Fontaine, Arsene Interview

Abstract provided by the Gabriel Dumont Institute: Arsene was interviewed on January 21, 1983 in La Loche, Saskatchewan. Arsene describes some traditional cures of the medicine man. He briefly describes how to make a canoe and other transportation methods such as dog teams. Arsene also discusses the old Bay store and treaty days. Treaty days were always in June and everybody received five dollars but the chiefs received extra supplies. Arsene’s father was a law enforcement officer and in about 1931 he became a DNR (Department of Natural Resources) officer. Arsene tells a story of how he and his brother used to catch foxes and keep them until their furs were prime condition for selling. Arsene describes how the mail was delivered back when he was growing up and what kinds of wages were received. He shares a caribou hunting story and where he used to trap. Arsene discusses how a fire started in La Loche and detrimental it could have been. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Keywords: Education, Employment, Healthcare, Fur Trade, Saskatchewan - North West