How a desperate hunger strike paved the way for a brighter future in Miawpukek
'It's memories that are sweet, and memories that are full of pain.'
A hunger strike that happened four decades ago has brought people in Miawpukek First Nation together for remembrance and reflection.
People in the community of Conne River marked the 40-year milestone at the Ta'n Etl-Mawita'mk Community Centre, featuring four of the nine hunger strikers: Aubrey Joe, Billy Joe, Rick Jeddore and Miawpukek First Nation Chief Mi'sel Joe.
Three of the hunger strikers, Wilfred Drew, Chesley Joe and George Drew, have since died.
From Monday evening and into Tuesday afternoon, people gathered at the community centre for cultural activities as well as storytelling sessions with the remaining hunger strikers. In solidarity with the historic strike, some people chose to fast for 24 hours or more leading up to Tuesday's traditional feast.
Mi'sel Joe, addressing the community from a podium with a microphone, reflected on the drastic actions he took in 1983 as a new chief.
"It's memories that are sweet, and memories that are full of pain," he said.
While remembering the past with solemnity, Joe took time to reflect on the progress he's seen in Miawpukek First Nation in his four decades as chief.
"I'd be lying to you if I said it was an easy transition to where we are today," he said.
In April 1983, people from Miawpukek travelled to St. John's to confront the provincial government. Over $800,000 of federal funding was being held by the Newfoundland government, who refused to release it without taking $60,000 off the top for administrative fees.
The money had been held up for a year.
In a decisive move, Joe and more than 80 others from the community chartered a bus to St. John's to directly confront the people who refused to release the money. The group went straight to the offices of the Department of Rural, Agricultural and Northern Development in the St. John's Atlantic Place building, and more than 30 of them went inside.
Then they padlocked the door.
It wasn't long before police broke their way in and removed the protesters. Joe said he remembers sitting against the wall when a large officer broke through the drywall next to him.
"That was a surprise," Joe recalled.
About two dozen of the protesters were arrested and later released. Determined to stand their ground, they began their next direct action: a hunger strike.
Holed up in two hotel rooms, nine men decided to fast until their demands were met and the money was released. Their intention was to outlast the Peckford government, even under the possibility of death by starvation.
It didn't come to that.
Subsisting on only water and juice for over a week, the men stood their ground while their friends outside negotiated with the provincial and federal governments. Finally, on the ninth day, an agreement was reached and the funds were released to the community with no administrative costs.
After that, an agreement was reached with the federal government whereby funds would flow directly to the First Nation without the provincial government acting as an intermediary.
Just over a year after the hunger strike, Miawpukek First Nation was registered under the federal Indian Act, and in 1987 it was made part of the first reserve in Newfoundland and Labrador.
For Joe, the time of remembrance is especially important for the younger generation of the community.
"There's a lot of history that we need to be teaching our own people," he said.
"The things we've done, in this community, are not well known. But they are well known on the outside. I don't know why that is."
While the elders of the community remember living through the hunger strike, someone from the next generation has taken up the task of telling their stories.
Noel Joe wasn't even born yet when the hunger strike happened, but he's heard about it all his life from his uncles who took part in it. About a year ago, he decided to tell their story in film.
"Our people need to learn their own history before they learn any other history," said Joe.
"It's important as a Mi'kmaq person to understand where you came from."
Joe unveiled the trailer for his new documentary on Tuesday at the closing ceremony of the two-day commemoration. The trailer features interviews with the living hunger strikers, Joe's uncles, who watched it for the first time along with other members of the community.
"I hope this film will show the younger generation that there's so much to be thankful for, so much to learn," said Joe.
Growing up in Conne River, Joe is part of a tight-knit community. He's well aware of the passage of time as he reflects on the loss of three of hunger strikers already. That motivates him to get this film done now, so that future generations can hear the account of the historic strike from the mouths of those who were there.
The film is being produced by Roger Maunder of Up Sky Down Films, with Joe taking on the role of co-director.
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