On a rainy Saturday afternoon, I took cover under the Gazeebo in Memorial Park and had a chat with Wilmer Noganosh. Wilmer and several First Nation friends of his have set up a Tee-Pee in the park to express Solidarity with Elsipogtog First Nation near Rexton, NB who are protesting fracking. You can visit Wilmer and his friends till Sunday and ask about fracking or any other Native Issue. They can answer your questions and help clear up any misconceptions about their Culture. Now, here are my notes from our chat.
Larson: Why are you here in Memorial Park?
Wilmer: We are here to support the First Nations in New Brunswick and to draw attention to the harm fracking does. The chemicals used in fracking go into our water and where fracking is now done the water coming out of your tap can actually be lit on fire. Fracking and other mining practises harms our planet. We need this planet. This is not just a First Nations issue, but a human being issue. It affects all of us, not just Natives. Also, not too many here are gonna see benefits from fracking. The money in this case goes to some oil executives in Texas.
Larson: I hope the Natives on the East Coast succeed. I spend a lot of time hiking in the woods around Sudbury and I want the bush stays as pristine as it is now. I don’t want anyone fracking around here. I hope this fracking is nipped in the bud before it gets here. So what if someone comes here and wants to know just generally about Native Issues?
Wilmer: Sure, everyone is welcome to visit us and we will share with them whatever we have.
Larson: When I first came to this country, I was surprised and disappointed to learn that many Natives lived in Third World conditions on reserves.
Wilmer: Much of the land we have on reserves is useless. My reserve is swamp. Swamp and rock. We’d like to be self-sufficient but we can’t grow much on reserves. We buy most of our food in grocery stores but it’s not fresh and you don’t know what kind of chemicals were used to grow it.
Larson: Right, I grow much of my food in a community garden and I can always get fresh vegetables and I know that they were grown using only water. And I know that they weren’t on a truck for a couple of weeks from God knows where.
Wilmer: One misconception is that Natives don’t pay taxes. Not true. Many non-Natives believe this and are surprised when I tell them that I do pay taxes. If I work on the reserve I don’t pay taxes but if I work in the city – many Natives do – I pay taxes like anyone else. It’s not an option, it’s deducted from my pay check.
Larson: I don’t like paying taxes either, but if we don’t, we might get thrown in jail. Before we end our chat, is there anything you’d like to mention that is important to you?
Wilmer: So many people criticize us for this and that but I think you should first come and find out what we are about. Come and see us at the Tee-Pee and learn about us.
Larson: Especially with the Idle No More movement, I have noticed that more and more white people are coming to your side and supporting you. Do you think Harper is more likely to listen now that whites are marching with you?
Wilmer: It’s definitely good that non-Natives are involved but I think it still boils down to the old mighty dollar. Harper is opening Canada up for corporations to come in. Money is what matters. We have pipelines going to the South and now fracking. Harper helps those with money.
Larson Heinonen is a Sudbury-based photographer and artist. This article originally appeared on larsonsgallery.com.
