Oujé-Bougoumou 1998 Computer/Science Camp

The 1998 Computer/Science Camp was held during July and August and without exception the camp, its organization, the new programming introduced and the staff running the operation surpassed all expectations.

To view the results of our computer camp Web Pages,
you can click on the individual student's picture or name.

Back Row: Trifona Simard, Caroline Longchap, Varley Miamscum
Middle Row: Diane Bosum, Steve Longchap, Joey Capassisit
Front Row: Renée Dixon, Russell Dixon, Duane Bosum, Dinah Bosum
Not in Picture: Bryan Lacroix, Kyle Mianscum

After the success we had running a smaller version of the camp last year we were a little nervous about the challenges we gave ourselves to have the camp run longer, handle more campers and offer programming to adolescents as well as teenagers. The addition of the younger campers was the most daunting concern. Could we design science programs which would both entertain and educate this group? Could we add the extra staff needed to supervise more groups and still stay within budget? Would we find enough qualified people in the local community to work at the camp and take on these expanded duties?

Well we could and we did. Everything worked out perfectly. The staff, mentored by Leah Keats, the Community's Human Resource Officer and led by Judy Capissisit the Project Manager, and assisted by councilors Trifona Simard, Caroline Longchap and Varley Mianscum( former computer camp student who has been chosen to be trained as a computer technician) made sure everything ran smoothly and that the campers had a great time. The instructors geared their sessions to the different age groups. Peter Pronovost, handled the computer training and classes and did a superb job ensuring his sessions made it possible for both the computer literate and those who never touched a computer before to learn new skills and felt comfortable trying their hand at doing computer art, digital photography, data processing and the Internet. David Denton provided an introduction to the world of archaeology. He entertained and intrigued those attending his sessions by coming up with innovative techniques to explain what the world of archaeology was all about and how it impacted the Cree. Of particular note was his use of a bowl of Jell-O to simulate an actual dig. Burying artifacts (fruit and chocolate) in the layers of different coloured gelatin and organizing a dig to discover these treasures both entertained, educated and fed the students.

Making learning a fun experience was a prime objective for the camp. All our programming was designed with this in mind. So when Tommy Rabbitskin introduced the campers to the world of Forestry he did so by leading them on a hike on Ouje-Bougoumou's newly created Nature Trail. There he told them about the forest and the plants they passed. He pointed out various forestry techniques that were currently being used by forest companies and contrasted them to the way the Cree used and cared for the forest. Similarly, David and Anna Bosum took the kids on a canoe trip and to a traditional camp site where they went swimming and learnt the traditional way to make items such as cough medicine and baby powder and diapers and candy from the forests natural products. Finally, the campers were introduced to the world of mining through a fun and educational trip to the Chibougamau Mining Museum. Mixing education and recreational activities made learning fun and linking science to Cree life and practices made it possible for the campers to understand that science has always been a part of Cree life and that it will continue to be relevant to the Cree world in the future and thus is a valid career path to take.

The camp was made possible and succeeded as a result of the generous funding support that was obtained from several sponsoring organizations. Special mention must go to: the Cree School Board, Eenou Companee, Guy Chevrette, Ministre delegue aux Affaires autochtones, the Cree Board of Compensation, the Federal Department of Indian Affairs & Northern Development through the Cree Regional Authority, Societe de developpement de la Baie James and Telebec.

These sponsors should be commended and can be proud of what their contribution is supporting. The camp is not only a fun and educational experience. It is helping develop the region both economically and socially. It encourages the active involvement in the economy by the Cree and will return benefits to everyone for years to come.

What lies ahead. Well, we plan to continue making the camp a little bigger, and hopefully, a little better, each year. We are already in discussions with a local College to add programs on sustainable development and fisheries management and with an Ontario University to offer a course in sustainable forestry techniques. We also want to continue incorporating the camp into village life. Next years camp will be scheduled to coincide with our Dagotin (summer) Festival and with Voices of the Land, an Aboriginal music concert held here each summer. While we still want to have the camp extend its operating season to last the entire summer and to become efficient and organized enough to begin taking in campers from outside the community, we will expand only as quickly as the staff are ready to handle these new responsibilities. However, judging from this years success and the amount the camp grew would indicate that a full summers operation is not far off.

The students, camp councilors and instructors would like to send a special thank you! To our friend Bernie Perlman, who helped organize and raise funding to make the summer science/computer camps possible in Oujé Bougoumou. If you have any questions about the summer science/computer camps, you can reach Bernie at the following address.

Bernard Perlman
Economic Development Officer
Oujé Bougoumou Cree Nation
203 Opemiska St.
Oujé Bougoumou, Quebec
Canada
G0W 3C0

Tel: 1 (418) 745-3906
Fax: 1 (418) 745-3544
E-Mail: tourism@ouje.ca