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File consists of:

• Annotated transcript of interview with Justa Monk
• [Chapter?] "Eight" of Justa edited by Mayo Moran
• [Chapter?] "Eight" of Justa edited by Roseanne Moran
• [Chapter?] "Eight" of Justa edited by unidentified individual
• [Chapter?] "Eight" of Justa edited by Linda
• Maupassant, Guy de. The Necklace. London: Phoenix, 1996.

This fonds illustrates Bridget Moran’s careers as a writer, a social worker and a social activist primarily within the Prince George region of British Columbia. This fonds also contains records pertaining to her personal relationships with family and friends and her receipt of various honours and awards.

Types of records reflective of her career as a writer include: published articles and unpublished manuscripts, drafts and front cover mock-ups, correspondence with editors from Arsenal Pulp Press, grant applications, notebooks, background material, writer’s workshop invitations and overviews, photographs, oral history interviews and transcripts, and VHS recordings of classroom talks given by Bridget Moran, Mary John and Justa Monk re: her publications.

Types of records reflective of her career as a social worker and social activist include: annual reports, work journals, correspondence and published newspaper articles re: social policy, photographs, and general background material. Correspondence, photographs and newspaper clippings highlight her personal relationships, while her receipt of honours and awards is demonstrated through copies of letters of recommendation, newspaper clippings, photographs, VHS recordings of award ceremonies, event itineraries, congratulatory correspondence, and invitations.

The Bridget Moran fonds has been divided into the following four series:

1. Published and Unpublished Materials
2. Career Related Materials
3. Personal Papers and Correspondence
4. Honours and Awards.

Audio cassette contains recorded audio interviews from a CBC Radio program interviewing Bridget Moran in the CBC Prince George studio on the recent publication of Justa.

Audiocassette Summary
Context: The recording is a segment from a CBC Radio program with broadcaster Mark [Forsythe?] interviewing Bridget Moran in the CBC Prince George studio on the recent publication of Justa. Mark first speaks to Justa by telephone asking him why he wanted his story told.

Scope and Content: Mark notes that Bridget Moran has just published a new book about the life of Justa Monk, entitled Justa: A First Nations Leader. Before speaking to Bridget, he speaks to Justa by telephone and asks him why he wanted his story told.

Justa says he wanted to tell people about the story of his life but also about the hardships of his people; for example he notes the transportation in the early years was difficult and that it took 21 hours by horse to travel from Tachie to Fort St. James. Also he says that what had happened to him [killing his brother] changed his life. He points out that in particular the Elders wanted him to tell his story. [Mark thanks Justa and the interview ends]

Mark then introduces Bridget Moran and asks her to comment on why she decided to write the book. Bridget first notes that she had heard about Justa’s life while writing the story of Mary John and that many people had suggested that she should write a book about his life as well. Although she had seen him at community events (potlatches) she was not introduced to him until November 1991. At that time he introduced himself and asked her to write his story – because he believed that it is possible to make amends for a bad life.

Bridget goes on to describe the circumstances leading to Justa killing his brother in a fight and that alcohol had been a factor. Justa had contemplated suicide.

Bridget then explains the setting of where Justa lived at Portage on Stuart Lake, 150 miles from Prince George. She notes that in many ways it was a very traditional life, totally dependent on the land. She says that Justa felt it was important in telling his story to tell native youth of ‘what they had – and what they had lost’.

Bridget then tells how Justa had been sent to a residential school at the age of 10 and that when he arriving the priest & nun took away his clothes. When he asks why – in Carrier – the only language he spoke – he was hit by the priest.

Bridget then talks about the structure of the book and notes that “what I was really doing was oral history.” She notes that she starting out interviewing him first because she notes she didn’t know him very well – but that it progress she then just talked with him. Bridget comments that Justa is a ‘real communicator’ and uses body language well – and she noted that he could remember details and emotions very well which gives a “sense of immediacy” to his story.

Mark asks Bridget to explain how Justa went from killing his brother – to becoming a leader of his people. Bridget notes that although it was felt he acted in self-defense, that Justa felt that he had to do penance for what he did. He was charged with manslaughter and served his time in a Forestry camp. After that he decided to go back to school and finish his education in Dawson Creek. He then decided to come back to Tachie to ‘make peace with his people’ and that the Elders forgave him and accepted him.

Justa then went on to work in the Band Office, then as Manager, then as Chief and in 1990 was elected as the Chief of the Carrier Sekani Tribal Council.

Bridget states that Justa’s legacy for native youth in particular – is that you can overcome hardships and turn your life around. Bridget notes that instead of drugs and alcohol that youths should look to their culture, language and Elders to help them.

Bridget then notes that her hope is to now hold workshops to help First Nations document their own history. To show them how they can take ‘raw material that I start work with’ and ‘work it up into a readable story.’ She hopes to hold workshops with Bands so that they can ‘do it for themselves’ – particularly as so many of the Elders are sick and dying and won’t be around to tell their stories.

Mark thanks Bridget –

End of interview

File consists of interview audio recordings conducted by Bridget Moran with Justa Monk. Access copies have been made of each taped interview onto Maxell UR 90 min. audiocassettes.

Audio cassette contains recorded a audio segment from the CBC Radio program, Daybreak of broadcaster Alison Payne interviewing Bridget Moran on the recent publication of Stoney Creek Woman.

Audiocassette Summary
Context: The recording is a segment from the CBC Radio program, Daybreak of broadcaster Alison Payne interviewing Bridget Moran on the recent publication of Stoney Creek Woman.

Scope and Content: Alison asks Bridget to explain why she is labeled an ‘activist.’ Bridget recalls it comes from her public conflict as a social worker in 1964 when she criticized the WAC Bennett government of its lack of adequate services for foster children and welfare families. And that it was intensified by her open conflict in the BC Legislature in 1972 with the Minister of Welfare Phil Gaglardi, as Bridget, acting as a liaison for the Association of Social Workers and low income groups, criticized the government’s proposed passing of Bill 49 to amend the Social Assistance Act. (The Bill would, if passed, extinguish the right of appeal by welfare recipients if refused the right to services). Bridget recalls that because of the ‘noise in the gallery’ she made she was tossed out of the BC Legislature.

Alison asks Bridget about the book Stoney Creek Woman and why she felt the need to write it. Bridget explains she needed to write the book as she had felt ‘guilty’ about the plight of people on reserves her entire life – and refers to an incident in the 1950s when she had brought her mother Rose Anne Drugan to the Stoney Creek Reserve and revealed to her the plight of poor women on the reserve. Her mother made her promise to assist these women and Bridget states the book was a way to do this. The book about Mary John is a story of a “typical life” of people living on reserves. That it describes the nomadic lifestyle being changed to one of the ‘shock of the residential school’ and the ‘cultural genocide’ that followed. Bridget notes that it was Mary John who realized that Native People would need to speak for themselves to bring about social change.

Bridget speaks about her close relationship with Mary John; Bridget praises her work in trying to change the plight of her people on the reserve for the better and that it became a significant cause for Mary John after the death of Coreen Thomas. Bridget describes Mary John as a woman “dedicated to the world of emotions”

Alison notes at the end of the interview that the launch of the new book is to be held November 25, 1988 at Mosquito Books in Prince George.

End of interview

Audio cassette contains recorded audio interviews with Bridget Moran regarding Judgment at Stoney Creek with CBC/COOP/CKNW, 21-24 September 1990.

Audiocassette Summary

Scope and Content: CBC Radio Interview:

• CBC Radio Interviewer Bruce [last name?] introduces Bridget Moran who discusses her latest book Judgment at Stoney Creek, which describes the inquest into the death of Coreen Thomas, killed by a car driven by a drunk white man in 1976
• Moran discusses what she sees as “Third World conditions” experienced by Natives on reserves in Canada and discrimination against Native People by the Western justice system as experienced in the Thomas Inquiry in Vanderhoof
• Moran criticizes Prime Minster Brian Mulroney for the plight of Native Peoples in Canada; he had noted that the equivalent of $13,000.00 per year is spent on each Native person in Canada; Moran notes most Native people that she knows don’t see that money
• Moran notes that although she wrote Judgment at Stoney Creek in 1977, could not get it published as it was not considered “commercially viable”
• Bridget plans to write a book about her battle with the Social Credit Party
• Moran notes that this book comes out at a time [interview is during the Oka crisis] when Canadians have to be more aware of the need to settle land claim agreements with Native Peoples in BC and ensure that the environment is protected for the future; talks about massive logging and mineral prospecting occurring in BC which she notes concerns Stoney Creek Elders Mary John & Sophie Thomas
• Notes that few white people have been on reserves and have no contact with the Native way of life in Canada

Scope and Content: CKNW Radio Interview:

• CKNW Radio Interviewer Bill [Good?] introduces Moran and talks about the publication of the book. They discuss the status of native-white relations in BC both at the time of the Inquest into Coreen Thomas’ death and in 1990 at the time of the Oka crisis. Moran notes that natives in Canada don’t’ have the benefit of ‘the rule of law’ in Canada and experience injustice in the court system. Discusses the inquest; the role of Harry Rankin in the inquest. Moran concludes that only once Native People are involved in managing their own education, social welfare and political systems in Canada will conditions change.

Audio recording is an interview by Bridget Moran with Paul Ramsey. At the time of this interview (December 1995) Paul Ramsey was serving in the BC provincial government (NDP) as the Minister of Health and Minister Responsible for Seniors, a post he held from September 1993 to February 1996. Bridget Moran interviews Paul Ramsey on the state of health care in Prince George. Moran notes in the interview that this material is for an article that she is writing on the crisis in health care in Canada.

Audiocassette Summary

• Paul Ramsey discusses why doctors have left Northern BC; specifically the case of orthopedic surgeons leaving Prince George
• Ramsey discusses burnout by physicians, more money in private sector
• Ramsey discusses the impact of a two tier health care system in Canada; the treatment of health care as a ‘consumer good’
• Ramsey compares the Canadian health care system with the U.S. health system
• Discusses specific case of doctors in Prince George – re. the direct billings crisis in 1993
• Ramsey describes changes in medical training; specialists versus general practitioners
• Budget – cost of health care $6.6 billion – 1/3 of provincial expenditures; expecting cuts in health care by spring 1996
• Expands on what he sees as the federal government’s view of universal health care in Canada; including views of individual politicians, both federally and provincially.
• Bridget provides her views on the pitfalls of a two-tier health care system based on personal experiences and family members’ health care history
• Ramsey provides his views on the British Columbia Medical Association
• Ramsey discusses cases of Prince George doctors who started direct billings to patients and settlement of cases

Audio recording is of an interview that Bridget Moran conducts with a Mrs. Thompson held in Success, Saskatchewan. Mrs. Thompson talks about municipal politics in the rural town of Success, Saskatchewan when Jimmie (her husband?) was on the Council. Most of the interview relates to Mrs. Thompson’s account of the marital and domestic life Alfie (Guy?) who was another town councilor and known as a local poet.

Audiocassette Summary
Side 1

00’05” Moran asks Mrs. Thompson about the time that Jimmie (her husband?) was on the Council in Success. She recalls when her husband joined the Municipal Council and notes it was for 6-7 years; c.1960s. Bridget asks her to explain the conflict between Jimmie and Alfie (Guy?) who was also on the Success Municipal Council. Bridget refers to Alfie and how he wrote books of poetry.

04’00” Mrs. Thompson recalls Jimmie joining the Council at the time of the municipal conflict about the selling of the Sports ground and that was the time that Colleen [?] also joined the Council. Mrs. Thompson recalls getting involved in the dispute and that she encouraged the community’s women to vote on the issue of this, as well as the assessment role and taxation dispute. Notes that the town was divided “into two camps” on the issue. Also talks about the other issues that Jimmie became involved in including need to better roads in the town.

14’00” Bridget asks her about Alfie and him being a poet. Mrs. Thompson talks about Alfie returning to town after World War II and about his relationship with his first wife Lil. They eventually divorce and he remarried three more times. Most of this section is about his relationship with his second wife.

25’00” Mrs. Thompson notes that Alfie is still alive and is in his 80’s and still writes poetry. She recounts one poem he wrote entitled ‘Town of Purple Gas’ and provides an account of how he was inspired to write this – someone in town was putting an unknown substance in the gas that turned it purple… Bridget notes he was ‘quite the character.’

End of Tape

Audio cassette contains recorded audio interviews with Bridget Moran and Barbara Whittington on a CBC Radio program regarding the Judge Gove inquiry.

Audiocassette Summary

Context: The recording is a segment from a CBC Radio program with broadcaster Mark [Forsythe?] interviewing Barbara Whittington, professor of Social Work at the University of Victoria [on the telephone] and former social worker Bridget Moran on the telephone from Prince George. They are being interviewed about the recent report released by Judge Gove into the case of the death of a Metis child ‘Matthew’ [Vaudreuil]. The interview focuses on the need for reassessment of social workers and contract workers training and social work education in British Columbia to be coordinated by educators and the Ministry.

Scope and Content: Recording starts with interview in progress – Barbara is answering question by Mark on the findings of the Gove inquiry- that the judge captured the “sadness” of Matthews’ death in the report.

Bridget is then asked by Mark her views on the Inquiry’s report. She states that she didn’t have any problems with what the judge said – but that there is nothing experimental being done here. She notes however that no specific mention is made of the fact that Matthew was a Metis child in a poor family – and that this should have been addressed in the report and findings. Bridget refers to the fact that somehow ‘social workers got the wrong message’ – and refers to her work experience as a social worker that if children were seen at risk in a home then there were removed from their home.

Mark questions Barbara on how the inquiry may impact the teaching of social work. Barbara states she doesn’t’ think it will affect the teaching; and that the report had positive comments on the social work program at UVic – and refers to the working of a ‘decentralized model’ of work. However she notes that a Bachelor in Social Work needs to be seen as a ‘entry point’ only – and that comprehensive training between the University and Ministry [of Social Work] is needed.

Discussion of social worker salary; burnout; and the issue of utilizing contract workers is discussed. Bridget notes that she did some research into this 2 or 3 years ago – and that of the 2000-3000 social workers in BC – there was another 10,000 contract workers doing work ‘that don’t know what they’re doing’ – uneducated workers – dealing with the assessment of potential children at risk.

Barbara agrees that many are not well trained and not well supported and that a coordinated effort with the Ministry is needed so that burnout is addressed and that social workers get the support needed.

Barbara concludes that the report should have addressed the issue of contract workers more than it did. She also notes that it should have addressed the need for First Nations community training in social work
– and notes that there are many First Nations community members ‘ready to go’ with this training. Bridget agrees that this issue was not adequately addressed – and notes that about 60% of children in foster homes are aboriginal. She notes that if we ‘fail a person in one generation’ [as was Matthew’s mother] then we ‘fail children in the next generation’. Barbara agrees.

Mark thanks them both –

End of interview

Audio cassette contains a recorded interview with Bridget Moran for a Social Work class, possibly at UNBC, with questions asked by the instructor and individual students.

