Michif Languages Oral History Project 1996 - Lena Fleury

Tape 1 of 1 - Side 1

0:03 Born in Ste. Madeleine, 8th of January, 1915

0:23 Willie Boucher, Joe Boucher, they all went to school there. I went to school until I was 18 years old.

0:35 The teacher fell asleep in school and we played outside. [What was his name?] Blouin. There was 31 kids.

0:62 There were no kids after grades 6 or 7.

0:82 There were times we didn't have much to eat. There were time I brought only a piece of bannock and rabbit.

1:01 There were no games like today. We played ball. We played Aunty I Over.

1:28 [Where did they buy the bell?] I don't know. [Where is that bell now?] The priest from Ste. Lazare came and took the bell. He said it was his. He had no reason to take that bell.

1:45 There were 4 or 5 people who went to knock down the church. PaPa and Joe Venne said whoever goes to knock the church down, we'll shoot them with our guns.

1:67 Picture was taken in 1939. We had mass for one whole week. That was in May.

2:61 We had catechism every day for 1/2 hour. We were 7 when we took our first communion. Bishop came every four years.

2:94 During lent we went from house to house and said Rosery. There was no dancing during lent.

3:40 There was about 30 families in Ste. Madeleine.

4:50 During New Years we danced every night all night. No one danced at that time.

1:79 Willie Boucher, Gasper Boucher played fiddle. There were many players and callers.

Tape 1 of 1 - Side 2

6:97 Only Joe Boucher got land and I think he helped the Fouilliards.

7:00 The rest of the people got nothing. They even burned all the houses they even killed the dogs.

7:80 He came to our place to shoot our dog. PaPa took his gun and said go ahead and shoot him. I'll shoot you.

8:28 My mother was from here. My father was from the west some where.

9:12 He never worked on the C.N.

10:46 There was a church there. There were lots of Michif there.

0:68 Rita and Harvey went to Crosby School. 1950 I think.

0:80 We had 13 cattle. There was one summer I milked 7 cows. [you shot 7 cows?]

01:96 They don't talk much Cree or French anymore. They talked like me when they were at home.

02:49 (English) I said, yes and she strapped me. Did you have enough? No, and she strapped me again.