The Crees of Paint Hills 1974

A 1974 documentary about the lives of the Crees of Paint Hills
CBC The Nature of Things 1974

[@LDemeris]

I always enjoy watching this :) it was filmed in my community and it’s always great to see people from the past, especially family members who are no longer with us

[@pinkiesue849]

How long have the Cree lived by St James Bay? I am wondering if they went north when Europeans moved in. thank you.

[@shanek6582]

Are you the kid at 12:59?

[@relikhunter2248]

Can please tell me if the Walking Out ceremony is still done today? I have never heard of it being done. It’s still needed today.

[@LDemeris]

@@relikhunter2248 yes the ceremony is always done in the spring and summer

[@duanehall4311]

Wildfire..I just enjoyed it too...greetings my friend from sparta tennessee usa

[@tomkirk6942]

Such a harmonious and rich way of life. Beautiful.

[@alanolney3564]

I like that they are still holding on to the old traditions. Never forget the old ways

[@ladeene06]

I just stumbled across this...9 yrs late..lol. Ironically...I first thought I had seen this, but none of it was familiar. Until the end. I've seen another documentary with I swear some of the same men. It was obviously further into the future than this film. After those dams spoken of near the end were built and hunting grounds flooded. Fishing gone bad due to the building of the dam(s)? It was a long time ago that I saw it. What made me initially start the video was the year in the title. 1974. I was in first grade. All of those children are now my age. I wonder about them now. It would be something to see what has become of them and their lives. Truly. I've often heard in comparison to Natives in the US, the First Nations peoples of Canada have managed to fight more successfully for their rights. Can't believe everything you hear though. Bittersweet it may be...at best, I still would like to know. For history not learned is history repeated. And that way lies insanity.

[@CricketGirrl]

I'm part Cree, born in Calgary in 1974. My life took me to Saudi Arabia shortly thereafter, so it's great to see what this part of my heritage was like.

[@kehewwoman]

Wow, very interesting... Thank you for the video 😁😁 I'm from Kehewin Cree Nation,. Alberta, Canada

[@buckjackson1073]

O

[@catheylunsford4461]

Then u are aware of the young not learning the old way. When u don't have money. To go groceries store u can still eat

[@catheylunsford4461]

U have fur for. Clothes. Water repellent

[@josephtriplett7788]

when families were families!!!!💗👍😁

[@zdephnii1136]

thank you so much for uploading this video. greatly appreciated :)

[@cliffordcardinal2655]

I am River Cree from the West. I've always wanted to see my relatives from around James Bay. !!!

[@oldndayzd9281]

It was beautiful to watch Amazing People's Better Times I believe Unlike Today with this Evil Virus and the world in Kaois Hoping This Finds Well Dear Friend 🇨🇦🙏

[@user-xn2hf9re8r]

Hi Cliff can you help - can you explain to me if they close the tops of the tippees when it rains as I noticed in another documentary in a wooden hut they also had an open roof. In that documentary it was snowing but I presume they still would need an opening otherwise there'd be no heat or cooking facilities. thanks

[@cliffordcardinal2655]

@@user-xn2hf9re8r I lived one year in Tipee, Summer to another Summer, in Winter the top flaps are to provide air to the Fire, a little movement of the flaps as to keep the wind and snow away from, snow and wind blows in if not moved away from the wind. It is to provide air for the Fire for Cooking and Heating. There is also another Inner Canvas around the inside tēpee to keep draft air from sneaking in. The Mongols top (YURTS) is solid so they experience cold wind coming in all the time, I stayed with them for 4 months, we have a Kinship Relationship with them.

[@user-xn2hf9re8r]

@@cliffordcardinal2655 lovely thanks Clifford for answering. I'd love to live as they do, with nature. x

[@cliffordcardinal2655]

The tēpee is indeed a wonderful tool to provide control of the elements, moving the flaps help in Aiding the People from living in smoke ridden homes, but I observed in this story of Paint Hills Cree that there are no flaps on top, so it is smoky all the time. No ties to keep Tēpee from heavy winds and rain/snow from coming in from the big open top. Controls help

[@tomvawter4531]

What a beautiful culture and life!

[@catfishstalkeroutdoorswith530]

Thanks for sharing this video!

