early peoples

Dog sledding
by

Dog sledding

Good day, you awesome human

Today it has snowed. The chilly wonder of a winter’s delight. Our nations most favourite past times are here.
The dogs whine and climb out of their white, snowy blankets. A new day of mushing and racing is upon them. Friendly, eager playmates in a life of Canadian made fun.
The sun pierces the sky and casts it’s golden warmth upon us. A fabulous, chilly -35C. A perfect day. A day of winter delight, of breakneck speed through the wild land, of wind on your face and warmth in the air. A day of endurance, strength, preparedness, fun! The great planet calls to us from the landscape and we’re off. Off to an adventure, off to another day of grand pursuits.
The eons of time travels quickly with us. Generations of dog sledding flies past our feet. We must. In our minds we know that we must. Carrying on the history of nation building, the travels of voyageurs, the present day sportsman and adventurer, the tourist. In a land of long winters and brilliant dark sky the endless preoccupation with the joys of winter fun is a must.

As Canadians, these traditions fill us with joy and wonder. The long race of dog sledding, a time of daring adventure, a feat of a thrilling pursuit. An age of discovery, when dog sledding helped to open the country and helped to transport goods, food and people across the land. A method of transportation for early explorers. Across the great white, snow covered plains of the Arctic. Dog sledding carrying us, as Canadians, all across the land.
Mile upon mile the dogs will run, day after day. The race. Such a thrilling adventure for dog and man.
The dogs stretch their limbs and howl. Run! they cry and off we go.
The winter!
The transportation corridors change and sometimes are easier with ice and snow. A frozen lake is a short cut, the marshes and bogs are easily crossed. Better to travel in winter with ice and snow and the howl of dogs in your ears. Faster and less dangerous than running rapids with canoes and the winter forest shines with snow.
Culture!
What we do to save ourselves, to explore, to open trade routes, to fulfill our negotiated contracts.
The dog team is an integral part of our culture. It’s a need fulfilled. Across the great land to explore, to reach communities with goods for trade. To fulfill business contracts and to live.
Here, almighty human in the great white north is the destiny of a lifetime of adventure. It called to the early explorer. Come to Canada! Live the adventure! And so they did.
Criss crossing the nation from trading post to trading post with sleighs laden with supplies. A life of business enterprise. Dog and man, racing across the great plains of the provinces, dog and man, racing east to west and back again. Dog and man racing to the north, racing to the south.
Culture and tradition whistling in our ears.
The dogs, our coveted friends.
Praises to you brilliant mankind, for the peace of trade and for the joy adventure. The negotiated peace that saves our lives.
written by Dr. Louise Hayes
November 12,2013

by

Early Man

Hail Bravehearts

Today is the day that dreams are made of. New life, new hope, new adventure, a daring new world of hope and promise. The bravest and the most daring venture forth to share the land with peoples of diligence and fortitude. A habituated land of congenial peoples who cleverly negotiated a peace amongst themselves for their own survival and mutual prosperity.
Hail, bravehearts, to come to this great land, this continent of the Americas, to build dreams, fortunes, life, liberty. A land worth fighting for, a freedom worth their daring lives. Come to the Americas! Venture forth to colonise!
The aboriginal peoples of the land accepted the new immigrants, generally with the quiet acceptance of negotiation and peaceful interchange.
Who were these early peoples? They saved so many lives with their skills and knowledge?
Where do you come from, you daring brave souls of the almighty human?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aboriginal_peoples_in_Canada

The historical evidence indicates a migration from Asia across the short straight which is now separating Russia from Alaska. Nomadic peoples following migrating animals crossed the land mass which joined Russia to Alaska, into the far north of continental North America.
12000 years of history of human habitation in Alaska. The receding glaciers allowed for human occupancy in a snow free Alaska. As the glaciers receded the early people migrated further south into a land now known as Canada. The aboriginal peoples have resided in this land for so long, thousands of years, that their cultural identity is with North America.
Today, they identify themselves as First Nations, the first peoples of Canada.

http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/yt/kluane/index.aspx

Into the land they came, through a new landscape carved from retreating glaciers. The land was immense, the obstacles difficult, the terrain sometimes impassable. Yet, the early settlers persisted in the wild north of unconquered land and pursued their fate to lands unknown. What was the call, oh brave heart? To satisfy the longing of curiosity, of adventure, of ambition? Nomadic peoples following game, in search of tribal lands, looking for peaceful relief from war faring neighbours? Survival in a land of mountains, ice and forest, with wit and cunning minds for survival. To overcome the climate, the landscape the wildlife and to live.
Bravo, brave hunter, to travel so far, to make this place your home. Through the massive tracts of northern wilderness to occupy territories of more habitable climate, the pressure to move on and to explore on continued. The human. The adventurer. The quest for exploration. Did they really come here merely to survive or was the daunting quest of pre history, the same quest of the human spirit as the driving force within us now? They could see that land, the continents were attached. It compels us. What lies beyond?
Oh great human, nothing goes unexplored. To travel across the land bridge out of necessity, out of curiosity, out of free will? To meet the challenge of adventure?
Gifted almighty human, with your strength and perseverance. Into the great land mass, to survive.
written by Dr. Louise Hayes
October 31, 2013