The Voyage of the Odeyak (EMSB)

Background:
The large hydroelectric projects planned in the Baie-James area threaten the way of life for Indigenous peoples in the territories. However, the Inuit and Cree were not sufficiently consulted by the Quebec government on the hydroelectric projects. The Cree and Inuit fought these developments through the courts in Canada. Eventually all parties signed the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement in 1975. In 1990, 60 Cree and Inuit mounted another protest. They decided to paddle from James Bay to New York City, in order to raise awareness of their situation: the damage caused by the Hydroelectric Project. Their intention was to stop the last phase of the project!

Instructions:
Visit cartograf.learnquebec.ca and create an account if you haven't already, then sign in.
Note that when you first register, you might have to write a secret passcode (learn2map), as well as your own password choice.

Click to Create a map. Zoom in to the James Bay, Quebec
Click CREATE to actually create your map at that zoom and location, then title your map as follows:
‘Yourname, Land claims and political demands’

Locate the following places on your map.
You may need to zoom in, use other tools like the Internet or even Google Maps to find some locations.
For each location at a Point of Interest marker. Title the place and add details about the place, and if possible images or even videos if you like. At some point during this work, decide on icons for each type of point and create a legend with those icons.

Areas
James’ Bay
Hudson’s Bay
Route Transtaiga

CREE Villages
Whapmagoostui
Nemaska
Waskaganish
Eastmain
Wemindji
Chisasibi
Ouje-Bougoumou
Mistissini
Waswanipi

Odeyak route from James Bay to New York (1990)
Great Whale River, Quebec
Ottawa River
Montreal
Yonkers
George Washington Bridge
Hudson River, New York
Battery Park, New York



Resource links

The Voyage of the Odeyak by ACCI
https://creeculturalinstitute.ca/the-voyage-of-odeyak/

4 Videos - Voyage of the Odeyak, JBNQA, Leadership & Paix de Braves
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTX_uVrTnfU

ODEYAK EARTH DAY 2020 - Standing Bear Network
https://www.facebook.com/StandingBearNetwork/videos/740331016775855/


ELA Connections
This project was one of many Cartograf mapping scenarios designed and completed by students of Ruwani Payoe and Heather Morrison of English Montreal School Board (EMSB). To read more about their experience and how this project fit into their learning goals, visit Interactive Reader Maps in the English Language Arts Classroom.