[@rugosetexture2716]

That was a very good documentary; quite a contrast with what the 'National Film Board' is turning out these days. Thank you very much for this.

[@brenjiyumnam8417]

Beautiful documentary,,,,,,really loved the festival of first walk of the children, Taking home the leftover of the foods on a community feast, No punishment for the kids and overall keeping the traditional cultures intake in spite of modern technology......

[@colleenkennedy1934]

Good to see 50 years ago there was still a sense of community

[@raymondj8768]

very very good video thanks !!!

[@timberdrifter8225]

It's interesting to see the life ways of these beautiful people in that transitional time when so many things were changing. It seems idyllic. If any Cree people see this comment, can you tell me what life is like for your people now nearly 50 years later? Is the connection to the land still strong? Does anyone still move with the seasons and live from the land? I hope the old ways are being kept alive.

[@sandrayoung9098]

Wow this nice 👌 to see love it keep it up

[@jacobeksor6088]

The kids walking so cute .

[@exjazzer]

Thank you !

[@tanker1960]

Beautiful!

[@BusterCreekOutdoors]

I love watching this old footage!

[@Speedo123100]

Community what a concept. Love and interdependence.

[@rockyteoh1232]

I am from, what one would call, a civilised country. There is nothing meaningful in civilised countries, compared to what is being portrayed in this video. My respect to the Cree Indians. They certainly moved me, in their quest for survival, and for working as a team. I wish more civilised people can watch this video. God bless all of you!

[@svetlanakaravaeva7636]

There can be a good balance. This site is about reindeer breeders and nomadic kindergarden :) There are more and more of primary school teachers roaming with nomads www.yamalexpedition.ru/en/

[@tense99]

I bet you would find the "civilized" world alot more meaningful after living in a sub arctic environment without running water and electricity, literally working yourself into an early grave just trying to keep meat on the table. It's meaningful but it's not romantic. On the other hand, I don't know, maybe you'd thrive there.

[@FilipStasresinic]

@@tense99 Heimo Korth and his family living alone in subarctic hunting and trapping without running water and electricity and they are glowing and you couldnt remove them from there how happy they are there. I can tell you one thing, easyness of life does not make someone happy. Its more about freedom, independence and tight comunity. Providing you are not hungry and freezing.

[@FilipStasresinic]

@@tense99 I see more people working them selves into early grave in a modern society.

[@erniegagnon6775]

awesome video me and my dad were watching it earlier

[@shanehalpin7085]

These people show what's life is for , living,

[@michaelzuniga8344]

The way i want to live. Even then and today people will still want to keep traditions original. They had the right idea 50 years ago . Just look what we have become

[@scotthaddad563]

.....and all of the younger generations around me in the southern US wouldn’t even be interested in this way of life. It’s sad that there are only small pockets of surviving native peoples who cling to this way of life.

[@corvusduluth]

Thank you for this, have never seen nor knew about it. I watched "Cree Hunters of Mistassini" on PBS around 1978/79. Read Richardson's book, bought a VHS copy of the 'Hunters' video through some Canadian Educational Service ~25 years ago.

[@busterbeagle2167]

29:40 imagine that little tyke on Instagram!! Hahahah. He was soooooo happy about his bite of food !!! Soo cute

[@MrMAC8964]

WOW , just wow.

[@Gaelztorm]

The commentary alone is outstanding. They put so much effort into this. You watch a nature doc today and they talk to you like a child and humans are a cancer on the Earth. Notice they said Southern Canada is encroaching on the Northern way of life and left it at that. They commentator didnt go on some long disparaging rant about the White man. They just taught us about the the Cree. Thats it. Respect.

[@johnorr1526]

Just something I noticed; great vid….I’m not political

[@matthewmann8969]

What a magnificent culture

[@arcticmorning]

Unemployment for crees are about 3 times higher then the national rate.. Crees living on reservations are dependent on the Canadian government and receive transfer payments for subsidized living. Most fish places are depleted from over fishing and there are limited job opportunities living in the Canadian bush..Lets face facts there is minimal opportunity for the Cree children born into the wilds of canada.

[@georgejaymes4756]

One true way of living of the land not stores

[@darickhibbert9170]

I used to think the Buddha was truth (because they understand Earth's importants). But the physical economics displayed here are comparable to none. They live with true equilibrium.