Audiocassette Summary
Context: Interview with Bridget Moran for a Social Work class [UNBC?] with questions asked by instructor [Rosalie?] and individual students

Scope and Content:

• Interviewer asks what kept Bridget in social work? – “Not a profession but an addiction”
• Possibility of addiction to social work possibly contributed to the breakup of her marriage – “married a charming Irishman who could not keep his charm at home”
• Likes to take the pain of the job home
• Social work students sometimes afraid to get emotionally involved
• “translate your private concerns into public actions”
• Social workers have to be aware of First Nations culture
• Social workers need to a part of the society in which they are living; Bridget could relate because she was on welfare when she was a child
• Psychologically prepared for the repercussions of her social actions towards the W.A.C. Bennett government; Bridget notes her actions reflected the frustrations of the group of social workers in Prince George at the time – but that she didn’t involve anyone else – if it had it might have been more successful
• Important to provide a sense of empowerment to your social work clients
• Speaks about the response to her book A Little Rebellion
• Speaks about how the book Stoney Creek Woman was initiated by Mary John’s daughter Helen
• Speaks about how the inquest into the death of Coreen Thomas, inspired her to write Judgment at Stoney Creek
• Discusses her book about Justa Monk
• Native people can only “heal themselves through their own culture”
• Discusses her Writers Workshop series
• Re: Oath of confidentiality – ethical dilemmas for social workers - Didn’t mean to break her oath of office but because she did violate it [in the governments view] therefore felt she had to resign

Audio recording is of an interview by Bridget Moran with Margaret [Granny] Seymour at the PG Hospital in 1962. Moran later noted in another recording that the interview with Margaret Seymour was part of her social work. At the time of the interview Granny Seymour states she is 109 years old and says she is to celebrate her 110th birthday in June.

Audiocassette Summary

Scope and Content: Interview continues between Bridget Moran and Granny Seymour

• She talks about hard work that she performed at the [HBC] store
• Granny describes trapping at her own trap line
• Sometimes had more on her trap line than her husband had on his
• Talks about birth of her children at Hudson’s Bay in Ft St James and having to birth them on her own or with the help only of her sister [Nellie?] – as there was no doctor available
• Very skilled in medicine
• Everyone came to her for help
• Lived at Hudson’s Bay Post in Fort St. James
• Talks about employment
• Describes early South Fort George – when there were no houses at all; early residents including Charlie Ogmann [sp?]
• Granny notes her children never went to school but learnt quickly
• She learned how to speak French as her father was French
• Granny speaks about her mother – who is described as an “Indian Princess”
• Talks about husband Billy Seymour’s work; Granny describes building her own house at Fort George cutting and hauling down trees by hand

Tape ends

File consists of recorded audio interviews with Bridget Moran:

• Interview: Bridget’s Interviews re: Judgment at Stoney Creek with CBC/COOP/CKNW, 21-24 September 1990
• Interview: CBC re: Gove Inquiry, November (?) 1995
• Interview: CBC re: Justa, March 1995
• Interview: CBC re: Stoney Creek Woman, 24 November 1988
• Interview: Social Work 200A interview with Bridget Moran, August 1996

Audio recording is of an interview by Bridget Moran with Margaret [Granny] Seymour at the PG Hospital in 1962. Moran later noted in another recording that the interview with Margaret Seymour was part of her social work. At the time of the interview Granny Seymour states she is 109 years old and says she is to celebrate her 110th birthday in June.

Audiocassette Summary

Scope and Content:

• Talks about a flood in Fort George
• Went on a canoe from Fort St. James to Fort George
• Clothing and food that Granny Seymour grew up with
• Living at Fort St. James
• Discusses the poverty of the First Nations after moving to Shelley
• Discusses the priest who came to the reserve often
• Would cook dinner for the priest as often as she could
• Discusses memories of being a child and living in Fort St. James
• Traveling to Vancouver
• Police presence in Fort St. James – no police; She notes there was no police presence – the HBC boss provided policing. Recounts memories of one native at Ft St James who killed his boss
• Traveling to Fort Fraser by dog team
• Step dancing – remembers dances at Ft St James with the HBC crew
• Cleaning houses - Remembers taking care of house at Hudson’s Bay fort in Ft St James
• Health – talks about her health Visitors to Granny – Priest comes sometimes [to visit her now at the hospital]
• Did not go to school
• Discusses memories of her parents James Bouchey and her mother and her siblings
• Seymour’s first husband worked for HBC Ft St James was a white man Edward Flameau- unhappy memories of her marriage
• Seymour’s second husband was Billy Seymour – happier memories
• Getting caught in a forest fire and a big storm coming from Ft St James
• Talks about looking after Hudson’s Bay store and trading for sugar/tea

Tape ends

File consists of:

• Photocopy of 1969 M.A. thesis "And Then We Prayed Again: Carrier Women, Colonialism and Mission Schools" by Jo-Anne Fiske, used as background material for Stoney Creek Woman
• Interviews telling Carrier histories [RESTRICTED]

File consists of a videocassette (VHS) recording containing the following clips:

• International Women’s Day – March 11/89
• Northwest Today – April 25/89
• Justa – Nov. 21/94
• [Interview] with Harkins – Feb. 7/95
• [Interview] with Harkins – Oct. 8/96
• Harkins on UVic Convocation – Dec.12/ 96
• Harkins, Mary John’s (?), Order of Canada – Jan.3/97

Videocassette Summaries
Context: Videotape contains taped recordings originally broadcasted on CKPG-TV, the Prince George CBC affiliate station. It contains multiple recordings of either interviews with Bridget Moran or TV broadcast announcements, news stories relating to Moran’s publications and dedications, or dedications related to Mary John.

Individual video segments as follows:

(1) CKPG-TV Evening News Date: March 11, 1989 Length: 1’30” minutes
Scope and Content: Contains a recording of a CKPG-TV broadcast of an International Women’s Day Brunch held in Prince George hosted by MLA Lois Boone and Brian Gardner, MP Bulkley Valley. The reporter notes the topics were daycare and women’s jobs. Luncheon guests were entertained by local pianist Stacey Gosshawk and the video shows Bridget Moran signing her book Stoney Creek Woman

(2) Episode of Northwest Today
Date: April 25, 1989
Length: 23’:18” minutes
Scope and Content: Recording of CKPG-TV show with CKPG-TV broadcaster Maureen Edwards interviewing Bridget Moran about Stoney Creek Woman

Highlights include:

• Edwards notes that next month Bridget will be receiving the Governor General medal
• Bridget recalls her work in social work; recalls how she worked for provincial department of welfare until suspended in 1964 for writing a public letter complaining of BC Government welfare services. Her letter criticized the government’s handling of foster children that if they could not handle them sent to reform school
• Five people were suspended, Bridget was not allowed back to work
• Had a lot in common with Stoney Creek Reserve people– was very poor herself and as Irish was a ‘repressed race’ -
• Social workers could only go in if children were being abused or neglected
• She refers to retiring from social work with the school district next month
• Bridget notes that it was her mother’s reaction to the poverty of Stoney Creek women that inspired her to do something for the community
• Bridget notes that she had agreed to do a ‘sociological profile’ of the reserve as requested by Harry Rankin after the inquest into Coreen Thomas’ death and that led to meeting Mary John at the inquest. She refers to Sophie Thomas as ‘a great leader’ on the reserve
• Bridget thinks that Stoney Creek Woman, the book can cause social change and raise people’s consciousness and making them aware of racism in the community
• Bridget talks about Mary John, the subject of Stoney Creek Woman; she briefly talks about Mary’s family; that Mary was great granddaughter of Six Mile Mary; her schooling at Lejac and her marriage to Lazare John
• Bridget believes that Mary began to ‘get political’ around the time of the inquest and that’s when she first met Mary. She notes that Mary’s work with the white community at the Vanderhoof hospital was a turning point for her in losing her shyness.
• She notes that Mary could not be with them for the interview due to illness

Pause for commercial

• Bridget notes the history of the native people in BC; decimated by white man coming to New World
• Edwards asks her why children were moved to a white family, and also placed in non-Catholic family – resulting in a loss of their culture and religion
• Bridget talks about the conditions at Lejac; Bridget notes that people were not aware that the residential schools were used as orphanages. Tells the account of Mary being moved to Lejac at the age of 7. Bridget briefly accounts the history of LeJac that was built in 1922. She talks about conditions at the school and the type of education (segregated by sex) and the little food provided to the children.
• She comments that perhaps the native people are too forgiving for the way they were treated
• Bridget states she is now working on the book Judgment at Stoney Creek; Bridget provides a short synopsis of the book (Coreen Thomas death and need for an inquest)

