Joe Keewasin

Joe Keewasin died yesterday after a long battle with cancer. He was surrounded by family and friends. Joe was Mary Jane's partner and for the last few years cleaned the fish and did odd jobs around camp at Viking Island. He was a traditional story teller and had many guests on the edge of their seats right up to the punchline. He had a great sense of humour and kept us laughing at camp no matter what was happening.

Joe was born in the bush and grew up on the outshirts of Red Lake. Together with his 3 brothers and 1 sister, he went through the difficult transition from traditional bush life to the modern day world. He went to residential school from age 10 to 14 years. There, miles away from home, he was taught a different culture and was not allowed to speak his own language. He remembers sneaking out of bed to sleep on the floor where he normally slept. He went to work at 14 in a sawmill and over the years, worked in the bush cutting trees, in the mine, digging graves. He worked the longest, though at Sandybeach Lodge, on Trout Lake where he became known as an excellent guide reknowned for his chowder and bannock served at shorelunch. He watched the now owner, Wade Mitchell, grow up, and probably taught him how to fish, clean fish and generally run the camp. I'm sure they also had crazy parties and adventures Wade will never tell us about.

Joe was a drinker for many years and homeless for most of that time, with an amazing ability to survive our winters and the streets of Red Lake. Seven years ago, he and Mary Jane got together and Mary Jane just made him quit (quit or leave, as she dumped out bottles of booze). He did quit and they spent 7 great years together. They reconnected with their traditional culture, made lots of friends, and looked after their brothers in an old age home. At Bingo, in Eagle River, they met up with lots of friends from back in residential school days.

They also reclaimed Frank Paishk's cabin at the west end of Red Lake. Frank Paishk was Art and Florence's first and most important employee at Viking Island from 1948 until 1978. He was also Mary Jane's uncle.

Joe we will miss you.