[@Woodchuckinthesouth]

all cultures have a history that cares for nature. you just have to go back far enough. It is impossible to not live in balance with nature the closer to nature you live. this is respectful. I remember when I was younger wishing I had different blood in me because I rather wanted a rich native history than the European that I have. I was nieve then and didn't respect my own unique and rich history. I am not white. I am Polish, German, and Welsh. The Eastern Way is also rich in the method they have found to live with respect for and closeness to the planet-ship we all call home. thank you...

[@darickhibbert9170]

@@Woodchuckinthesouth I'm not sure I follow what your saying. I dont regret where I came from. But the attention to the later generations exhibited here is very different from what I was taught. I don't remember this from any Christian faction. The idea of 7 generations never came up in conversation, not by a long shot. 'All the plants and animals were put here for us'. That all I ever heard.

[@cameronbuttigieg9060]

@@darickhibbert9170 He's saying go back further. Before Christianity. Go back to when each culture was an indigenous one. We all lived with the earth because we had to. There was much less specialization so our labours had a more immediate and tangible connection to our survival and we personally witnessed and felt the effects of our actions on our environment.

[@darickhibbert9170]

@@cameronbuttigieg9060 you get it. Good to know you. That's my point sadly. Most of the people I know believe whatever they want is there. Not ever thinking of the consequences that their grandchildrens grandchildren will face. Were the original people thinking so immediate? I'm not so sure. The potatoe, tomato and corn prove that to me. Europe didn't know what to do with those plants. American Natives did, and it took at least hundreds of years. That to me is paying attention; to elders and Earth. It shows a greater sophistication.

[@Woodchuckinthesouth]

It's become a bit tacky these days but the saying still rings true. "We don't inherit the earth from our grandfathers, we borrow it from our children" thank you, Cameron, for helping to clarify. Speaking on the tomato and potato. The Europeans "of that time" may not have naturally known what to do with those two, but the Picts may have (or maybe the Germanic tribes). I love and respect the American First Peoples for the closeness to nature they still have. I wish my heritage was still as close, but I know it is still there, I just have to dig deeper.

[@moachangki]

Crees are so handsome and pretty. Which tribe are the most beautiful among the Indians.

[@bl688]

These people live without alot of modern comforts and I bet most dont have 2 dollars in their pocket but yet all are smiling..... the native people had it figured out!

[@patrickepoch6714]

-

[@dvolvr]

You know this was 45 years ago, right? It's a bit different now.

[@kaicooper1515]

Shut up hipster

[@busterbeagle2167]

Minus - medicine, mass food production, technology

[@kaclama]

@@busterbeagle2167 no, they have that too

[@jeanpelletier206]

It shows how much the western world is so artificially conceived.

[@sassulusmagnus]

Beautiful country and a simple way of life. Before the James Bay hydroelectric mega-projects, these people had what seems to have been a very healthy life. They were living in balance with nature. It is disturbing to hear residential schools mentioned so casually 36:36-36:37.

[@zosiaflorekpaszkowska]

yes exactly, residential schools where the places of horror

[@beachaddict7653]

I would live like this, but it's hard to settle down and find a places to hunt year around when everything now is privately owned.

[@winterrhorse]

there is no word for hate!!

[@YlvaBjarnson]

Have you ever seen Michael greyeyes the actor, dancer? He's Cree lives in Canada

[@horndog7357]

The way my people use to live.must adapt or perish

[@charlieparker2773]

Very good documentary , they would be a lot better off without the ways of the outside world, stay with the old ways 🙏🏼

[@busterbeagle2167]

1974!!! The year I was born

[@busterbeagle2167]

25:15 Yeah except now he uses a boomstick

[@davidclark7574]

i threw my towel like that lady, and had to wash it again

[@thajman]

Should have never moved to that damn housing project. It was the end of living in balance with the land and a sense of purpose.

[@cameronbuttigieg9060]

Forced residential schooling was the end of a culture because the link was broken. They took generations and brainwashed them to believe their language and culture were backward and evil.

@@cameronbuttigieg9060 thats white people around the world in a nutshell.

[@patrickirish9427]

@ I wouldn't say white people but people of power not all "white people" think that way.