End of show

(3) CKPG –TV Show: Harkins Date: November 23, 1990 Length: 24’05” minutes
Note: On the programme Moran notes she started employment with the government in social work 39 years ago today ‘November 23, 1951’
Scope and Content: Contains a recording of Harkins TV show by CKPG-TV broadcaster Bob Harkins who is interviewing Bridget Moran. Harkins notes that Moran has received the Lt. Governor’s Award and has been nominated for a BC Book Award for the book Stoney Creek Woman

Highlights include:

• Bridget notes she was born in Ireland, raised in Saskatchewan
• She experienced being on welfare as a child in Saskatchewan
• She taught school in Happy Valley, Saskatchewan and did a tour in the navy in the WRENS and then attended the University of Toronto for 6 years; before moving to B.C.
• She briefly refers to her social work employment history: worked in Salmon Arm, Vernon and then came to Prince George.
• Bridget recalls events leading up to her suspension; refers to her open letter to the WAC Bennett government protesting the conditions for foster home children that led to her as well as 4 other social workers being suspended from their jobs. Bridget notes that the impetus for writing the letter was that of the case of a native girl who had lost her father and was running away from home all the time. The girl consumed a bottle of ink while under foster care and was found drunk wandering in the Millar Addition neighbourhood of Prince George. Moran appeared before Judge Stewart in court on her behalf, and was told nothing could be done for the girl, that she would have to be moved to a reform school. Moran protested and then wrote an open letter to the government about conditions that led to foster care children not receiving adequate professional care. Bridget felt that the most challenging cases of these children were being handled by those that were the least trained
• Bridget notes that although at that time she missed being in her job after the suspension she had ‘support all over Canada’ for doing what she did.
• She makes the point however that she was fired – not because she attacked the government – but because she couldn’t criticize government bureaucrats. She says “they were impregnable”-
• She refers to her present work in the School District as a social worker and expresses concerns for the amount of sexual and physical abuse she sees.
• She also replies to Harkins comment on welfare as a self-perpetuating cycle

Pause for commercial

• Harkins notes that Bridget has published both Stoney Creek Woman and Judgment at Stoney Creek
• Bridget talks about Mary John as a ‘serene and intelligent woman’ and comments that it ‘is really interesting to note Mary’s confidence growing’; ‘she channels her energy and anger and beomes constructive about it’
• She talks about how she was asked to write the book about Mary by her daughter Helen
• Bridget notes that she initially tried to get Judgement at Stoney Creek published first but that publishers turned it down as they did not think it was of consumer value. She discusses the inquest of Coreen Thomas’ death and the injustices towards natives in the justice system
• Harkins notes that many people at the time stated “we just didn’t know about racism” and he comments on how her works are now on the recommended reading list for Grade 9 students
• Harkins announces that Bridget will be at a book signing at Mosquito Books
• Bridget states she is working on another book entitled ‘A Little Rebellion”

Pause for commercial

Bob thanks Bridget for coming in for the interview – notes Harkins is a new programme that just started this week

End of show

(4) Community Close-up Date: November 21, 1994 Length: 5’58” minutes
Scope and content: Video recording of CKPG-TV Broadcaster Bob Harkins interviewing Bridget Moran.

Highlights include:

• Bridget notes this is her 4th career. She starts to talk about the publication of her recent book Justa: A First Nations Leader
• She refers to her trip ‘last May’ with Mary John to Metlakatla
• She discusses Justa Monk; the hardships he had and became a leader for his people
• She refers to the ravage of alcohol and violence on reserve and possibly that if natives had been able to keep their culture these problems would not be there
• She states her wish to conduct oral history workshops with different bands
• Bob asks her about her next project and Bridget notes that she will re-work her novel about Saskatchewan – The Horizontal Land – which she notes has been rejected by several publishers.
• She also states she hopes to conduct writing workshop in Wells

(5) CKPG – Bob Harkins Date: November 21, 1994 Length: 2’05” minutes
Scope and content Bob Harkins provides a critique of Bridget Moran’s books Justa, Stoney Creek and Judgment Day at Stoney Creek. Harkins notes that Justa chronicles Justa Monk’s journey from traditional family life to his rise as an influential leader as tribal chief of Carrier Nation; that Justa’s life fell apart when he had killed his brother during an alcoholic blackout. Harkins notes how Justa has since dedicated his life to helping his people in the struggle for a better existence

(6) Community Close-up Date: December [?]1994 Length: 6’00” minutes
Note: Discussion of Bridget Moran’s books starts at about 4’00”
Scope and content: Video recording of the CKPG-TV show with Broadcaster Bob Harkins interviewing Joan Jarman, Public Services Manager of PG Public Library. Jarman discusses Bridget Moran’s books, including that of Justa which has just been released. Jarman notes Bridget is a former recipient of the Jean Clark award for contributions to local history in Prince George. Harkins comments that the book demonstrates the difficult transition that natives have to make in Canadian society and recommends the book Justa .

(7) Bob Harkins for Community Close-Up
Date: December [?]1994
Length: 2’00” minutes
Note: This 2 minute segment was often broadcast the same day during the CKPG-TV evening news programme.
Scope and Content: Video recording of the Prince George CKPG-TV programme segment featuring Broadcaster Bob Harkins who recommends Bridget Moran’s latest book Justa “for reading pleasure” and as a holiday gift as well as other local history books.

(8) Bob Harkins for Community Close-Up
Date: Feb 7, 1995
Length: 6’07” minutes
Scope and content: Video recording of CKPG-TV Broadcaster Bob Harkins interviewing Bridget Moran.

Highlights include:

• Bob asks Bridget whether she considers it controversial to write about native history as a white person. Bridget notes that she never writes about natives without their permission; ‘they have asked me to do it’ Bridget states her goal is to ‘help them to do their own oral history”
• Bridget notes she is going to be doing a reading at the Vancouver Public Library and then at the Victoria Public Library; she states that she will be doing a book tour with Justa to promote the book and hopes to do workshops with native bands
• Bob refers to Justa’s opposition to Kemano Completion Project and asks about his reaction to the Premier’s recent announcement that the Kemano Completion Project will not go ahead
• Bridget notes that Justa book has been out for two months and rumoured to be going into its second printing

(9) Bob Harkins’ Comments Date: December 12, 1996 Length: 1’42” minutes
Scope and content Video recording of the Prince George CKPG-TV programme segment featuring Broadcaster Bob Harkins reporting that Bridget Moran had received an Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from University of Victoria. He reads a segment of the citation that was read at the convocation by Dr. Ashford of the Faculty of Education. He remarks it was ‘a glowing tribute’ and states her book Stoney Creek received a Governor General’s medal. Citation notes that Moran’s work attests to the famous quote ‘my life is my argument’ – “that injustice matters, suffering matters, racism matters”. Harkins comments that Bridget has already received an honorary doctorate from UNBC.

(10) Bob Harkin’s Comments
Date: June 23, 1997
Length: 2’10” minutes
Scope and content Video recording of the Prince George CKPG-TV programme segment featuring Broadcaster Bob Harkins reporting on the recent dinner held to honor Stoney Creek Elder Mary John who was recently presented with the Order of Canada by Governor-General Romeo Leblanc. Harkins notes a new publishing of Stoney Creek Woman was announced by Bridget Moran at the dinner.

File consists of:

• Press release: "Justa tells a compelling story: B.C. author's fourth book a must read" (Dec. 5, 1994)
• Copy of newspaper clipping: "Fascinating life, times of Justa Monk" (Prince George Citizen, Feb. 2, 1995)
• Copy of newspaper clipping: "Murder led to election as tribal leader" (Vancouver Courier, Dec. 28, 1984)
• Copy of newspaper clipping: "Justa: A Review" (Central Interior NDP News)
• Transcript of "Harkins! Bob Harkins Comment" re: Justa publication (Monarch Broadcasting, Nov. 21, 1994)
• Manuscript: "Teresa" - Bridget Moran (writer)
• "Justa: the life and work of a first nations leader" Chapter Summary
• P.105-120, Interview transcriptions between Bridget Moran and Justa Monk.
• P.121 - 133, Interview transcriptions between Theresa and Bridget Moran (recorded March 25, 1993; transcribed April 9, 1993).
• Interview transcriptions between Bridget Moran and Justa Monk re: ancestors & family
• Interview transcriptions between Bridget Moran and Justa Monk re: life in Portage.
• Interview transcriptions between Bridget Moran and Justa Monk re: working before trouble
• Interview transcriptions between Bridget Moran and Justa Monk re: before road (tape 6)
• Interview transcriptions between Bridget Moran and Justa Monk re: Lejac
• Handwritten notes
• Handwritten transcript of interview with Adelle (Oct. 6, 1993)
• Annotated drafts of Chapter 21
• Handwritten notes
• Copies of newspaper clippings re: Justa Monk's trial: "Accused weeps during testimony"; "Murder trial held in Supreme Court"; "Drinking preceded death"; "Stabbing victim: always fighting"; "Defence delivered in murder trial"; "Justa Monk given two years in jail"
• Handwritten notes.

File consists of a handwritten transcript of interview (?) (Oct.17, 1996); a notebook entitled: "To Bridget, From Mayo, Montreal, summer of '88" containing handwritten notes on manuscript; handwritten notes in question/answer format re: manuscript "Mary and Me" (1991, Quesnel); and a handwritten draft and notes re: "Mary and Me" by Bridget Moran.

Item is a recorded audio interview with Justa Monk.

Audiocassette Summary

00’ 10” Continuation of Tape 2. Justa discusses the review of the Kemano project. He wants a public review where there is First Nations representation. He is frustrated by the lack of a working relationship and being recognized as a leader.

03’ 29” Their way of life is damaged from the flooding. Graveyards were flooded in the 1940s. Fishing grounds will never be the same. Kemano II will do the same damage to a narrower piece of land. Seven communities will be affected, particularly Stoney Creek, because there will be no more fishing grounds.

08’ 27” They are doing this for more electricity, not for the aluminum. BC Hydro made a deal with Alcan for a bigger reservoir. Moran asks Justa if BC Hydro is the ‘imp in the woodpile.’ Justa tells her there is a three-party agreement between Alcan, BC Hydro, and the provincial government. He tells her the project will not go ahead because he believes the Supreme Court will rule in their favour.

15’ 05” Moran mentions Mary John saying that everything the First Nations ‘ever got they had to fight for.’ They briefly discuss Oka. Justa returns to discussing the Kemano II project.

16’ 53” Moran asks Justa about the Aluminum Company of Canada.

17’ 49” They both talk about the Indian Agent that would not let First Nations people in his home. They both relay their disgust with a specific Indian Agent.

18’ 41” Moran asks Justa about the Carrier-Sekani land claims. He discusses having to revisit the boundary lines. Justa talks about an agreement he signed on September 21, 1992, where there would be proper representation for the First Nations people.

26’ 30” Justa discusses the ‘potlatch law’ which he describes as ‘love, share, and respect.’ He talks about how he often gets a good response from groups he teaches.

34’ 51” Moran tells Justa how she was contacted by the Stoney Creek Band regarding how they collected several stories that are unreadable. They have asked Moran to somehow transcribe them properly.

36’ 37” Moran asks Justa about the Kemano II decision from the Supreme Court. He talks about how he is disappointed in the decision, but said he expected it because the government has rarely ruled in favour of First Nations issues.

43’ 16” Justa tells Moran that he was written a letter to President Bill Clinton and Vice-President Al Gore extending an open invitation to see the damage the Kemano II project has done to the environment.

45’ 03” Moran asks Justa when he returned to Tachie to work. He discusses his work there. In 1969, he began work at BC Rail. He moved to Dawson Creek with Theresa and their family.

51’ 09” Moran asks Justa about returning to the village of Tachie, particularly with the trouble that had happened with his brother. He talks about how the elders believed that everything would work out and how many of his achievements relate to that philosophy.

54’ 37” Moran asks Justa about his maintenance work for BC Rail. He describes his position in detail.

59’ 44” Moran asks Justa about the great gardens his father had grown, but this has stopped because of the road. He talks about bringing in television to the community. He talks about when hydro came into the community in the early 1970s. He talks about the water and sewage system being implemented in the mid-1970s.

1:05’ 10” Justa talks about when he became band manager in 1973. He describes his position. Moran asks about the difference between band manager and chief. Justa describes the difference.

1:13’ 21” Moran asks about whether or not Justa had to deal with Indian Agents or the DIA during that time. He describes his band manager position further as being a marriage counsellor, policeman, secretary, a bouncer, and always trying to make peace within the community. He talks about the pressure of the position, and how it made his alcoholism worse, how he was on sleeping and nerve pills.

1:21’ 31” Moran asks about the population of Tachie. She asks about the location of Grand Rapids.

1:22’ 33” Justa talks about becoming chief in 1975, but also kept the band manager position. He discusses in detail about being both, particularly with social issues. He talks about how parties often ended up in some accident ie a little girl getting shot.

1:28’ 34” Moran asks about the isolation of the community. Justa discusses calling for a boat or a plane to evacuate someone in case of an emergency.

1:30’ 10” End of tape.

Item is a audio interview recorded by Bridget Moran with Justa Monk.

Audiocassette Summary

00’ 10” Moran asks about when the roads were built to Tachie. Justa talks about the length of time it took to get to work from Tachie to Portage before the roads were built. After some people drowned, the pressure was put on the Department of Indian Affairs to build a road. Justa talks about his trips before the road was built.

07’ 42” Moran asks about why Tachie was not built around Stuart Lake but at the mouth of the creek. Justa gives a brief history of Tachie.

09’ 20” Moran asks Justa about the history of his father, particularly what his jobs were.

11’ 01” Moran asks Justa what Camp 24 is, where his mother and father stayed at times. It was a camp owned by the Roman Catholic Church where people could stay while they worked in the bush. Justa says the camp was more of a settlement. Moran and Justa continue to talk about the living conditions of Camp 24.

16’ 47” Moran asks Justa about his father’s mother. Justa never met his grandmother, even though his father continued to visit her. They continue to talk about the history of Justa’s parents.

20’ 10” Moran tells Justa she has heard there are no more gardens in Tachie today. Justa tells Moran that people no longer live off the land and that is why the gardens no longer exist. Justa says he feels lucky that he was able to experience life by living off the land. Moran asks about how home brew is made. Justa gives a list of the ingredients and how it needed to sit for twenty-four hours before being able to drink it.

25’ 00” Moran asks Justa about what his first memories of Fort St. James were. He talks about his childhood memories and his first experience in driving in a vehicle.

29’ 58” Moran asks Justa about how many families are in Portage. Fifteen to twenty are there, which Justa says is bigger than when he was growing up. There is a problem of over-crowding with about 300 people living there.

31’ 14” Justa talks about going into the cellar to collect stuff for his mother, such as jams. He talks about how his parents never ate any canned food, and always continued to live off the land. Justa continues to talk about the relationship between his parents and how happy they were together, how they rarely argued. When his mother passed away, his father passed away shortly after because he stopped taking care of himself.

36’ 44” Moran asks Justa about fishing. Justa talks about fishing from a reef in the fall. Justa would smoke the fish in a tent that other people had set up. He talks about living off the land, where nothing was wasted. In the winter, he would ice-fish.

41’ 00” Justa talks about how he enjoys going back to the old way of life and is looking forward to finishing his leadership position, so he can return to the old ways. He talks about rehabilitating his mind and body because he is burning out from his busy schedule.

43’ 06” Moran asks if she can talk to Justa’s sisters and a friend of his family. Justa tells her that his sisters are looking forward to speaking to her. They talk about the benefits of aging.

47’ 08” End of tape.

Item is a audio interview recorded by Bridget Moran with Justa Monk.

Audiocassette Summary

00’ 10” Moran is talking to Theresa, Justa’s wife. Moran asks her what Corpus Christi means. Theresa tells her it is a place where First Nations people from the area planted trees in a big circle. It was a prayer circle where the bishop would say mass.

05’ 10” Moran asks Theresa about Sports Day in Fort St. James, which was more like a rodeo.

06’ 17” Moran is now talking to Justa. Moran asks Justa about trips to Babine Lake that Jimmy previously mentioned. Justa does not remember the trips, but he imagines they were very cold.

09’ 17” Moran asks Justa about the store Jimmy used to run. Justa tells Moran the store was operating on the store credit, hence the downfall of the business. They continue to talk about opening a store in Tachie that is operated by someone with a strong business mind.

13’ 37” Moran asks Justa about a family member from Burns Lake that his sisters previously mentioned. Justa tells her that the family member is an aunt.

14’ 34” Moran asks Justa about the residential school. She enquires about his ability to play hockey. Justa never wore skates until he attended residential school.

16’ 03” Moran asks Justa about fishing with a safety pin. He tells her that one Indian can eat anything.

16’ 53” They return to talking about residential school and if Justa had ever returned. He went back when he was forty-five to visit the area.

18’ 34” Moran asks about the house his family used to live in. Justa is not sure about his brother’s story regarding the Hudson’s Bay Company. He is sure that the house they lived in was built byt heir family.

21’ 01” Moran asks about Justa’s brother who passed away when he was quite young. Justa says his mother told him his brother fell off the roof and broke his neck. They talk about Justa’s brother, Teddy, being killed.

24’ 04” Moran asks Justa about the community making their own snowshoes. Justa tells her what they made the snowshoes out of – deer hide, cow hide, moose hide. Justa talks about going out on the trap line with his father in his homemade snowshoes.

26’ 21” Moran asks Justa about his previous employment from 1957 on. He gives a chronological account of his employment history until 1967, when he went to jail. After 1969, he continued to work. He always worked. They continue to talk about his past employment.

39’ 32” Moran asks Justa about his social life between 1957 and 1967. He tells her that he had a good time. He started to drink at seventeen.

40’ 53” Moran asks about Justa’s brother Teddy and their relationship. Justa tells her they were close, like twin brothers.

41’ 52” They talk about his alcoholism and how it led to fighting. Justa continues to talk about his drinking days and how much trouble it caused him. He also talks about how his parents tried to discourage drinking between him and his brothers. His parents were not worried about his sisters because they settled down early.

48’ 52” Justa talks about how often he saw his family, particularly his parents, during that time period. He says he always felt close to his family, no matter what happened.

50’ 27” Moran asks Justa about how he earned a dollar a week leading children to the residential school. They talk about his arm being broken in the last year he attended residential school. He talks about playing hockey throughout his time at residential school.

54’ 11’ Moran asks Justa about how the Kemano II Project is going. Justa said in an interview the process should stop entirely because people are resigning on the government’s side. Justa tells her they are going to publicly protest the project.

59’ 16” End of tape.

Item is a audio interview recorded by Bridget Moran with Justa Monk.

Audiocassette Summary

00’ 05” Justa is talking about cutting wood for heat at home. He talks about wrecking his father’s axe. He continues to tell amusing stories about his childhood, which include his siblings and his father.

04’ 45” Moran asks Justa about how many employees he had when he was band manager. Justa talks about his work as band manager. They continue to talk about sawmills in the area. Justa discusses land rights as a result of the sawmills in their territory. Justa talks about tree farm licenses and the disputes between the band and the government. He talks about agreements the band has with Northwood Pulp and Timber Ltd.

16’ 35” Moran asks Justa about the note Theresa left him about being either a father or a band manager. They talk about this briefly.

18’ 23” Moran asks Justa about stories in his diary, such as trying to quit smoking. They talk about Justa becoming band leader. They continue to talk about Justa’s duties as general manager for the band and the politics surrounding the position.

25’ 14” Moran asks Justa about developing a school board for Tachie that is run by First Nations people. He wants to develop a proper curriculum that embraces the old way of life to maintain their culture.

30’ 40” Moran asks Justa why he stepped down as general manager for the band. Justa talks about someone else wanting the position. He also talks about the restraints on him. He talks about becoming tribal chief. He was given the mandate to deal with Kemano II, land claims, and developing forms of self-government.

41’ 15” Moran asks about the spread of AIDS in Tachie. Justa says, like cancer, it has spread because of stupidity. His people were healthy until the modernization of their society.

42’ 22” They return to discussing the opening of sawmills in the Tachie area, as well as tree licenses.

49’ 00” Moran asks Justa how many bands have dropped out of land claims issues. Ten remain, he tells her. They continue to discuss the issue of land claims.

50’ 47” Moran asks about when the tribal chiefs came together to have a common goal with regard to land claims. They continue to discuss land base, the progress of land claims, and the amount of people in each area. Justa talks about private companies entering their land and building private roads to log the area. They continue to talk about the politics of the position.

1:00’ 13” Moran asks Justa about his tribal chief position. He tells her it is a ‘twenty-four hour machine’ and to develop working relationships between the bands and the government, particularly with land claims and poverty issues. Justa continues to talk about his position.

1:09’ 11” Moran asks Justa which position he feels has helped his people the most. He tells her being band manager and tribal chief because he feels he has the right vision for his people that he can implement through clear direction and demanding certainty from the government, particularly with land claims. He talks about wanting to save the future of the nations and saving the river from the Kemano II Project. They continue to discuss the history of the Kemano II Project.

1:17’ 38” End of tape.

File consists of one 5.25" floppy disk, containing the following files:

• “Mackan”- Transcript of CBC interview with Pal Mackan
• “Medal”- Letter to Brian Gardiner re: nomination letter for Mary John
• “Multicultural”- Letter to Multiculturalism and Citizenship Canada re: The Imaginary Indian
• “Promote 1”- Letter to Curriculum Department re: Teacher’s Guide for Stoney Creek Woman
• “Promote 2”- School Districts
• “Promote 3”- Letter to Curriculum Department re: Stoney Creek Woman
• “Promote 4”- Letter to Dr. Rose re: Teacher’s Guide for Stoney Creek Woman
• “Promote 5”- Letter to Curriculum Department re: Justa
• “Trip”- Letter to Brian (last name unknown) re: promotional trip and expenses

File consists of one 5.25" floppy disk, containing the following files:

• “Justa 10”- Transcript of interview with Justa Monk
• “Justa 11”- Transcript of interview with Justa Monk
• “Justa 12”- Transcript of interview with Justa Monk
• “Justa 13”- Transcript of interview with Justa Monk
• “Justa 14”- Transcript of interview with Justa Monk
• “Justa 15”- Transcript of interview with Justa Monk
• “Justa 16”- Transcript of interview with Justa Monk
• “Justa 17”- Transcript of interview with Justa Monk
• “Justa 19”- Transcript of interview with Justa Monk

Item is a recording of an interview that Bridget Moran conducted with Elder Sophie Thomas and Elder Mary John on the circumstances surrounding the death of her niece, Coreen Gay Thomas who was hit by a car in Stoney Creek in 1976 by a white man. During the interview they are joined by Elder Mary John who also answers questions about Coreen’s death. In the remainder of the interview Bridget asks Sophie about her own life; Sophie talks about being “married off” at 16 years of age; and experiences at the residential school at LeJac.

Audiocassette Summary

Side 2
00’05” Moran asks Sophie about the night that Coreen died and how Sophie learned the news

06’00” Sophie explains who came and told her the news. Sophie describes having to go to the morgue and assisted the nurses in preparing Coreen’s body for burial before being brought back to the reserve for the funeral. Sophie recalls telling the youth who were witnesses to the accident to speak the truth when being interviewed by the RCMP.

