Up here !

So here I am, an 8h drive from Trois-Rivieres has landed me in Mistissini. The trip was long, but not too boring considering the amount of curves in the road and probably the fact that I decided to travel by day helped alot. So here I am... a foreigner in my own country.

Turning right after driving through Chibougamau, you have no clue what is waiting for you ahead. The choc starts, I believe just before that right turn, when along the side of the road are some of the first signs of an Indian reserve as we are used to seeing on the news - small houses, shacks more like it, kids playing outside, dogs roaming freely and traidtional smoking teepees often in the back. The wonderful odor of burning wood and meat being smoked fills the car as you pass by. But this is just a small taste of what is ahead.

Once you turn onto the road heading up to Mistissini, you are taken away by the beauty of Mistassini Lake and yet, while you're looking at the lake, you can't help but notice more shacks that seem abandonned...but Judith tells me those might just be camps...and so the road continues.

Eventually the asphalt road turn into a dirt and gravel road (which could explain why most cars and trucks here have a grey layer of dust on them) and you really have to be careful because some of the locals, most with huge pick-ups, seem to think that the 50km/h speed limit is only a suggestion.

Finally at the end of the road, there it is - the Cree Nation of Mistissini.

No shacks here. The whole village is under construction. New homes, rows of houses and apartment buildings no older then 5 - 10 years old are the first things you see upon entering the village. Driving through town you can't help but notice the state of the art, multifunctionnal ultra modern sports centre. Where no one goes.

The Cree Nation has money. They decided to negociate and accept money from Federal and Provincial governments. The money was then wisely spent to upgrade living and social conditions here in Mistissini. It's amazing ! New homes are everywhere ! And many are still coming. The schools are new and nothing is left behind when it comes to buying the material needed for classes and courses. Surely, some teachers I know would be quite jealous !

The true culture shock happens while going through the village. Kids playing the streets, hanging out until late at night, dogs (many mixed with wolves) just walking around in the streets, dads taking care of their kids (I spotted a father, driving behind his very young daughter in his pick-up with his flashers on while she was ridding her tricycle on the street...), ATVs and Dirt bikes sharing the streets with cars and trucks and of course there are things that are more surprising then other.

But let's keep some stuff to write down for later.

So it's Monday morning, Judith-Alexia is off to work and I'm staying home today. I think these are my first real vacations in 4 years so I figured I would sleep all day...nah... I have alot of reading I want to do and now is just about the right time to do it.

Pictures and videos coming up soon enough :)