Ouje-BougoumouOuje-Bougoumou

“the place where people gather”

Kwaay!Kwaay!

It is with great pleasure that, on It is with great pleasure that, on behalf of the Oujé-Bougoumou Cree behalf of the Oujé-Bougoumou Cree Nation, I welcome you to Oujé-Nation, I welcome you to Oujé-Bougoumou. Under our former Bougoumou. Under our former Chief, Abel Bosum’sChief, Abel Bosum’s leadership, we leadership, we undertook a dramatic and undertook a dramatic and remarkable journey from the remarkable journey from the squalor and marginalization most squalor and marginalization most usually associated wit the Third usually associated wit the Third World to an optimistic and forward-World to an optimistic and forward-looking model aboriginal village. looking model aboriginal village. The history of Oujé-Bougoumou is a The history of Oujé-Bougoumou is a heroic story of the determination of heroic story of the determination of a small community of Cree a small community of Cree aboriginal people to overcome the aboriginal people to overcome the spread of mining and forestry spread of mining and forestry industries, with their unending industries, with their unending hunger for natural resources, into hunger for natural resources, into the furthest reaches of North the furthest reaches of North America.America. summary of welcome from chief at www.ouje.ca

Chief Sam Bosum,Oujé-BougoumouCree Nation

PAST

Our small group of people were content for Our small group of people were content for

centuries pursuing our traditional way of life based centuries pursuing our traditional way of life based

on hunting and fishing. The Oujé-Bougoumou people on hunting and fishing. The Oujé-Bougoumou people

welcomed the early prospectors to our region and welcomed the early prospectors to our region and

escorted them throughout the territory helping them escorted them throughout the territory helping them

to survive in the sometimes harsh climate. As mineral to survive in the sometimes harsh climate. As mineral

deposits were identified in increased quantities more deposits were identified in increased quantities more

people entered the territory. Mining camps gave way people entered the territory. Mining camps gave way

to settlements which eventually gave way to towns. to settlements which eventually gave way to towns.

As the mining activities increased the Oujé-As the mining activities increased the Oujé-

Bougoumou people came to be seen as an obstacle to Bougoumou people came to be seen as an obstacle to

industrial growth. industrial growth.

We were forced to relocate our villages time after We were forced to relocate our villages time after

time to make way for new mines. Between 1920 and time to make way for new mines. Between 1920 and

1970, the Oujé-Bougoumou people were forced to 1970, the Oujé-Bougoumou people were forced to

relocate no fewer than seven times. We witnessed relocate no fewer than seven times. We witnessed

our villages repeatedly destroyed. And we were left, our villages repeatedly destroyed. And we were left,

scattered, to live in deplorable conditions as scattered, to live in deplorable conditions as

"squatters" on the land we had occupied since time "squatters" on the land we had occupied since time

immemorial.immemorial.

PRESENT

But the Oujé-Bougoumou people refused to But the Oujé-Bougoumou people refused to

disappear. We decided to make our stand and take our disappear. We decided to make our stand and take our

rightful place in the region as the original inhabitants rightful place in the region as the original inhabitants

and the centuries-old stewards of the land. After a and the centuries-old stewards of the land. After a

lengthy and protracted political struggle and, against lengthy and protracted political struggle and, against

all odds, Oujé-Bougoumou won recognition by the all odds, Oujé-Bougoumou won recognition by the

Government of Canada and the Province of Quebec of Government of Canada and the Province of Quebec of

our right to live as a community. We began to re-build our right to live as a community. We began to re-build

our village and restore the community life which had our village and restore the community life which had

been shattered. Our courage and our commitment been shattered. Our courage and our commitment

throughout the years was sustained by our yearning to throughout the years was sustained by our yearning to

live together again as a community. That live together again as a community. That

determination was translated into the building of a determination was translated into the building of a

new village. In Oujé-Bougoumou an enormous new village. In Oujé-Bougoumou an enormous

creativity was unleashed which was applied to the creativity was unleashed which was applied to the

construction of a new village. construction of a new village.

~ ~ Chief Sam Bosum

We are now in the We are now in the

process of transferring process of transferring

that creativity and that that creativity and that

enthusiasm to the enthusiasm to the

building of community. building of community.