[@johnsmith7676]

@ NO. It's not white people. Yeah, they LOOK white, and pretend to be white, but they are NOT. They hate whites, and they hate everyone else, too. They also hate YOU. How long will we all allow ourselves to be played against one-another? How long will we fall for this insidious game? They play us all against each other. It is killing us ALL. We must become wiser. OR WE ALL WILL PERISH.

[@svetlanakaravaeva7636]

@@cameronbuttigieg9060 and that's so violent and illogical... In my country there are many boarding schools for children from nomadic families, but they study the language as any other of 13 subjects, and many teachers are native. They even have nomadic kindergardens, it's when a kindergarden and primary school teacher roams with a group of families in tundra (in taiga children live with grandparents). Children also spend a lot of time with the family, and by 16 indigenous children are experienced in cattle breeding and hunting. Many go to the uni after high school to be vets or foresters, or teachers, and continue traditions on a more modern level. If they do well at school, they study at the uni free of charge, it applies to all citizens. And this system is very practical, logical, it helps the government a lot. More happy people = less problems. More angry people = more crime. Really don't know why very rich countries choose the 2nd way.

[@user-xn2hf9re8r]

can someone explain to me if they close the tops of the tippees when it rains as I noticed in another documentary in a wooden hut they also had an open roof. In that documentary it was snowing but I presume they still would need an opening otherwise there'd be no heat or cooking facilities. thanks

[@LDemeris]

No, they don’t close the tops of the teepees

[@user-xn2hf9re8r]

@@LDemeris thank you

[@northmanfishing7795]

The fire heat funnels upward causing a strong draft that pushes snow or rain outwards onto the tipi covering.

[@rickorell8989]

Salute to the CREES TOTAL SURVIVORS 🐾

[@judyullmann7655]

Those were the days when Natives stood on their own, not depending on government hand outs.

[@johnunderwood3132]

I’m curious if the Cree still hunt that particular land? It should still be theirs

[@dvolvr]

The community is called Wemindji now and yes the people there manage the land.

[@TarmanTheChampion]

21:45 soo adorable

[@aurourajest2557]

Very smart and funny

[@mushkegoscoo3334]

Long ago but still alive

[@wilburhughie9045]

interesting no white hair on the old folks.(elders)

[@zenolachance1181]

One...

[@AnnaLVajda]

Premature gray hair is an indication of low copper in the diet.

[@skeezix8156]

@@AnnaLVajda or having daughters :)

[@timedvrodlehnen8448]

Fresh fried fish, yummy, can’t even catch fish around here, the days of our salmon r7n# are different, smaller, etc, although soon I will see what’s in,,,use to catch them by the 50 gallon barrels, spearing them, too expensive to fish for them an not as productive,,, I like the nets,,,eat or be eaten

[@danelobe2524]

it's not like that any more . . . . sadly.

[@KANZIGARA]

long lost turkic brothers, turan lives on in the cree!

[@northmanfishing7795]

I'm Cree and Ojibwe and the Turkic peoples have always reminded me of northern natives.

[@michaelthomas7178]

In the year 2020 this way of life is gone.

[@zenolachance1181]

Sad to think that this was only 40 years ago.......

[@teddydeda931]

Never they were here before any human set foot on their land they will be here long after civilization is long gone

[@LDemeris]

I’m from this community and we still live like this.

[@sumguy-tl2dx]

We still go out during the spring to go hunt geese to our traplines but we dont go trapping anymore.

[@sumguy-tl2dx]

well some trap i guess but not too often...i only trap beavers..jk.

[@user-vr6io5xb9e]

Lovely people.They remind me of Mongolians, their living conditions and culturewise. I wonder if their language similar?

[@justinryan8803]

Nope

[@user-vr6io5xb9e]

Justin Ryan thanks. Apparently the Navajo language is similar to Mongolian. Interesting 🧐

[@nmarbletoe8210]

@@user-vr6io5xb9e and the Cree language I think is related to Navaho. They are grouped as "Athabascan" languages.

[@nmarbletoe8210]

correction: Cree is different, it's in the Algonquin language group.

