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shambling walk, slanted eyes, and a thick tongue, and he babbled in
his own language.
This is also a story, albeit sketchy, of a native people attempting tc
regain a little of what they once had in abundance: freedom, equali-
ty, independence, land, pride, justice, dreams, and the chance to
show and to say, “This I can do.” They failed to regain a single inch
or ounce of what they once had, mainly because of the Indian Affairs
Branch and the Indian Act, but partly because of their implicit trust
in the promises made by the government that it would look after
them, and because of their own petty jealousies and suspicions.
The Indians have a story to illustrate this facet of their character:
On the morning of their fishing expedition, an Indian and a White
Man caught crabs, which they were going to use as bait. As they
caught the crabs, they put them in pails.
“Guess that should be enough,” the Indian observed when his pail
was half full.
“Think so?” the White Man rejoined, doubtful as ever that he’'d
had enough of anything.
“Yeah. We can always get some more if we run short.”
“Never thought of that,” the White Man remarked, looking into
his pail, which was half full. “Maybe we should have a bite to eat
before we go out,” he added, as usual hungry for something.
“Good idea,” the Indian agreed, reminded of his own empty stom-
ach. He set his pail of crabs down next to the boat, then turned to go.
“Aren’t you going to put a cover on your pail?” the White Man
asked in alarm. “Your crabs might get away.”
“Nah!” the Indian scoffed. “Just like us Indians, them. Firs’ one
tries to get out won’t get too far. Others will pull him back ’fore he
goes two steps.”
To those already mentioned, family, the deceased, I add the names of
kin, friends, neighbors, and acquaintances who shared what they
knew of the principals in David’s and my grandmother’s lives, and of
the past of Cape Croker. Alfred (Indian Act) Jones, Norman McLeod,
Maggie Desjardines, John Angus, Christine Keeshig (Grandmother’s
sister), Gregor Keeshig, Francis Nadjiwon, Antoine Akiwenzie,
Henry and Verna Johnston, Joe and Irene Akiwenzie, Tom Jones,
14
his own language.
This is also a story, albeit sketchy, of a native people attempting tc
regain a little of what they once had in abundance: freedom, equali-
ty, independence, land, pride, justice, dreams, and the chance to
show and to say, “This I can do.” They failed to regain a single inch
or ounce of what they once had, mainly because of the Indian Affairs
Branch and the Indian Act, but partly because of their implicit trust
in the promises made by the government that it would look after
them, and because of their own petty jealousies and suspicions.
The Indians have a story to illustrate this facet of their character:
On the morning of their fishing expedition, an Indian and a White
Man caught crabs, which they were going to use as bait. As they
caught the crabs, they put them in pails.
“Guess that should be enough,” the Indian observed when his pail
was half full.
“Think so?” the White Man rejoined, doubtful as ever that he’'d
had enough of anything.
“Yeah. We can always get some more if we run short.”
“Never thought of that,” the White Man remarked, looking into
his pail, which was half full. “Maybe we should have a bite to eat
before we go out,” he added, as usual hungry for something.
“Good idea,” the Indian agreed, reminded of his own empty stom-
ach. He set his pail of crabs down next to the boat, then turned to go.
“Aren’t you going to put a cover on your pail?” the White Man
asked in alarm. “Your crabs might get away.”
“Nah!” the Indian scoffed. “Just like us Indians, them. Firs’ one
tries to get out won’t get too far. Others will pull him back ’fore he
goes two steps.”
To those already mentioned, family, the deceased, I add the names of
kin, friends, neighbors, and acquaintances who shared what they
knew of the principals in David’s and my grandmother’s lives, and of
the past of Cape Croker. Alfred (Indian Act) Jones, Norman McLeod,
Maggie Desjardines, John Angus, Christine Keeshig (Grandmother’s
sister), Gregor Keeshig, Francis Nadjiwon, Antoine Akiwenzie,
Henry and Verna Johnston, Joe and Irene Akiwenzie, Tom Jones,
14
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