A little bit about me, born in Misipawistik (Grand Rapids) Manitoba. I grew up in that small northern village and lived in a two storey log cabin with my kookum (grandmother), father and mother. The early years surrounded by an older brother, older sister, younger brother and younger sister and probably about 20 cousins, all within walking distance. I helped my father with his dogs, fishing and some trapping. I wasn’t much of a hunter, so my father gave up on trying to make me one but my kookum told him to leave me alone, my path was taking me on another journey.
I left Misipawistik when I was 16 to attend high school in Cranberry Portage, MB. I worked for the Department of Highways maintenance division during summer breaks from school. After graduation I worked for the Department of Highways Construction Surveys. The two years with the department, went from Misipawistik to Minago River, William Lake bush camps located next to Highway No. 6. When that job was completed I was sent to Soab Lake, a little lake situated between Waboden and Thompson, MB. My next stop would have been a camp between Thompson and Nelson House but decided against it. I hadn’t spent much time with my daughter who was born during my time at Minago River, it was time to go home.
I worked for a summer with a carpenter contractor but it was not a full time position and with two daughters I had no option but seek a steady job.
Later that summer I landed work with Manitoba Hydro and was sent to 8 Mile Channel, a bush camp located near Playgreen Lake and Lake Winnipeg, about a two hour drive from Norway House. When summer came I went back to Winnipeg, my partner was expecting and I decided against going back up north.
I found a job with the Department of Highways, Land Surveys Division, it meant being away from home but only five days a week and home on the weekends. Twenty three years later, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) came calling to train their lands unit employees all about land surveys. It was to be for a two year stint which ended up being the strangest twenty two year career.
The month before I retired I decided to put down on paper every place I either stayed in or visited while with the highways department and INAC, I stopped counting after reaching 140. The one thing that has remained with me all those times with the highways and INAC, nearly every motel, hotel I stayed in had the same lime green walls and same carpet design.
Duncan