Journal Entry #5: Summer in Sioux
July 29, 2018
By Abbey Morris
I have returned to Sioux Lookout after taking some time to reconnect with friends and family in Ottawa as well as attend a beautiful wedding in Halifax. My first week back was hard because I had just left the people I love only to return to an empty house in a community where I have limited connections. The loneliness subsided as I started to reunite with people I had met before I left. I also started a new summer placement at Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority (SLFNHA) in the Raising Our Children department. In this position I am able to gain experience in public health and create resources for new parents. Later in the week, I went to culture night at the Nishnawbe-Gamik Friendship Centre and found another student who will be working with me at SLFNHA. We became fast friends due to our common interests in quiet hobbies such as reading and art. Over the weekend, I had the chance to go with my new friend to the quarry in Sioux Lookout. Her roommate drove us and we stopped to do some raspberry picking on the way. The quarry is a hidden gem located off the highway, marked only by a small orange tree tie indicating a gravel side road. Once we arrived at the quarry, the sight was breathtaking. The deep, beautiful, aqua coloured water was enclosed by rocky cliffs and forests of trees. We jumped off the rocks and relaxed in the refreshing clear water. It was a great way to spend a Sunday.
I also had the opportunity to go blueberry picking for the first time. After biking down the highway for a bit, my friend and I turned down a side road and found bushes of blueberries. We sat on the side of the dirt road and picked to our hearts content, but made sure to leave some for the bears. Sioux Lookout is known for its abundance of berries and even has an annual Blueberry Festival in August which I am looking forward to attending.
Since I’ve been back, we finished up our last couple of interviews regarding programs for new and expecting mothers. One of the staff we interviewed was very knowledgeable about the issues facing the Indigenous population in the region, and she was extremely passionate about social justice. She knew a lot about different services available in Sioux Lookout and has worked with people in Northern communities. When discussing some of the challenges that new moms face, she mentioned that sometimes people get kicked out of the hostel for drinking or doing drugs. This happened to a pregnant woman, forcing her to live on the streets of Sioux Lookout. In town, the woman had access to resources such as the Equay-wuk women’s group, the Northwestern Health Unit, and the friendship centre. However, the injustice of this story was disheartening and made me even more aware that there are flaws in our systems of care. Many people suffer from addiction and alcoholism. Pushing them onto the streets only perpetuates the issues without resolving them. There is so much more work to be done, but I am hopeful for the future.