. In the background, another man wearing protective sunglasses and gloves is assisting with the assembly of a canvas tent supported by wooden poles, while other tents and a white pavilion stand under a cloudy sky.
A young Naskapi man is playfully flexing his biceps and smiling for the camera. He is wearing a bright yellow "The North Face" T-shirt and a black baseball cap with a New York Yankees logo. Behind him, a campsite is in progress with white tents arranged in rows.
A Naskapi man, dressed in a black Under Armour T-shirt, is seen using an auger to drill holes in the ground next to a traditional canvas tent. The man concentrates on the task as he works to secure the tent structure. Behind him, various tools and tents are scattered across the camp.

The men were also busy, drilling holes and trimming tent poles to set up tents for the elders.

A row of traditional tents set up by the Naskapi, framed by wooden poles tied together with rope. The ground is covered in spruce boughs, and the tents are arranged in a linear formation, creating a clear path between them. The sky is overcast, giving the scene a muted, natural tone. The tents, made of off-white canvas, are part of a camp set up for the elders.
Another view of the camp, showing more traditional tents lined up in rows. The tents have wooden frames and white canvas walls, some covered by blue tarps for additional protection. The tents create a neat pathway in the middle, with logs and supplies scattered around the camp. The cloudy sky adds to the rustic feel of the camp setup.

It’s amazing to see entire streets created by rows of traditional tents.

A woman wearing a light gray cardigan stands in front of a wooden table, holding a goose in her hands as she prepares to burn the feathers off with a blowtorch. She is focused on the task, wearing black gloves for protection. Behind her, another woman, also holding a blowtorch, works on another goose at the same table. The ground around them is dirt and there are picnic tables in the background. The setting is outdoors, with a lake and forest visible in the distance under an overcast sky. Various supplies and tools are scattered around the workspace, with partially feathered geese on the table.

Behind the Big Tent, I helped Alexandria burn the feathers off of some geese. I learned how to do this when I was young, using a campfire, but we used a blowtorch instead due to the risk of forest fires. The scent of the burning feathers brought me back.

A side view of a large black Can-Am side-by-side utility vehicle parked on a dirt area surrounded by tall grass and trees. The vehicle is muddy from off-road use and features large rugged tires and a cargo bed in the back. The background includes a partially constructed building with Tyvek wrap and metal roofing, indicating an outdoor rural setting.

Later in the day, Martha-Joanne took me out in her boyfriend’s new ride to gather supplies from Kachikayach Lake for her grandmother Norma’s tent. She was kind enough to lend me a mattress and blankets so I could stay warm in my own tent.

A panoramic view of Kachikayach Lake under a partly cloudy sky. The water is still, reflecting the clouds above, and the distant shoreline is visible, creating a tranquil scene. On both sides of the frame, green bushes and trees line the edges of the lake, while a small section of rocky shoreline is visible in the foreground. The horizon stretches across the middle of the image, with rolling hills in the distance.

Kachikayach is such a peaceful and grounding place, I miss our cabin there.

A wide-angle shot of a vibrant sunset over the tent village. In the foreground, the Naskapi flag flutters in the breeze, and a row of trucks is parked. The sky is awash with purples, oranges, and reds as the sun dips below the horizon, casting a warm glow over the rows of white traditional tents.
Another wide-angle drone shot of the tent village at sunset. The sky is filled with dramatic, colorful clouds, and the village below shows a peaceful scene with tents organized into neat rows. Trucks are scattered throughout the area, and the horizon stretches endlessly into the darkening forest.
A breathtaking sunset bathes the sky in vivid shades of red, orange, and purple. Silhouetted against the dramatic sky are traditional Naskapi tents supported by wooden poles. A Naskapi flag stands tall amidst the tents, swaying gently in the evening breeze. The horizon is lined with the silhouettes of trees, completing this peaceful, vibrant scene.

As we made our way back, the sun began to set and I flew my drone to capture the stunning colors of the sky as it dipped below the horizon.

A faint green glow from the Northern Lights spreads across the dark night sky above a silhouette of thin, towering trees in a remote forest. The sky is dotted with stars, adding to the magical atmosphere of the scene.
The greenish glow of the Northern Lights can be seen in the starry night sky above Naskapi tents, framed by tall, rustic wooden poles supporting the tents' structures. The tents have blue tops, adding a pop of color to the nighttime landscape.
A magnificent view of the night sky filled with thousands of stars and the Milky Way stretching across the horizon. The dark sky is speckled with clusters of distant stars, creating a sense of wonder and vastness.

