OK - OK - I give ! ! ! .......... I apologize ! ! !
So many people, so many derogatory comments! I get it - you all love Moosonee!
My response to a few of your comments.
1. First off - I get it. Moosonee is an ideal place to live for some people. To be honest, I was looking forward to the trip. I really wanted to go back to see how the area had changed and how it hadn't since I was there as a kid. I did not come with the preconceived notion that I was not going to enjoy myself. I do understand and appreciate the beauty of nature. No, I'm not an urban person. I live and have lived for most of my life in the rural areas of this and other provinces. I appreciate and enjoy small town life.
2. Understand - PLEASE understand - that most of my comments were based on being a tourist in Moosonee for 3 days. Some of you suggested that I didn't leave the hotel or try to experience the area. You are wrong. I did take a trip up to James Bay - and it was lovely. I did go to Moose Factory to visit and I did enjoy my visit to the HBC house. But let's be honest - there was only one museum open on the entire island. The beautiful church that I remembered as a kid was closed. I really wanted to see the church. Why is it closed? (Response to Jim - I also wanted to see the wooden pegs that I remembered as a kid but the church is closed - shut down - falling down - and yes it is a shame). Why hasn't the town, or whom ever is in charge, recognized the value of the church as an historic monument and done something about it?
3. I wanted to visit other museums in Moosonee but most were closed. When I asked people (yes I did talk to residents of Moosonee including people who should have had a vested interest in the tourist trade such as the owner of the hotel in which we stayed) what else there was to do and see, the most common response was, "that's about it". It seems that once Two Bay closed down operation no one bothered to fill in the gap left by their departure. Seriously - why isn't there an up to date brochure listing the places to go and see in the area. For some of you who commented on my research skills (Corrine) - most of the information that I was able to obtain was outdated. I talked to one couple who had come expecting to book on Two Bay as there is an internet site promoting Two Bay that is still active - they were from the US.
4. While some of you who have visited Moosonee remember the train ride with fond memories (again Jim), all I can say is that it is now not that enjoyable. Yes, the train still leaves Cochrane at 9am but you don't get to Moosonee until 4pm. The train leaves again at 6pm so you can't do a day visit (nor should you, that is why I booked for 3 days). The return train leaves at 6pm and gets into Cochrane at 2am (on the day we travelled). By the way, Jim - the bar car you remember so well closed at 9:30!
5. I understand that the people of Moosonee can't control the ONR, however, I truly believe that a united front could get the train to offer a better, more enjoyable service. After all the ONR is a government sponsored company. From the bottom of my heart I am telling the people of Moosonee that if they don't do something about the situation soon, the word of mouth ( I'm not the only one who was annoyed by the lack of communication with respect to tourism) will kill or seriously harm the tourism industry in the area.
6. To Terri & Corrine - I would have loved to go fishing and enjoy a BBQ and go for a nature walk - but none of those activities were promoted! I did walk back from the old base - and that was enjoyable as well but it only took an hour or so. Where are the nature walks - where is a map showing same. Where are the brochures on who to contact regarding a BBQ or a fishing service? When I was dropped off at Moose Factory and asked the driver what I should do/see, he responded with, "walk up there for 15 minutes and you'll see the HBC house. That was the extent of promoting activities on the island! As an aside - we were told by a local resident that we should try and rely upon the map we had as best as possible and not ask for directions (the map was brutally inaccurate), since some people think it is great sport to give tourist wrong directions. Again I repeat - this was a comment from a local person - a resident of the area!
7. As for the comment on dogs being smarter than 85% of the residents (check the wording on the original blog), I acknowledge that that comment was over the top but I must tell you - that phrasing came from one of the local residents when we enquired as to what we should do about the dog that was following us all day. We were so worried that the dog might not find his way back that we actually flagged down a cab and tried to get him to drive the dog back to the base. The cab driver was amused by our ignorance and concern over the dog.
