Emma Ernest

Episode 2 - Emma Ernest

Christine Fiddler

Air Date: July 1, 2022

Summary

In this podcast, Emma speaks about the use of traditional medicines and lands, possible medical experimentation by health officials, and the old ways of life she remembers from her childhood and young adulthood.

• English Translation

  Translator Anne Ernest: A long time ago when they signed treaties...

  Emma: yes

  Translator Anne Ernest: They told what was going to be given and how we would be treated. And our health. Have you seen how it was back then?

  Emma: A long time ago we never paid for the medications. We were just helped. But then again back then people did not really go to the doctors. They used traditional herbal medicines. Just like myself, I never had major illnesses. When I was ill I took traditional herbal medicines, not the whiteman’s medicine. I wasn’t a sickly person. My children also were not sickly. If they were sick I did take them to the hospital but they were not cured/felt better so I doctored them. Correction-It was your grandmother who did. She was the one who gave them medicine and they got well. (English-Twelve kids) I had. There was nothing like the (English-sugar) diabetes that people have. I never had it. (English-My mom) also had nothing of that illness. Well we never had illnesses. Only that illness that is quickly spread, only that one. I don’t know much about the whiteman’s
  medications because I didn’t use them, you know. The only medication I use (little pills) is the medication for my blood when it pumps hard. Those are the only ones. When I don’t take those I can feel it right away. They swell, (English-my hands) if I don’t take them. If I don’t take them for one week my hands swell. I am urprised as to why I have that reaction. I do not take traditional Cree herbal medicine for that. I have never tried it because they are giving me pills for it. (English-That’s it.)

• Keywords

  Kayas mana-A long time ago
  Nehiyaw muskeekee - traditional herbal medicines
  Taskoots oma niya - just like myself
  pi-yeyakisin - Illnesses
  Moniyaw muskeekee - whiteman’s medicine
  Moya niya e-ni-otakisin mweekwatc - I never got ill
  Awasisak - my children
  e-kanitihiwak niya - I doctored them
  e-kawiya nitihiyowahew - he/she doctored them
  ekosi ki-miyo wayawoyak - they got well
  mukeekway niya ekwama - I did not get nothing like that
  ekwaya - and
  moya e-iskeeteen - I don’t know
  moya kiyoceetan - I have never tried it

SERIES

Sîkîp Sâkahikanihk Keyteyayak Âcimowina

HOST & PRODUCER
Christine Fiddler
Shannon Avison

Episode Guest

Emma Ernest was born Emma Oseemeemow/Crookedneck on August 22, 1934 in the community of Ministikwan to Florence Oseemeemow and Daniel Crookedneck. She was the youngest of her siblings.

She married Bruno Ernest, who was from Waterhen. They moved to Greig Lake, an area of Waterhen in 1947. Then they relocated to the community where they raised their own 12 children along with 6 of their grandchildren. In 2022, Emma is 88 years old and is a fluent Cree speaker. She did not attend residential school so she does not speak English.

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