Maps and Territory

Allan Saganash
June 17, 2011
Waswanipi

"They don't use them because they don't understand them."

Allan Saganash, Eeyou

When he was chief, Allan Saganash's grandfather saw Non-Natives—prospectors—people he had never met before, who drove the animals away. Even then, he spoke of the importance of protecting the territory. So, Allan Saganash works with maps. Some are kept secret and belong to the families. They indicate access to trails, moose, bear dens and fishing areas. Others are used in consultation meetings with the Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs for forest planning. They focus on the traplines and territories where families live, hunt and fish. Only a few companies use them.