Sharing the stories of Island Lake: Communities in Focus

CBC Manitoba's community news bureau initiative explored the four First Nations that make up the Island Lake region of Manitoba in October, including Garden Hill, St. Theresa Point, Red Sucker Lake and Wasagamack.

The team of journalists and videographers from CBC Manitoba included Marcy Markusa, Erin Brohman, Nadia Kidwai, Cory Funk,Tyson Koschik and Kevin Nepitabowho toured the area, made lasting connections and gathered unique stories from each First Nation.

Watch

Teens in northern Manitoba First Nation experience the thrill of catching their first fish

11 months ago

Duration 3:53

Young fishers from Garden Hill First Nation High School set out on Island Lake to lay nets in a quiet bay and returned the next day to retrieve their bounty. Jack Harper uses hands-on learning to teach students how to live off the land and keep traditions alive.

Advice from the eldest elder in Red Sucker Lake

6 months ago

Duration 2:38

Fanny Harper talks about what it's like growing up on Red Sucker Lake First Nation in Manitoba.

How tradition has helped get through the struggles of high school

6 months ago

Duration 2:14

High school students in St. Theresa Point First Nation have taken up loom beading. Turns out, it's helped some of them improve their mental health and cope with things like bullying.

Debbie Harper's son builds shack in backyard to create some breathing space

10 months ago

Duration 3:27

Debbie Harper, who lives in St. Theresa Point with her children and grandchildren, says the last thing she and her partner discuss every night is where everyone in the family will sleep, and whether they have any space.

Christina Wood lives with 23 others in a five-bedroom house in St. Theresa Point

10 months ago

Duration 2:27

Christina Wood says mornings in her home are 'hectic and chaotic' when all 16 grandchildren take a turn in the bathroom they share before going to school.

Read

• 'It's not working'. With a nursing shortage and no hospital, Island Lake First Nations communities face health-care struggle. Read more.
• Garden Hill students, staff facing packed classrooms and mould say new school would give them breathing room. Read more.
• Island Lake search and rescue team dives deep to bring closure to families after drownings. Read more.
• 24 people, 1 home. With multiple generations under one roof, many St. Theresa Point First Nation families are desperate for living space. Read more.
• Subsidized food banks visit Island Lake region amid 'food security crisis'. Read more.

Listen

Information Radio - MB8:10Island Lake forms its own search and recovery team

CBC's Erin Brohman spoke with some of Island Lake's Search and Recovery Team and finds out how they helped form other dive teams to help assist when people go missing. Edward Flett and Kurt Mason are longtime members of the dive team, and Tanya McDougall is newer member of the dive team

Up To Speed6:30Elementary school principal by day, comedian by night

In his remote northern community of St. Theresa Point First Nation, Lyle is best known as your friendly neighbourhood elementary school principal. But he keeps a whole other side of him close to his chest. He's a comedian, who's performed in front of thousands across western Canada. On weekends, he's been known to make the almost 500km flight south to Winnipeg to perform at local comedy nights. And tomorrow night he'll be doing just that to headline his first ever show. CBC's Cory Funk met up with him at St. Theresa Point Elementary school, where many of his students have no idea that he's a comedian.

Radio Noon Manitoba5:52The people in St. Theresa Point First Nation elect a new chief

The newly elected chief of St. Theresa Point says he hopes his community will have more educational opportunities and equality in the future. CBC's Marcy Markusa heard more from the newly elected chief, Raymond Flett.

Information Radio - MB15:26Getting local in Garden Hill. Last night Marcy Markusa and the CBC team in Island Lake Manitoba were shown the utmost hospitality

We'll hear how the people in that part of Manitoba are sharing their stories, their histories and their moose meat

Information Radio - MB10:21Marcy Markusa is up north in Island Lake and yesterday she caught some live election results in Garden Hill First Nation

When students have serious issues...students have serious solutions. The CBCs' Marcy Markusa spent a day at Garden Hill First Nation High School and the results of the student elections were announced. Marcy had a deep conversation with one of the community's student councillors who outlined joys, hopes and concerns about being a student in the north

Information Radio - MB12:26CBC in Island Lake;

CBC's Pat Kaniuga connects with Marcy Markusa up in Island Lake. She travelled to St. Theresa Point yesterday and found herself at the rez radio station

Information Radio - MB11:36What was the impact of covid in a place where people were already isolated? Marcy is up in Island Lake...more stories from her visit to St. Theresa Point

When Ralph Harper was a little boy in the 1970s he says the first vehicle arrived in his Manitoba community. Today , Marcy brings us a bit of a tour of St. Theresa Point from a man who has spent his life on the west shore of Island Lake

Information Radio - MB9:39You've heard of a dental hygienist and a dentist . but what about a dental therapist? If you have, chances are you're from a First Nation

All week, a team from CBC have been 600 kilometers north of Winnipeg in the Island Lake Region of our province. And yesterday they were in St. Theresa Point, where Cory Funk spent the morning at the local school. He had a chance to speak to Katherine Tegumiar who's in charge of over a thousand young smiles in St. Theresa Point First Nation , her unique job and challenges her community faces

Information Radio - MB8:53Teachers from across the province will be back in class this week and some of them in remote communities in Manitoba

It's back to school after the holiday break this week and today we're going up to Island Lake Manitoba to hear from a teacher who left Calgary to work in the north because she wanted to learn more about indigenous culture....but now it's the kids that keep her coming back

Information Radio - MB7:10St. Theresa Point is becoming a role model for recycling among remote communities

You can get them up there...but if they break down...where do vehicles go to die in a fly-in community? Today we'll hear about a recycling facility in St. Theresa Point that is leading the way in helping with the issue of derelict cars

Information Radio - MB10:09After its Roman Catholic church burnt down two years ago, Saint Theresa Point First Nation is rebuilding it with a nod to the community's Indigenous traditions

The CBC's Cory Funk takes us to Saint Theresa Point First Nation, where the community is building a new Catholic church that's fusing its faith with the traditions of their ancestors

Information Radio - MB6:11Meet Island Lake's first helicopter pilot

Mario Flett always loved flying, but thought becoming a helicopter pilot in his remote northern Manitoba First Nation was too far out of reach, until now.

Information Radio - MB9:59A family in St Theresa point is so desperate for more space in their home...That they're building tiny houses on their lawn

With multiple generations under one roof, many St. Theresa Point First Nation families are desperate for living space. CBC's Erin Brohman spoke to some of those families during a recent trip to the remote First Nation

Information Radio - MB8:14No hospital, not enough nurses; Island Lake First Nation struggle to meet health-care needs

A special report about the call for a hospital in Island Lake. CBCs Erin Brohman visited the region as part of our Communities in Focus series to find out what that means for residents and how that impacts healthcare in the region

The team is continuing to produce stories from their visit, which will be added here as they air.