The past few days have been a whirlwind, and because of a rockslide on the railway between Sept-Iles and Schefferville, the connection has been spotty.
So, let’s catch up!
Thursday, August 22:
I stopped at my friend Jeff’s house in upstate New York. Jeff’s place is a gorgeous cabin-style home nestled on the side of a mountain, right next to a babbling stream. The inside of his home is just as beautiful, with deep, dark wood and stained glass everywhere. It’s always a treat to stay there, and it’s the perfect halfway point between Baltimore and Montreal.
My journey began with a smooth drive through the Adirondacks to Montreal. The weather was perfect—cool breezes and clear skies made the lush, green mountains more breathtaking. Every time I pass through the Adirondacks, I feel I could stay there forever.
As much as I enjoyed the scenic drive, it wasn’t without a bit of drama. While cruising through the Adirondacks, I noticed a state trooper ahead who had pulled someone over. I knew I had to move over to give him space, but a Jeep tailgating me in the left lane refused to let me over. I finally squeezed into the middle of the road to get around the trooper, but about a half mile later, I got pulled over myself. I tried to explain to the officer that I’d attempted to move over, and after reviewing my dashcam footage together, he let me go with a warning. I’m glad he let me go, but most especially since I’ve worked on public service announcements about the Move Over law for the Baltimore City Department of Transportation.
When I reached Montreal, it was around 5:30 PM, just in time to pick up Marilyne from work. Navigating Montreal’s rush hour traffic is never fun, but with Marilyne beside me, we managed.
We checked into our hotel near the airport, where I parked Pishu, and then we went down to the hotel restaurant for dinner. Unfortunately, the meal was a bit of a letdown. We waited over an hour for our plates, and when they finally arrived, the food was dry and overcooked. The staff wasn’t very attentive, even though the restaurant wasn’t busy.
Still, we made the best of it, playing games and enjoying each other’s company. Afterward, we headed back upstairs and watched a bit of the DNC and The 3 Body Problem before heading to sleep.
Friday, August 23:
This morning was a little hectic. Because I didn’t have my full-size suitcase, I had to get creative with my luggage. I was afraid of getting in trouble like I had last time because of all the batteries, drones, and cameras I traveled with. Marilyne reminded me to relax, we kissed goodbye, and I made it on my shuttle on time.
The airport was pretty empty. When checking my luggage, I told the handler that one of the bags was full of equipment. She was no problem and sent me to the oversized section. They scanned it, gave it a special tag, and sent me on my way—easier than I thought!
I wound through the airport and made it to the northern traveler wing. It always gives me a strange feeling. The wind is very out-of-the-way, poorly maintained and cleaned, and always gives me segregation vibes. The majority of passengers in this part of the airport are indigenous.
I stopped at La Brasseur for a quick breakfast. Adnan, the head of the Naskapi telecom company Sichuun, was at the gate, heading up to do some work. They have outfitted the entire Elder’s Gathering site with WiFi for all the visitors coming. This is great for me because I’m hoping to upload lots of photos and videos the entire time.
After many hours and ups and downs from Montreal to Quebec City to Sept-Iles, I finally landed in Schefferville.
As soon as I got my baggage, Stella and Naomi took me out to the Elder’s gathering site! I took lots of photos, make sure you follow the page to see them all.
When I arrived, the camp was already buzzing with activity. I spent the day capturing photos, including drone shots of the entire site, which I plan to use to create a map later. It’s incredible to see how much the camp has grown, with more tents popping up as people arrive.
As the day turned to night, a stunning blood-red moon rose above the camp. It was a beautiful and surreal way to end the day.
I’m spent the night in a cozy little tent that the organizers let me use, bundled up under two blankets. The night air is brisk, but the blankets are warm, and I’m looking forward to tomorrow.
Saturday, August 24:
I woke up this morning after a solid night’s sleep, feeling refreshed and ready for the day. The cool night air helped me sleep well, and despite my tent lacking a stove, I stayed warm under the blankets.
The camp was already alive with activity when I woke up, but I took a moment to walk down to the lake to pray, meditate, and prepare mentally for the day.
Breakfast was simple but perfect—fresh blueberries from the bushes around the campsite. There’s nothing quite like the taste of wild blueberries in the morning.
Throughout the day, I followed the workers around the site, documenting their progress with my camera so that we could share updates on the Elders Gathering Facebook page.
As I walked, I was accompanied by a sweet Rez dog named Myles, who decided to stick by my side. It was comforting to have him with me.
My parents also visited the site today to manage a donation booth for the many tribes gathering here. The sense of community and generosity is wonderful, and it’s heartwarming to see everyone coming together.
The camp continues to grow as more people arrive. I flew my drone again this morning to update the map I’m creating in Illustrator, but by evening, there were already at least 20 more tents set up. And with three charter planes arriving tomorrow, the camp is set to grow even more.