Elder Annie Mckenzie was raised at a trapline along the Churchill River. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

Jim's Camp

Elder isolated at remote fishing camp finds peace of mind amid global pandemic

Jun 17, 2020 | 3:33 PM

The coronavirus pandemic brought a new normal into our lives, but for Elder Annie Mckenzie, life has gone back to an earlier time.

Less than a week after the World Health Organization declared the start of the pandemic, she relocated from her home in Stanley Mission on March 17 to Jim’s Fishing Camp along the Churchill River. In an effort to demonstrate how she’s staying healthy and to showcase the Cree lifestyle and tradition, she invited members of the media to the camp to join herself and her family Tuesday.

Mckenzie also did an interview with larongeNOW with the assistance of her daughter Darlene Mckenzie who translated her comments from Cree to English.

“She feels happy and blessed that’s she’s here near the waterfall at this beautiful place, but it’s nothing new to her,” Mckenzie translated. “She grew up on the trapline way down river, so this is her lifestyle.”

Jim’s Fishing Camp, located about 20 kilometers by boat from Stanley Mission, is well-known to many residents of Saskatchewan as people begin calling in the spring to book a cabin at the site for the summer months. In most years, the camp is completely booked in June, but the family isn’t currently taking any reservations because of the coronavirus.

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Journalists were invited to speak with Elder Annie Mckenzie and her family June 16. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

The camp is also situated at a unique location as it’s only a 10-minute walk to Nistowiak Falls, one of the highest waterfalls in the province. The site is where Lac La Ronge drains into the Churchill River.

“It doesn’t take much to stay out here,” Mckenzie translated. “She just does the basic, daily work like getting the wood for the fire, getting the water from the lake and just to stay active. If she was in Stanley, she would be stuck at home watching TV or playing bingo. Being out here, she’s outdoors and staying active which is what she needs for her health.”

When Elder Annie Mckenzie first arrived at the camp in March, she travelled to the site via snowmobile. She brought with her two sleighs full of supplies and her diet in recent months is complemented with wild food such as fish, beaver or moose meat almost daily. She’s also been well taken care of by her family as she can no longer do many traditional activities she once did during her younger years.

Jim’s Fishing Camp is a popular family-owned northern getaway. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

The name of the camp comes from the late Jim Mckenzie who passed away in 2004. His family had been using the site for countless years, but began maintaining a permanent presence in 1971. By 1984, several cabins had been built on the site and the camp officially opened to the public.

“She’s planning on staying here and she’s not going to go back unless she gets sick or if there’s any community deaths to show her support,” Mckenzie translated. “She’s happy, she’s here alone and enjoying it.”

Pictographs can be seen along the Churchill River on the way to Jim’s Fishing Camp. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

Lac La Ronge Indian Band Chief Tammy Cook-Searson and local councillors joined journalists on the trip to Jim’s Fishing Camp. Cook-Searson noted it’s important for band members to be prepared for emergencies like a pandemic the best they can individually, but acknowledged not everyone has the means of doing so.

When Cook-Searson got off the boat when it first reached the camp, she said she felt a sense of calmness. She also noticed all the work being done to maintain the site.

“They looked really happy and they [were] really enjoying themselves,” she said. “Annie and her family came out here even before we had assistance given out to families. It was her decision to come out here to be safer.”

–

derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno