By Xavier Kataquapit
Winter flu season is causing all kinds of sickness and notably for our senior citizens and those with compromised immune systems. This past couple of weeks have been so hard as two of my favourite Elders have passed, John Mercier of Timmins and Ignace Koostachin from my home community in Attawapiskat. They will always have a place in my heart and memories, and they were known and well respected far and wide.
John started out with a vibrant French Canadian family and at a young age excelled in hockey. He progressed to the point that he was playing at high levels and, although he had his aim on the NHL, he got sidetracked when he met his wild Irish Rose Celia Dunn from Iroquois Falls. The two were literally knocked off their feet as they shone on every dance floor in the north with their skill doing the jitterbug.
Soon they were married. John attained training and work as an electrician and the dynamic duo started a family. All the time John kept playing hockey throughout the north and experienced just about every arena there was during the 1950s, 60s, 70s and even in the 80s. He loved the sport so much he even took on the job of referee and he had exciting stories of dealing with players and fans during a time when the game was rough and tough.
John was always there for his family and his friends and he and Celia raised six very capable and industrious children, including Marcia, Jamie, Betty Anne, Patricia, Pam and Chip (Philip). The boys of course all played hockey and grew up around the old Barn arena in South Porcupine. They all had children and at this point John was a great grandfather.
John was a person who was very community minded and he joined the Whitney volunteer fire department for 40 years. He was Fire Chief at one point. John was so well known all over the north through his hockey participation and firefighter event attendance. Competitions took him to towns and cities far and wide. His son Jamie ended up with a career as a firefighter in Timmins and just recently retired.
Ignace Koostachin was larger than life to me as a boy. He was a great hunter, trapper, fisherman and traditional person in our community. He is the husband to my cousin Celine, who is the daughter of my uncle George Kataquapit. They were much older than us, and we younger relatives looked up to Celine and Ignace as older relatives that watched out for us. He was brilliant and intelligent in so many ways. Although he prominently spoke our traditional Cree language, he was more than capable of navigating through the non-Native world. He worked for the Attawapiskat First Nation office for many years, and he was always there with our leadership to offer his advice and counsel when it was needed. He represented our community perfectly as he was able to speak and connect with our Elders who had only known life on the land. At the same time, he understood the new world that was affecting our people. He passed down so much knowledge and experience to his children Travis, Lorraine, Ignace Jr., Diane and George, as well as many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Ignace also knew how to connect to everyone in the most humorous way possible. Many of our family members knew him simply as ‘Mr. Miyagi’, as he looked like the actor Pat Morita from the movie Karate Kid. Younger people often saw him as a wonderful and quiet Elder, and he used the silly identity of a karate master to make people laugh. Humour was a big part of his life and he shared so many stories he had gathered over the years with youth and Elders.
These two great families have a deep connection to me as they were great comforts to my family when my mother Susan Kataquapit passed away in the summer of 2016. Celine and Ignace and the relations from their generation were central to planning our mother’s funeral and services. Even as adults, we all enjoyed knowing that they still watched over us during our time of need.
When I returned from that funeral to travel back to Kirkland Lake, I was invited to visit my partner Mike’s uncle Johnny Mercier at their family cottage at McInnis Lake. The healing I found surrounded by the Merciers that day was amazing.
I will never forget these two amazing men I met on my journey. The thing I admire so much about them is the fact that they met every new day with a happy and enthusiastic view. They worked hard to support their family and friends. I see them as great role models and in remembering them I will try to do better.