WIKWEMIKONG—Wikwemikong, and the Manitoulin community, is showing its renowned hospitality as the Wikwemikong Nursing Home plays temporary host to 10 elderly evacuees from the Kashechewan First Nation after that community began to move its residents out as the waters that so often break the banks of the Albany River in the spring are wreaking havoc on the low-lying First Nation, located near Fort Albany high up on the Ontario west coast of James Bay.
Among the hundreds of citizens that were flown south, 10 were taken via ORNG Air helicopter to the Manitoulin East airport last Thursday where they were met by ambulance and taken on to the Wikwemikong Nursing Home.
Mike Jon Peltier, speaking on behalf of the Wikwemikong Nursing Home, explained that this is the third time in 30 years that Wikwemikong has hosted elderly evacuees from flood-ravaged Kashechewan.
All 10, he explained, speak Cree as their first language, with only one of the 10 knowing English. The group arrived with their own translator, he added.
“They’re doing very well right now,” Mr. Peltier said, noting that Sunday had the Cree visitors on a bus trip to Manitoulin’s First Nations communities with an outing planned for Tuesday to see the Chi-Cheemaun sail into South Baymouth. Another elder has asked to see the swing bridge in Little Current, and the nursing home is making arrangements to organize a tour of this later this week too, Mr. Peltier said.
“We had 10 empty beds available, and they took all of them,” he said of the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care, which organized the evacuation.
“We usually have them for one to three weeks, but it could be a lot longer,” he said.
The Cree elders were entertained by local musicians on Sunday, much to their delight, and thanks to a call put out by Mr. Peltier to all Cree-speaking Island residents, many people have responded with each of their talents being put to good use. A storytelling session has been arranged for this week, as well as good old-fashioned visits with people who speak their language.
“Some of them knew a little bit about Wiky—they think it’s like a big city here!” he laughed. “They are surprised to see how big Wikwemikong is. It was nice watching them sit out on Friday night watching the traffic.”
“We’re trying to keep them happy and we’ll continue to show them a good time,” Mr. Peltier added, explaining that the last time the nursing home hosted Kash evacuees, two people decided they liked it so much they stayed on permanently.