[@user-vr6io5xb9e]

N Marbletoe I should have said Altaic Language not Mongolian. Apparently they all are related to Altaic Language somehow including Cree www.turkishculture.org/literature/language/turkish-language-americans-459.htm

[@user-rm5xu1lc5i]

พัดลมตั้งโต๊ะ

[@johnorr1526]

No kids from 6 to 18… all in residential school 😔

[@GD30.06]

💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯

[@busterbeagle2167]

You’re not gonna comment on the square dancing

[@lifeaccordingtogizzmoroncu9721]

There was a time ... before the great northern buffalo herd's were killed off... that the Cree coming to their summer hunting grounds were in the thousands and no one dared challenge them A warriors wealth was in his horses and his favorite ones would be tied to his wrist when he slept.

[@user-rm5xu1lc5i]

โรงเรียนประจำ ดินน้ำมัน เมล็ดกาแฟ คอฟฟี่เมต น้ำตาลทรายมิตรผล น้ำอุ่น

[@JohnCarter-eg4ws]

It was all ruined once a Walmart moved in...

[@amandablevins6809]

Did I just see, a kitten on a leash?

[@travgilberti4551]

A young Ronan the accuser in that orange hat! Lol

[@poochie49]

So how did the Crees harvest geese before they found how useful a shotgun was?

[@TheAcer002]

Have to wait for them to land.

[@poochie49]

@@TheAcer002 And then what? Run and jump on them. LOL.

[@nancig9648]

Bow and Arrow?

[@TheAcer002]

poochie49 I’m sure they probably tried that lol but bow and arrow, spear, sling are a few weapons they’d use for hunting.

[@TheAcer002]

TJ Wap yeah I was replying to the comment on what they used before firearms were introduced.

[@dollybanks9080]

ive heard children are as close to god as we get, or something along those lines. I can see that being true. also 3:03 Jusr look at that stare in the boys eye. And the blind sighted stare in his mothers eyes, She would have had no part if they only knew the con men they were dealing with, so innocent. kill to live and respect life itself and all living. Crazy that these kinds of things still go on in the world.

[@timedvrodlehnen8448]

What the fook u talking about,

[@busterbeagle2167]

That’s not supposed to be the whole family together all the time

[@busterbeagle2167]

How many generations away are the drug dealers and the gang bangers from the housing project

[@sandraswallow2009]

I am angry seem this wemindji people having their supper at the feast

[@dinokross3844]

Sandra Swallow- why are you angry for and what’s a wemindji anyway?

[@rickpreston4991]

Dino Kross - Wemindji is the name of the community where the film was recorded. It is my understanding that Paint Hills was the non-native name for the community/area at the time this video was made. I believe everyone calls it Wemindji now. I'm sorry I can't offer a reason for Sandra's anger.

[@thatsMYbeef]

i think she meant to say hungry..after seeing them have their feast :) @@dinokross3844

[@craigrock8444]

I assume HUNGRY was the word meant

[@jackoneill6292]

Poochie 49 , how did people harvest other people , before the 9mm. Handgun !

[@lawrencesamson2045]

cursing each other

[@timedvrodlehnen8448]

Knife, club, rocks,,,,

[@glenrussell9975]

Snowmobiles etc. ---- colonialism!!!

[@timedvrodlehnen8448]

It’s called bein* smart , who wants to walk when one can ride, common smart sense

[@glenrussell9975]

@@timedvrodlehnen8448 And they hate colonialism!!!! AHAHAHAHAHA

[@timedvrodlehnen8448]

And how about a trip to the dentist twice a year,,,,that’s the help all. Need, love the life, governments only fook things up, sometimes they help, but seldom lay,

[@joeygallaornsr.5748]

Almost eskimos lol

[@timedvrodlehnen8448]

I wonder if they had the brains to install insulation in those homes, I mean the builders not the occupants,,better to live in house than teepee,nthey could always do both, but the weak an$ the sick need better than the ground,..Cree or not, people need live best they can,

[@kathieawoyomi66]

Thank god they dont use dogs anymore .dogs over worked treated like shit and starved how sad for them .awful .starving dogs and them beating them 😳 brutal

[@sherrykendrick1765]

And we use to eat our dogs when there was nothing else. From an old Cree woman.

[@ranaldh1]

Bloody propaganda!

[@geraldswain3259]

The smell of rancid fat, grease, mixed with various body odours must be horrendous!.

[@geraldswain3259]

@Peter Dagenais who kicked your kennel arsehole !....it's amazing how the truth can upset people !.

[@rapman5363]

@@geraldswain3259 it looks like you are the only one upset fool. By the way he’s right!