Far North Friday #95: RIP Chief Mike Carpenter
Yesterday (Dec. 22/22), I learned about, and was saddened by, the passing of former Chief Mike Carpenter, a member of Attawapiskat First Nation.
Mike was Chief of Attawapiskat First Nation at an interesting time. There were many discussions with the community members, with many company representatives, and many Government officials during the lead up to the opening of the Victor (diamond) Mine operated by DeBeers Canada and the negotiations related to the impact and benefits agreement. It was a new experience for all. Although I was not involved in any of those discussions, I appreciated the toll those meetings had on Attawapiskat First Nation and its leadership. Sometimes, Chief Mike would talk a bit about those tolls. He was quietly philosophical about the experience.
Although I was not involved in any of the development meetings, Chief Mike nevertheless had time to attend our geology information meetings and community discussions (Photo 1). He always turned up the morning after to share a coffee, insights, advice, and learnings (Photo 2). I appreciated his perspective and learned a lot from him.
Photo 1: Chief Mike Carpenter arriving to attend an information meeting between the Attawapiskat First Nation elders and Ontario Geological Survey officials about geological mapping. Photo composed by Andy Fyon, in Attawapiskat, along the coast of James Bay, Jan. 25/07.
Photo 2: Chief Mike Carpenter stopped by the Attawapiskat First Nation Lands and Resources office the morning after our information between the elders and Ontario Geological Survey officials. He would enjoy a coffee and share his insights about the meeting. Photo composed by Andy Fyon, in Attawapiskat First Nation Lands and Resources Office, along the coast of James Bay, Aug. 28/08.
Chief Mike also had a wicked sense of humour. There was one funny story he shared more than once. It was the story of the tourist, fresh moose tracks along the Attawapiskat River, the smell of those tracks (wink wink), and what that smell told an expert First Nation tracker about the proximity of the moose! The ending of the story was classic and we always had a big laugh.
I recall one visit to Attawapiskat, a community person stopped me on the street and said “the Chief was looking for you”. I was told to go to the boat launch, where I found Chief Mike and his son rushing to prepare his freighter canoe. Chief wanted to take me for a boat ride out onto James Bay. I was thrilled - very cool! I asked him “why the rush?”. Geologists have this thing about time. Chief answered, with a smile “tide is turning and we have to leave now or the water will be too low for us to return”. The boat trip was a fabulous experience. The Bay is rougher than I expected. That was the only time I had the privilege to travel on James Bay (Photo 3)!
Photo 3: Chief Mike Carpenter took me out onto James Bay to experience the Bay and its personality. It was the only time I had the privilege to experience the Bay. Photo composed by Andy Fyon, on James Bay, Aug. 28/08.
I learned that Chief had a bad ear. I think he used that to signal the type of discussion we were to have. If he sat on one side of me, it was to be a listening meeting for me, because he would not hear anything I said (Photo 4). If he sat on the other side of me, it would be a good discussion LOL. I don’t think I would have figured out the hearing challenge until he told me - again, with a smile.
Photo 4: Chief Mike Carpenter did not hear very well out of one ear. The side of you he sat on would determine if you were to have a listening meeting or bilateral meeting LOL. In this photo, there was another person in the photo that I cropped out. The look on Mike’s face makes me suspect that Mike had positioned himself appropriately to avoid hearing more of the rhetoric from that other person. Photo composed by Andy Fyon, in Attawapiskat, in the homeland of Attawapiskat First Nation, in 2008.
The last time I saw Chief Mike was in the Timmins airport (Photo 5). We were heading in different directions, but he had time to chat and crack a joke.
Photo 5: This was the last time I chatted with Chief Mike Carpenter. We crossed paths in the Timmins airport. Each of us was headed in different directions. Despite his busy schedule, he had time to chat and crack a joke. Photo composed by Andy Fyon, Timmins airport, Jan. 8/14.
It is funny how people move in and out of our lives, yet they help to change us. It is also interesting to watch how different leaders operate, how they treat people, and how they deal with stress. Chief Mike was one of those people who carried a heavy weight on behalf of the Attawapiskat First Nation at a challenging time. During the quieter moments, he often talked about his plans for a camp in the bush, west of the community of Attawapiskat. In my eyes, he is someone who carried himself with dignity, strength, and a long-term vision for the future. He left a lasting impression on me. And now he is on a different journey to build that camp.
Andy Fyon: December 23/22. Facebook Dec23/22.