Having successfully built Having successfully built

an award-winning an award-winning

village-basically a village-basically a

physical shell-we are now physical shell-we are now

re-building our re-building our

community and focusing community and focusing

on those areas of on those areas of

community life which will community life which will

be essential to our long-be essential to our long-

term health and viability. term health and viability.

It was important to have a It was important to have a physical reflection of the physical reflection of the Ouje-Bougoumou people, Ouje-Bougoumou people, their values and culture in their values and culture in the buildings. The village the buildings. The village design is circular, with the design is circular, with the Shaptuwan (traditional Shaptuwan (traditional meeting place for feasts) meeting place for feasts) in the center and at the in the center and at the top of the hill. The inner top of the hill. The inner rings are lined with rings are lined with community buildings, community buildings, which reflects the Ouje-which reflects the Ouje-Bougoumou tradition of Bougoumou tradition of sharing. The homes are sharing. The homes are built in clusters, just as built in clusters, just as the old camps were, and the old camps were, and their doors face east their doors face east where the sun rises, as the where the sun rises, as the elders demanded.elders demanded.

HEALING CENTRE-CLINIC

PEACEKEEPER STATION

YOUTH CENTRE

CHURCH

The new village has helped work through some of the The new village has helped work through some of the old legacy of social problems for example, some former old legacy of social problems for example, some former drinkers have sobered up and much of the domestic drinkers have sobered up and much of the domestic fighting and child abuse of the past has stopped. fighting and child abuse of the past has stopped. Having experienced total despair and the social Having experienced total despair and the social problems that accompany that despair, the band was problems that accompany that despair, the band was left with some damage that needs repair – left with some damage that needs repair – the village is part of that healing. the village is part of that healing. It is ironic that Ouje-Bougoumou, with all its beauty It is ironic that Ouje-Bougoumou, with all its beauty and cultural significance, was much cheaper to build and cultural significance, was much cheaper to build than a reserve. It is proof that transferring resources than a reserve. It is proof that transferring resources to native people is the path to helping them out of to native people is the path to helping them out of their misery; handing out money and jobs solves their misery; handing out money and jobs solves nothing.Instead of winning people's sympathy we are nothing.Instead of winning people's sympathy we are now gaining people's respect." now gaining people's respect."

-David Bosum, band member-David Bosum, band member

Awards of Excellence

United Nations "We the Peoples" AwardOujé-Bougoumou was recently honoured by the international community by receiving one of the "We the Peoples: 50 Communities Award“ in 1995, one of the programs established to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the United Nations.

Canada Mortgage and Housing Award In 1994, Oujé-Bougoumou received honourable mention from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation ( CMHC ) in a competition for housing innovations in the category of "Technology and Production". The award was presented in recognition of the installation of a biomass fuelled districts heating system and its impact on the local housing program.

Habitat II: Best Practices AwardThe Together Foundation and the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements ( UNCHS ) worked as partners in 1995 to compile a "knowledge base" of Best Practices for Human Settlements information as submitted by communities from around the world.The Technical Advisory Committee selected Oujé-Bougoumou as one of the top initiatives to receive a Best Practices designation.First presented at the United Nations Habitat II City Summit in 1996, the successful entries play an important role in identifying ways in which shared solutions can address issues such as poverty, access to land and clean water, population, shelter, and transportation.

Expo 2000Oujé-Bougoumou has been asked to have an exhibit at the world's fair Expo2000, to be held in Hannover, Germany. The International Advisory Board to Expo2000 felt that Oujé-Bougoumou exemplifies the objective of this world's fair, which is the balancing of mankind, nature, and technology.

Global Citizen Award O ujé-Bougoumou received an award from the United Nations Association in 1995. The award, entitled the "Global Citizen" Award was presented at a special award ceremony held in Ottawa in recognition of Ouje-Bougoumou having built a community which was both environmentally and people-friendly. The presentation was made by special Undersecretary Gillian Martin Sorenson.

Actualization of Church Ouje-Bougoumou Experience

•We are a group of Christ followers with the same vision and mission•Using our gifts to serve God and His

     people outside the church walls•Focusing on the commitment of loving people other than the number of people saved•Spiritual growth is not just doing good deeds but being transformed through God’s Mission