8. I have a sense of humour - so yes, my houseboat (or boathouse - or other descriptions of same) is (was) a shitboat. But I loved that boat - and can laugh about your comments - which, in all honesty, are not that far off the mark.
9. As for the comments attacking me personally as a womanizer, pervert, bigot, shithead, dickhead, etc. - well, what can I say but that you have the right to comment as you please - unlike some of you, I'm not going to get upset about comments based on ignorance.
10. For those of you that included a name or tag along with your comments - Thank You.
HBB
p.s. - I sometimes do respond to well founded critism so I have removed the link to the Male Fantasy Files as it seems to have upset some of you - though I note that most people who commented on same spent more time looking at that link than the original blog!
13 comments:
The not so mighty Houseboatbob bows in shame to the people of Moosonee.
Dave
Ok, I should have checked out these last two entries before commenting. I take it back, it seems your attitude was not so bad, it looks like you did try to find somthing to do, and I will admit, for a tourist, it really is hard to find something to see, although it really did use to be a lot more organised. I remember Two-Bay doing bus tours of Moose Factory, and I didn't even know St Thomas's Church was closed. That IS weird. But as it is Anglican Church property, and the Canadian Anglican Church is pretty much bankrupt these days... unless they sell it to some organization that has money to repair it... I suppose there isn't much to be done.
You know, yes there are people who don't really care about the state of things, but also, there are people who really DO care, and are very involved. It's too bad you didn't get to meet any of these people. Perhaps those are the ones who weren't "aimlessly wandering the streets".
I get that some of the things you said were for the purpose of humour, but there is still no call for assuming that people who "wander aimlessly" do so because they have nothing better to do than collect welfare. That is a prejudiced assumption.
You probably would have had a much better time had you gone to Moose Factory for the Gathering of our People. I checked the Moose Cree First Nation website and the last update was the GOOP from last year, but I'm pretty sure they did it again this year. http://www.moosecree.com/gathering/index.html
I went in 2004 and really enjoyed myself. There, you would have been able to see traditional dancing and music, as well as contemporary native music, and arts and crafts, as well as eat some traditional (and not so traditional) foods. They even had walks in the woods with some of the elders when I went, where the elders would tell epople what plants were good to eat or for whatever other purpose. Unfortunately, I didn't make it to the those walks, although I wanted to go.
By the way, I'd be interested in knowing what it was like living on the army base. Back then Moosonee would have been smaller, and your walk to get there longer. I suppose you saw that the base has been converted into a high school, but did you know students from Moose Factory spent weeks living in the barracks (we always called them the barracks even though they tried to get us to call them student residences) during break-up and freeze-up? I'm not sure, but I think some still do.
You say you left after grade seven. Did you have a school on the base or did you go to school in Moosonee? Did army folk stick together mostly, or did you guys ever get out and do stuff with the locals? (Other than introducing red hair into the population.)
My brother, (the canoeist) is a historian, did his masters on an event (Hannah Bay Massacre) that happened just north of Moosonee. We went to see the Diefenbunker in Ottawa the other day, which was built during the cold war. I believe the army base in Moosonee was also built and maintained because of the Cold War?
after reading your blog, i can see the sense of humour that you talk about, especially the 'paul bunyan' line, that was actually funny, but as i read it more, the comments about the 'natives' that was totally uncalled for, i was especially offended when you mentioned that we are happy with collecting our gov't checks when i have a good job and i am native....and referring to us as dumber then dogs, that was a ultimate low. I am not going to comeback with an insult to you because I don't know you, but to disrepect our people was not neccesary. and thanks for the attempted apology....
Your a teacher...I am not shocked. A non-aboriginal teacher with views such as the ones posted is not all that amazing. Being a teacher does not constitute being intellegent. And by the way native does not mean aboriginal, or Indian. If your a teacher you would know that..right?
