Nine of the fifty-seven aboriginal communities in Quebec are Cree. One of the most distinctive characteristics of Cree culture is their close relationship to nature, as well, they are some of the most isolated communities in the province. This isolation, primarily caused by their poor road connections to major urban environments has had a huge incidental impact in the way they have maintained their cultural traditions of hunting, fishing and going off to “the bush”.
A big percentage of the Cree community express frustration with the massive exploitation of natural resources in their territories by outside corporations. Though this “development” brings with it the conveniences of modern life, the Cree also see how it is destroying nature.
Waskaganish (“Little House” in the Cree language) is a small reserve located at the mouth of the Rupert River, on the South-East shore of James Bay (Quebec, Canada). It has a population of approximately 2200 people.
This portfolio is the result of spending several days in Waskaganish living among its people. My intention is to portray their community, their family life, and provide a personal impression of their reality.