The day ended with a moment of awe as I watched the Northern Lights dance across the sky. There’s something indescribably special about living in a place where you can casually look up and see the entire universe unfold above you.

I feel so lucky to have spent the whole day working on the land I love with the people I love.

Mon, Aug 26

A close-up selfie of Benjamin Jancewicz with a gray beard, wearing a light pink shirt. The background reveals a rugged landscape of wild plants, tree stumps, and logs, indicating a natural or forested area. The man has a calm expression and the sun is shining, casting a soft light across his face.
A shallow, clear lake with sunlight illuminating the rocks and pebbles at the bottom. The water ripples gently, creating a textured surface while maintaining visibility of the submerged, sandy-colored stones below.

I’ve come to really appreciate my mornings by Hanas Lake. There’s something so grounding and peaceful about starting the day in such a calm place. It centers me and helps me focus on the tasks ahead.

A plate of homemade breakfast consisting of scrambled eggs with melted cheese, crispy bacon, and two slices of buttered toast. The meal is set on a beige plate, resting on a gray and white patterned tablecloth. This breakfast was prepared after a return trip to Kawawachikamach for a shower and some quiet time.

There wasn’t any breakfast at the camp this morning, so I rode back to Kawawachikamach to take a good shower and make myself some breakfast.

A wiskichak (gray jay) is captured mid-flight, wings outstretched, as it flies toward a tent pole. The wooden tent structure and nearby tents are visible, set against a cloudy sky. The bird is believed to bring good luck.

As soon as I returned to the camp, a Wiskichak visited the camp, perching on my tent, and then on my neighbors. I’ve been told that these birds are good luck, and that good hunters would always leave a little bit of food out for them.

A man is standing in a large metal container filled with chopped firewood, holding a log in his hands. In the foreground, the back of a side-by-side vehicle is filled with more split firewood, ready for distribution. The scene is outdoors, under a partly cloudy sky, with another truck visible in the background. Benjamin Jancewicz is helping load and distribute firewood to various people at the camp.

Much of the camp needed firewood, so I spent most of the day helping people load up and distribute it. There’s something satisfying about contributing to the warmth and comfort of the camp, even in such a simple way.

Image of a person smiling while cleaning fish at the Naskapi Kitchen: A person wearing a light brown hoodie with "The North Face" printed on it smiles while cleaning a fish at the Naskapi Kitchen. Two others beside her work on preparing birds. In the foreground are large trays of fresh fish and birds awaiting preparation.
Image of two women cleaning fish and birds: Two women are focused on preparing food. One woman on the left is cleaning birds while wearing a pink shirt with a towel draped around her neck. The other woman is on the right wearing glasses, a plaid dress, and blue gloves as she works with a bird.
Image of an elder preparing meat in the Naskapi Kitchen: An elder sits at a table cutting a large piece of meat. In front of her are trays filled with chunks of caribou. She looks calmly into the camera, with kitchen supplies visible in the background.

Because I need both power and a strong internet connection for my work, they set me up in the Naskapi Kitchen. It’s a good spot—not only because of the resources, but because I’m surrounded by the warmth and delicious smells of people preparing great food.

Benjamin Jancewicz's father, Bill Jancewicz, stands on a stage inside the big tent, leading a prayer alongside Maggie Mokoush-Swappie. They are dressed in traditional clothing, with Bill wearing a vest with colorful detailing, and Maggie holding a phone to read from. In the background, evergreen trees and traditional garments decorate the stage.
A second photo showing Bill Jancewicz and Maggie Mokoush-Swappie standing side by side on the stage. Bill reads from a phone while Maggie looks on thoughtfully. The soft sunlight filters through the tent, highlighting their traditional clothing and the peaceful atmosphere inside the big tent.

My dad, Bill Jancewicz, and Maggie Mokoush-Swappie led prayers and singing in the big tent today. Hearing their voices lift in prayer and song, with the camp growing quiet to listen, was a touching moment.