07’00 Sophie talks about her reaction to hearing that there was not going to be an inquest into Coreen’s death. She talks about her decision to fight against this and recalls how she notified the BC Association of Indian Homemakers requesting its assistance and how it sent a representative member Kitty [Bell] with the BC Indian Homemakers who interviewed Sophie, other Stoney Creek members and accident witnesses and that a letter was sent to the Coroner urging an inquest. Bridget refers to an article in the PG Citizen newspaper quoting Sophie on her desire for an inquest and they discuss the context of this quote. Sophie talks about her encounter with the Judge to request an inquest. She talks about how he [Judge Eric Turner] had himself caused a hit and run accident and how this may have initially been his rationale not to have an inquest into Coreen’s death.

15’00 Bridget asks about how Coreen’s parents found out about the accident and why the RCMP didn’t notify them. Sophie and Mary John discuss the questioning of Coreen’s sister [Marjorie who was with Coreen at the time of the accident] at the RCMP headquarters in Vanderhoof. Mary John joins the interview and Bridget asks her how she found out about Coreen’s death.

20’00 Both Sophie and Mary talk about Coreen, that she attended St. Joseph’s School to Grade 7. They note she babysat for families in the community. Sophie notes that Coreen and her boyfriend were planning to marry after the baby was born as “that was our custom” and had bought their wedding rings. He was at the Williams Lake Stampede at the time of the accident.

Tape turned off momentarily.

24’00 Bridget then interviews Sophie about her own early married life and about getting married at age 16 and the reasoning for this. Sophie explains that she did not want to get married but that the ‘watchman’ [at the Lejac school] insisted she get married as she couldnot remain at the school. Sophie explains that was the ‘school law’ as the school didn’t want to keep them after age 16; Bridget surmises that it may have been the policy of the Department of Indian Affairs so as not to pay for further education. Sophie notes it was 1932 when she married [Maurice Thomas]; that she didn’t know her husband before; that he was 25 years old and from another village. She explains they got married and she spent 2 days at her mother-in-law’s house alone before joining him. They lived in a log cabin on his grandfather’s land.

29’00 Bridget then asks about the role of the ‘watchman’ at the school; about whether the priests (Father Coccola and Father Joseph) thought it was appropriate to marry off young girls. Sophie recalls the time at the school when she ran off; she notes that ‘religion was so strong’ that they had to get married. She recalls the strictness of the school and how pupils were punished by the priests; she refers to some boys being tied down and lashed.

33’00-34’00 Sophie notes her maiden name was George. She recalls how at the time of her wedding that the priest [?] wanted to have a ‘free dance’ for her wedding as entertainment. She remarks how odd the custom was to her; she explains that there is no dancing at a native wedding.

End of Side 2

File consists of recorded audio interviews:

• Interview: History of Prince George - Bridget Moran Interviews George Henry & Arnold Davis interview, PG Historical Society, ca. 1960
• Interview: Granny Seymour Interview, Parts 1 & 2, May [1962?]
• Interview: Granny Seymour Interview, Part 3, May [1962?]
• Interview: History of Prince George, 1958-1959 and 1960
• Interview: History of Prince George, 1960; various dates
• Interview: CBC - 60th Anniversary Judge [Stewart] Called to Bar, [1982?]
• Interview: Ken Rutherford (Tape 1), 1 April 1993
• Interview: Ken Rutherford (Tape 2), 1 April 1993
• Interview: Paul Ramsey Interview, December 1995

Series consists of newspaper clippings, correspondence, photographs, pamphlets, newsletters, advertisements, contracts, notebooks, audiocassettes of oral interviews and readings, transcripts, book launch announcements, front cover mock-ups, edited drafts, manuscripts, fact sheets, poems, catalogues, bookmarks, skits, conference events programme, poster, grant applications and related correspondence, a wooden placard, handwritten notes, book reviews, inquest reports, background material, VHS recordings of classroom talks given by Bridget Moran, Mary John and Justa Monk re: her publications, and ephemera. This series contains material from all five of her publications:

1. (1988) Stoney Creek Woman: The Story of Mary John. Vancouver: Arsenal Pulp Press.
2. (1990) Judgment at Stoney Creek. Vancouver: Arsenal Pulp Press
3. (1992) A Little Rebellion. Vancouver: Arsenal Pulp Press.
4. (1994) Justa: A First Nations Leader. Vancouver: Arsenal Pulp Press.
5. (1996) Prince George Remembered. Prince George, British Columbia: Moran Publishing.
   This series also consists of, but is not limited to, a number of unpublished manuscripts and drafts and/or writing contest submissions also written by Bridget Moran, such as:
   • "Mary and Me" (ca. 1998)
   • "Where Winds Come Sweet" (ca. 1981)
   • "The Horizontal Land" (ca. 1992)
   • "The Summer of '81"
   • "The Relief Cheque" (ca. 1998)
   • "The Case of the Box of Matches" (ca. 1987)
   • "Unholy Deadlock" (ca. 1990)
   • "The Numbers Game"
   • "Reflections on Theme" (ca. 1967)
   • "Come Hell or High Water" (ca. 1976)
   • "Man Alive"
   • "The Deadbeat Mystique"
   • "Hell on Wheels"
   • "Backstairs at the Palace"
   • "James MacCallum" (ca. 1984)
   • "Hushaby, Baby" (ca. 1981)
   • "The Decline and Fall of Mr. Sullivan"
   • "Case History of a Gadfly"
   • "Welfare and the Good Life"
   • "Childhood Memories" (ca. 1976)
   • "The Three Musketeers" (ca. 1974-75)
   • "A Child's Christmas in Saskatchewan" (ca. 1979)
   • "Diary of Success Homecoming"
   • "My Old Flame" (ca. 1992)
   • "O Ye Dry Bones" (ca. 1996)
   • "Supper, Little Children" (ca. 1983).

File consists of:

• Transcript of interview with "Teresa" by Bridget Moran
• 1 Audiocassette: Interview with Teresa, taped July 11/91 [TDK SA-100 audiocassette]
• Annotated draft - "Teresa" written by Bridget Moran
• Note paper with addresses and names
• Emily Fry Society brochure: "I want the violence to stop!"
• Emily Fry Society brochure: "The Specialized Support Services"
• Emily Fry Society brochure: "Family Violence: Wife Abuse"
• Summary of women involved in the book
• List of writers
• Overview: Local women's stories of battering submitted by Jenny Owston, Specialized Support Services Coordinator, Elizabeth Fry Society
• Factsheet: "Wife Assault in Canada"
• Factsheet on physical and sexual violence published as part of the Domestic Abuse Intervention Project.

Item is a audio interview recorded by Bridget Moran with Jimmy, Rosie, Nancy, and Madeline.

Audiocassette Summary

00’ 05” Continuation of interview with Jimmy. Jimmy says his grandfather is French, not German, like Justa thinks. Moran and Jimmy continue to talk about the history of his grandparents. Jimmy continues to talk about his family history. They talk about the history of their last name, Monk.

12’ 08” Interview changes to Rosie. Moran asks Rosie about her siblings and other family history. Moran asks about the history of their last name, Monk. She believes her descendants are French. They continue to talk about her family history.

19: 22” Moran asks Rosie about the time Justa murdered John. Rosie talks about the situation candidly. She talks about John’s family life.

26’ 30” Moran asks Rosie about attending residential school. Rosie says school was alright for her, that they looked after them. She came home after six years.

28’ 30” Rosie talks about traveling around with her father because he worked many different jobs.

29’ 55” Rosie talks about getting married, how she got to choose her own partner, instead of having it arranged. She discusses her children.

32’ 05” Moran asks if Rosie had a good childhood. Rosie says yes, but her parents were strict. She remembers her father having to pay a land tax because they did not live on reserve land. She continues to talk about her childhood.

37’ 16” Rosie talks about life in residential school. Nancy says the nuns were kind; that they had to punish them if they spoke their native language.

38’ 50” Interview changes to Nancy. Moran asks about the history of their last name, Monk. They talk about her family history.

45’ 43” Moran asks Nancy about the time Justa killed his brother, John. Nancy talks about what she can remember.

