Regaining Freedom

Maggie Etapp
June 15, 2011
Manawan

"I've been waiting five years to get a camp. "

Maggie Etapp, Eeyou

For a long time, the territory was open and people moved around freely, respecting places and people. Then, it gradually sealed itself up. Industrial exploitation and rapid changes in their way of life have kept Indigenous people away from the forest. Access to the territory is restricted. For members of the Waswanipi community, the camps, which are a promise of tranquility, are extremely difficult to obtain, as Maggie Etapp testifies. The path back to their roots is full of obstacles. There are many portages, but the effort is worth it. This is the way to regaining freedom.