I grew up in Moosonee and my father also worked at the Air Base. I am not an aboriginal person, however envey the rich culture and values aboriginal people carry. I have come across many HURT'N people like you and wonder what happened to you as a child. I pray to god that you DO NOT instill any of your prejudiced views on the children you teach. The government already does a good job at that. You have contaminated so many minds by your inaccurate description of the people. We may not cater to tourist and "the real" people of Moosonee never really profitted from the tourist. A few companies maybe, but that's it. People in Moosonee are there because of family, friends, the land and raising their children in a safe place. I read in one blog of yours about how you loved to teach and how it was worth it because of the children. If you have that passion I am sure you have some sort of an understanding. I have been places and have memories both good and bad, but those are my memories. And your experience in our community may not be a good memory, but it's yours!!! Please keep it to yourself.
I am truly impressed!!! You have received a lot of comments from one entry! The internet is alive and well! And anyone should be able to voice their opinion, tongue-in-cheek or not. The idea is that we have an opinion, and that we can then debate or discuss this opinion. Our modern society seems to have crushed individual points of view, to have them replaced by a diet of politically-correct, approved-for-the-masses, what-can-and-cannot-be-said, non-offensive monologues. To have a contrary opinion is not bad - it is a welcome chance to have a dialogue. Every community should (hopefully) be proud of who and what they are. Hearing negative comments often seems to be the best way to awaken this pride. Sometimes getting mad shows you who you are. You may not like it, but you can thank Houseboatbob for that.
DC
I'm with Jeanne.....Since when did the people of Moosonee/Moose Factory all have a name like "anonymous"???
It would have been nice to see them own up to their comments..after-all you owned yours..
I also commend you for "somewhat apologizing" for your previous blog..
It does seem that the tourism industry up in Moosonee/Moose Factory is a dying one. I can recall the tourist numbers were well above the 500's (more like 20 years ago)..however, the sites haven't changed much or improved to be totally honest..
I forgive you houseboat bob. Word of advice, get to know the people before judging them. We have a beatiful culture and land we are proud of. Unfortunately we also have people with drinking problems on the street as well. They are more visable because it's a small town. But that's how it is. You sure had a lot of people worked up. I am one of the local people who wants change in the area. Especially in the tourist sector. We do have potential, I just wish there were more proactive solutions and people to start something. Peace.
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I have been living in Moosonee now for almost 2 years, but I grew up in a big city with lots of diversity. I have friends back home of all kinds...Native, Japanese, Vietnamese, African, Chinese, German, Ethiopian...act.
However, when I first moved to Moosonee, the first few natives I tried to make friends with treated me with hostility and threw racist comments at the colour of my skin. Never in my life having been treated such! It immediately gave me a bad generalisation of this place! So I can imagine how a tourist would feel. However, over the years I have met other Natives that I have formed wonderful friendships with. I have also come to realise that the same natives that were hostel towards me are hostel toward every tourist and new person that comes to Moosonee. I guess every place has both its good and bad groups of people.
I can't say I'm fond of Moosonee's long cold winters and bug filled summers, but spring and fall are nice here. I guess I was spoiled too much back home with mild, short winters on the ski slops and bug free summers with awesome fishing on the Alpine Lakes too the warm sandy oceans, streams and rivers. Back home I always caught my limit within an hour and the fish were a good size...25lb - 40lb. Here I can fish for 12 hours and if I'm lucky come home with one tiny fish. Someday soon, I know I'll be sad to leave Moosonee...it grows on you. But I'm a person that wants to really live life and need’s a lot of diversity and likes having my options open! A small, isolated community is not for everyone...but it was fun for awhile and for the experience and friendships won!
Thank you, anonymous, for that well balanced comment. I agree fully.
Houseboatbob
Don't know if you're still blogging, but I too grew up in Moosonee and loved it! My father was an MP in the military and I spent grade two to grade 4 there. We had friends who were native Canadians and friends on the base.
Lynda A
I also grew up in Moosonee and spent two happy years there. My father was an MP in the army and I spent from grade two to grade four swatting blackflies in the summer and freezing cold in the winter. The people were the best and we had friends who were both native Canadians and friends from the base.
Lynda A
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