Image of an elder man in a gray shirt and a "Bass Pro Shops" hat: A close-up photo of a smiling elder man sitting outside a log cabin. He is wearing sunglasses, a gray polo shirt, and a watch. The warm sunlight casts soft shadows on the wooden wall behind him.
Two Naskapi elder women sitting together outside a log cabin: Two Naskapi elder women, one in a red jacket and the other in a navy-blue jacket and headscarf, sit together on a wooden bench outside a log cabin. They are bathed in golden sunlight, smiling softly as they enjoy the late afternoon.
A young woman and an elder woman laughing together: A joyful moment captured as a young woman in a black shirt sits with an elderly woman who is laughing, wearing a gray sweater and purple pants. They sit on a bench outside a log cabin with the name "Kitty" engraved on a sign above.

More elders were moving into the camp, and Naskapi elders occupied the 5 cabins surrounding the Big Tent.

A woman wearing a brown shirt concentrates as she uses a knife to clean a fish. She’s standing inside a white tent with plastic chairs in the background.
A second woman in a gray zip-up jacket and black bandana works alongside the first, carefully slicing a large fish, with a younger woman sitting in the background.
A container filled with cleaned fish, including large fillets and whole fish, with some salmon pieces arranged on the side, ready for cooking or further preparation.

Some elders stopped by the kitchen to offer advice and tips to the younger women who were cooking.

The sun sets behind a horizon of tents at the Naskapi camp, casting a warm golden light across the sky. The tents are framed by wooden poles, and a sign reading 'Magic English' is visible on one of them. The sky is filled with wispy clouds painted with soft hues of yellow, orange, and purple as the day transitions into evening. People gather around the tents, with some sitting and talking in the foreground, enjoying the peaceful atmosphere of the sunset.

Meanwhile, families were settling into their tents, preparing beds and visiting areas for the evening ahead.

Natush Peastitute stands in front of a white tent at the Naskapi camp during sunset. He is wearing a black jacket and a baseball cap, looking directly at the camera with a calm expression. Behind him, the sun is setting, casting a warm golden glow across the sky, with soft clouds illuminated by the fading light. The camp's tents and poles are visible in the background, and the scene captures the peaceful yet industrious atmosphere of the camp where Natush has been working hard for over a week, building platforms and setting up beds for the elders.

I’ve also noticed how hard workers like Natush Peastitute have been working. They’ve been here for over a week, building platforms, setting up beds, and installing tents for the elders. The level of dedication is inspiring.

A colorful sunset over the camp with tents and wooden poles visible in silhouette. The sky is filled with vibrant shades of orange, pink, and purple as the sun sets behind the trees on the horizon. The camp is peaceful and quiet, with tents glowing softly in the fading light.
A close-up of a Naskapi woman in an orange shirt standing at a table with cut-up cantaloupe in hand. She holds half of the melon, showing its orange flesh while smiling warmly at the camera. She is wearing blue gloves and working in a kitchen space with food supplies in the background.
Two Naskapi women stand side by side, one cutting a pineapple and the other slicing oranges into small wedges. Both wear protective gloves and work on a large plastic board in the camp kitchen. The table is filled with fruits and bags of orange slices, with kitchen supplies stacked behind them.
A Naskapi elder in a pink shirt sits at a table chopping vegetables with a large knife. The table is covered with foil pans full of cubed vegetables, and she appears focused on her work. The background shows the interior of the camp kitchen with stacked food supplies and kitchen equipment.
A group of Naskapi women in the kitchen, preparing food. Two of the women, one in an orange shirt and the other in a plaid top, smile while chopping various fruits and vegetables. They work amidst stacks of food supplies in the camp kitchen, surrounded by plastic containers, knives, and other kitchen tools.

As dusk began to fall, the camp slowed down, becoming softer and quieter. But the work in the kitchen wasn’t over yet! The ladies there were already busy preparing breakfast for the next day. While preparing cantaloupe, I couldn’t help but laugh when someone said, “This is just like butchering a seal!” Only in the North could you hear something like that!

The bright half-moon glows through a slightly cloudy night sky, illuminating tents covered in tarps and tree branch poles. The dark forest background adds to the serene nighttime atmosphere.
A breathtaking night sky filled with stars, with traditional tents below, illuminated softly. The campfire's glow in the background adds a warm light, while the sky remains clear and star-filled.
The moon shines brightly in the night sky, surrounded by stars. Tents, supported by tree branches, are dimly lit from within, offering a peaceful scene against the vast Northern sky.

By the time the half-moon rose, the stars were putting on a spectacular show, undimmed by the moonlight.

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