Clogging with Missanabie Cree Cloggers

So as you know, from my last entry, I have been filming a Women's conference for the Nishnawbe Aski Nation, a political organization representing 43 First Nations communities in Northern Ontario. So just to recap, in 8 days, i've filmed a music video for Nishnawbe Aski Nation's Youth Council, i've filmed workshops about auras, volunteering, healthy sexuality, yoga, tai chi, women's health, nurturing the youth, a Conway Twitty/Loretta Lynn/Tina Turner/Elvis/80's pop star/Hank William's impersonator as well as numerous interviews AND an election.

I'm very run down with the flu, and no matter how many herbal pills my colleague Roxanne tries to shove down my throat, nothing seems to be working. The hotel is so far from the city that I can't even get any Tylenol or cough drops. Today is the last day of the conference. I've been awake since 6:45am, and i'm on a 15 minute break until dinner is served.

I was able to start the day off by filming a group of women who called themselves the Missanabie Cree Cloggers. Not too many people know that i'm half Cree on my mother's side. Probably due to my pale face. Anyway, I know I was supposed to be the camera girl, but I couldn't help but leave the camera on a wide shot as I joined the group of cloggers clogging away to "I love that ole' Time Rock and Roll". It was lots of fun, and now I think i'll dig out the old tap shoes when I get home and learn that. After a short lunch, all the women made picket signs protesting Bill C8 on Matrimonial Real Property on reservations. This in a nut shell means that if a non Native woman divorced her Native husband, she would be left with nothing.

http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/March2009/26/c4600.html (this is an article about the Rally)

So the women all jumped in a shuttle bus and headed to Indian Northern Affairs of Canada where they protested the unjust law until the regional manager decided to hear us out.

It was really cold on my fingers, but I didn't want to complain considering 80 year old elders and little kids were outside with no gloves holding signs too.

We headed back to the hotel on the shuttle bus happy with how the rally turned out. As soon as I walked in the lobby, all the producers and assistants started asking me to sign contracts and get invoices in to them for my payment. I spent an hour in my room printing invoices, and decided to relax by attending the Tai Chi workshop rather than filming it.

I have 3 more hours until the conference is over and I can pack to come home.