Kohkom grew up in a different time
- Theron Sewap | May 26, 2014
My kohkom, Nancy McLeod, is 64-years-old. Her hometown is in Stanley Mission, SK. She was born at her trapline, Sandy Narrows 9 miles South of Pelican Narrows. When she was growing up, she had no T.V. or any electronics. Her and her siblings used to play outside and help out her dad when he killed a moose. In the summer they swam a lot and helped her dad lift the fishnets. She started school when she was 8 and her parents didn't let them go to the residential school; she had to wait for an opening at the day-school.
Nancy helped her dad trap animals. She lived at the trapline in the winter and fish camp in the summer. Her dad had a Sled-Dog team and they checked the fishnets with them. She has 5 children (all are grown-up) and she grew up with 13 siblings. Her first language was Cree, which was spoken all the time. She got married to my mosom in August 16, 1968; she met him on her own while going to school.
Elder Interview - My Perspective
I know my life and my kohkom's life are way different from each other. Especially when we were growing up. She grew up with her family in her "own world;" I grew up in a socialized town. It sounds like hers was better, being young and out at the trapline, having a lot to do like hunting, trapping, fishing, etc. I grew up in a whole different view of things.
She was born in 'the bush,' and I was born in the hospital. There are so much differences between me and her. Also our job payments; I get paid like $300 bi-weekly (15 hours a week) and she used to get like $90 bi-weekly and she worked 15 hours a day! That's a big difference right there by itself. We were born in different times though. Things like that changed a lot during the time in between her birth and my birth obviously. That's "My Perspective" about my Elder Interview.
"Theron Sewap is in my grade 9 class (at Rhoda Hardlotte Memorial Keethanow High School in Stanley Mission) and has done an excellent job this year. His attendance is 100% and his grade average is in the 90's. Theron also works part-time after school and on weekends at the local Co-op store. He is an excellent student and role model for his younger siblings and peers!" ~ Theron's grade 9 teacher, Eric Gardiner