Saskatchewan's oldest permanent settlement celebrates 250th anniversary

Philomene Chaboyer says she is proud of her community of Cumberland House and hopes for an even better future as the northern village celebrates its 250th anniversary.

Cumberland House is Saskatchewan's oldest permanent settlement. CBC attended the community's three-daycelebration, which wrappedup Tuesday.

For Chaboyer, browsingthe local museum, unveiled in the community after years of efforts, was an emotional ride down memory lane.

Althoughthe 90-year-old elder was impressed by the displays and donated artifacts, there was a tinge of concern. Philomene is worried that her mother tongue, Swampy Cree, will also soon be no more than an addition to archives.

Keeping the past alive

Philomene is among the oldest of Cumberland House's approximately2,000 members, who live both on and off reserve.She said only a quarterof the population still speaks Swampy Cree.

Richard McKenzie, whoa Cree language educator in the community helped with translation for Philomene, shares her concerns.

"Only the elders speak it. I speak it with my generation, some kids in the school speak it, but most younger ones cannot understand," McKenzie said.

"That's a language that's actually lost, but we're trying to bring it back."

McKenzie, 66, said many youngsters can understand Swampy Cree,but barely speak it.

Both Philomene and McKenzie are happy that school prayers are now sung in the language,but say the youth need to work on keeping the language alive.

McKenzie said a lot of history dwells in their land.

Cumberland House wasthe site of the first inland Hudson's Bay Company fur trade post, established in 1774. Itwas once a significant transportation hub. The fur trade postconducted business until 1965,and is still standingadjacent to the present-day Cumberland House Provincial Park.

Correcting the present

Philomene said she is concerned about substance use in the village, as in many other Saskatchewan communities.

"The only thing that bugs me is the drugs and alcohol," she said with McKenzie's help as a translator.

She said she doesn't let her children or grandchildren do any of that and envisages a future free of these problems.

Cumberland House Mayor Ferlin McKayagreedthatdrugs and alcohol are problems.

"It's pretty sad that they have to turn to that route," he said."Hopefully we can get some help from the government."

McKay said there are other challenges that the community needs to overcome as well. He pointed to Highway 123, which the community relies on for food, mail, fueland emergency services. It has been in disrepair for years.

"My hope today is that we would have a proper highway."

If the highway isn't passable, the community is essentially cut off from the rest of the province.

The community declared a state of emergency this spring after rainfall leftthe road swampy.

"It's a terrible road," McKay said."This past spring, people weren't able to drive in and out from our community. A lot of these businesses that brought our groceries or gas and all other stuff were stopped from hauling."

WATCH |Lone highway to Cumberland House, Sask., still 'terrible,'mayor says:

Lone highway to Cumberland House, Sask., still 'terrible': mayor

3 months ago

Duration 0:51

Cumberland House, Sask., Mayor Ferlin McKay says Highway 123, which his community relies on for supplies, is still "a terrible road."

McKay said he also wants to see work done on the local water system. With "many dams being built up south," water levels are dropping in the local delta.

"Our delta has fed us for many years. Now, our delta is crying for help," he said.

McKay urgedthe government to take action for thewater system.

"It's not what we want, but it's what we need."

Working toward a stronger future

McKay said the local council is working to establish a safe, resilient community, but that much of theonus is on the youth.

"That's what I like to see from my community," he said. "These younger generations, to get more educated and bring [that] back and help out our community."

That's exactly what Philomene's great granddaughter Raven Chaboyer has in mind.

The Grade 12 student'splan is to graduate, pursue higher education, explore the world and come back and help Cumberland House grow.

"I'm hoping the community stays even longer," she said. "I want to come back and build new houses. That's my goal. I want to build new foundations, build new stores, everything for Cumberland House."

She has also been learning Swampy Cree and is trying to revive the language alongside her peers.

"I want to bring it back. It's a beautiful language. There's so much meaning behind Cree."

Raven said thedrug problems in the community stem from kids acting out.

"They're going to drug abuse for a better life, is what they think. But it's not a better life, not at all."

Raven said part of the problem is a lack ofextracurricular activities at the school.She said there is programming for kids under five, and for adults, with "nothing for the kids in between."

"If we had a music class or an art class or something, it would give kids more of an initiative to pursue something in life. Without that, I see kids here just staying inside. They go to school, go back home. They don't go out. They go to drugs for help."

She said she wants to help the community grow and provide opportunities for all.

"In the next 250 years, I hope we have a Tim Hortons. We don't have a Co-op. We need good stuff here."