SEPT-ÎLES, QC—Marie Louise Andre Mackenzie is an 86-year-old
elder from the tiny town of Schefferville, Quebec. With deep and
dignified wrinkles on her face, and a large smile, Mackenzie
speaks in Innu-aimun. As she speaks, her granddaughter
translates her words to French. “I will always protect my land
and my language. But now our land is broken up. Schefferville is
full of holes. But if I die, all will die with me,” said
Mackenzie, who spoke to The Dominion in a house on the reserve
of Uashat. “The impact of mining development has meant that the
youth are happy because they have jobs, but they are not
conscious of all they are losing.” Mackenzie represents a
profound link to Innu tradition and a past with very little
contact with settler society. Born in the woods far outside of
Schefferville, 1,100 kilometres northeast of Montreal, she
understands the dangers to her language and tradition that could
result from the Plan Nord and other development projects. After
she speaks, Mackenzie pauses and then sings