47’ 32” Moran asks Nancy about the death of her brother, Teddy. She tells Moran the story she was told by the police.

49’ 34” Moran asks Nancy when she went to residential school. Nancy talks about having convulsions, so only spent two years there, then came home. When she was feeling better, she went back for another two years. She said her time there was not that bad, but she was homesick and lonely.

53’ 16” Moran asks Nancy if she had a good childhood. Nancy tells her she did, that they did everything for their parents.

56’ 07” Interview changes to Madeline. Moran asks about the history of their last name, Monk. Madeline does not know much about it. They continue to talk about the history of the family.

1:02’ 45” Madeline tells Moran about how she knocked Justa out with a block of ice because he was teasing her when they were children. Justa was a big tease, she says. Madeline says that Justa collected a box full of ‘treasure.’

1:09’ 10” Moran asks Madeline about her mother and how much she sewed for other people.

1: 10’ 44” Moran asks about when Madeline went to residential school. She tells Moran that she liked it there. Those who went there have discipline, she says.

1: 12’ 55” Madeline tells Moran that her parents were strict. She talks about being punished when breaking the rules, much like being at the residential school. They return to discussing residential school.

1: 17’ 55” Moran asks Madeline about what she remembers about the trips between Portage and Fort St. James. She talks about traveling by canoe once with her grandfather.

1: 20’ 33” Moran tells Madeline what she plans to write about in the book, particularly the first chapter dealing with the family history and life before the road being built to Portage.

1: 23’ 25” They return to talking about the family history, including aunts. They talk about her siblings.

1:30’ 07” Moran asks about Justa Hanson, the man Justa was named after. He was living in Tachie at the time Justa was born.

1:32’ 40” End of tape.

Item is a audio interview recorded by Bridget Moran with Justa Monk.

Audiocassette Summary

00’ 10” Moran asks Justa about living ‘three lives.’ Justa discusses the three phases of his life – childhood, getting in trouble, and being in a leadership role.

03’ 10” Moran asks Justa to discuss his older brother John. Justa talks about John and his personality and his relationships.

07’ 35” Justa discusses the trouble he got into with John. Justa does not remember what started the fight, because no one wanted to tell him what had happened. Justa does not remember killing his brother, but discusses how he wanted to commit suicide after finding out the truth. Justa also talks about his jail time.

24’ 14” Justa talks about his move to Dawson Creek to do upgrading. He still had the intention of Justa talks about adopting his niece.

26’ 03” They return to discussing Justa’s committing suicide. He felt guilty about taking his brother’s life. They also discuss his alcoholism.

35’ 25” Moran asks Justa about how he felt about being Indian or being treated as a second-class citizen. Justa says he is proud to be Indian.

38’ 35” Justa talks about being slapped as punishment for using his native language at school. He talks about kissing a girl and getting caught. He talks about his other punishments at residential school, and how he got tired of a specific teacher. He continues to discuss the school and assimilation into the ‘white world.’

53’ 35” Moran asks about the name he was named after, Justa Hansen, who was from Tachie. Justa talks about how Hansen was an important leader of the community.

55’ 52” Moran asks about ‘Indian’ food, such as deer, bear meat and salmon. He loves this type of food dried.

58’ 49” Moran asks Justa when he became tribal chief. He talks about the history of the position and how he became the tribal chief.

1: 03’ 30” Moran asks about Justa’s father’s potlatch. He talks about his parents’ death.

1: 07’ 17” End of tape.

Item is a audio interview recorded by Bridget Moran with Justa Monk.

Audiocassette Summary

00’ 10” Moran asks Justa to identify reserves on a map. Moran tells Justa she wants to start the book with the history of reserves Justa lived in or around. Justa was born in Fort St. James. Moran asks what he wants to name the book.

05’ 10” Justa talks about how long it took to get from place to place when he was a child. He talks about what types of transportation was used in the different seasons. He also discusses how the way of life changed when the road was built between Fort St. James and the other reserves. Moran suggests the road was bittersweet because of the loss of community.

25’ 30” Justa is concerned about the loss of Indian culture to younger generations, so speaks his language often. He also worries about the dependency First Nations have on modern conveniences, so have forgotten how to live off the land.

33’ 56” Moran asks how Justa feels about ‘culture camps.’

38’ 25” Moran asks Justa which clans are in Tachie, where he names several.

40’ 05” Moran tells Justa she has been reading his diaries and how she feels he is being killed by meetings once he became band manager. Justa says the meetings are beneficial to teaching himself what he needs to know.

42’ 35” Justa talks about his nervous breakdown because of the amount of meetings he had to attend, which he averages at about one thousand a year.

43’ 36” Moran asks Justa what the central concerns were for Tachie. Justa tells her hydro, sewage, telephone and cable services, and schools. Justa talks about the schools, in particular.

49’ 46” Justa talks about the new band manager of Tachie.
50’ 09” Moran asks about the Kemano Project. Justa tells her there are lot of uncertainties, but he is not sure what they are at the moment. Justa thinks the government will go ahead with Kemano II regardless of what the public think.

57’ 27” Justa talks to Moran about the qualities of being a leader. His father told him he was too radical to be leader and had to respect other people’s opinions and nationalities to be successful. People are more supportive of his ideas now.

1: 00’ 50” End of tape.

Item is a audio interview recorded by Bridget Moran with Justa Monk.

Audiocassette Summary

00’ 10” Moran asks Theresa about when she first started living with Justa. They discuss the beginning of their relationship. Theresa discusses her former husband, how she began drinking because of his abuse. She says Justa made her settle down.

11’ 22” Moran asks Theresa about the things her and Justa do together. She says they garden. She says he looks after her well, but in the past Justa ‘slapped her around’ when they were drinking. Theresa talks about her past with alcoholism and how it affected her relationship with Justa.

18’ 30” Moran asks about when Justa and Theresa got married. Theresa talks about the wedding. Theresa talks about how Justa’s parents initially did not accept her, but they eventually started to treat her well when they saw Justa and her were doing well.

21’ 35” Moran asks Theresa about her children. Theresa discusses them all individually. Two of her daughters were killed.

31’ 45” Moran asks Theresa about going to Tachie for salmon fishing. Theresa talks about the process of fishing from the shore. Theresa also talks about hunting and preparing for the winter.

37’ 45” Moran tells Theresa no names will be mentioned in the book, such as the last name of her first husband.

37’ 59” Moran asks Theresa why she thinks alcoholism is such a problem on the reserves nowadays.

42’ 59” End of tape.

Item is a audio interview recorded by Bridget Moran with Justa Monk.

Audiocassette Summary

00’ 06” Justa is talking about the Kemano II Project and what he said in a meeting with the Ministers. He has asked them to stop the Project or they will face judicial review because they are basing the Project on a political basis, not a scientific basis. He says he feels he will win the case.

04’ 57” Moran tells Justa she is working on the chapter about when he kills his brother John. Moran asks Justa about what happened and he tells her all he remembers is when the cops arrested him. They continue to talk about what happened, though Justa’s memory is vague. Justa talks about his time in prison.

24’ 54” Moran asks Justa about when he moved to Fort St. James after he was released from prison. He moved to Dawson Creek after being picked arrested again.

27’ 58” Justa talks about moving back to Tachie, then going to work for BC Rail in 1970. At that time, he was hired as band manager.

28’ 50” They return to discussing the Kemano II Project.

32’ 20” Moran and Justa return to discussing the murder of his brother.

34’ 50” Moran and Justa talk about Brother Anderson, who worked at the residential school.

41’ 15” Moran talks to Justa about his brother Alec who passed away at a young age. The person who fell off a roof was a cousin.

42’ 30” Moran asks Justa about being left on Haldi Road when he was working at the rehabilitation camp. He talks about Haldi Camp and it was decent living conditions. There was no counselling offered.

47’ 57” Moran asks Justa if his troubles at that time were related to alcohol. He tells her that his fights were caused from drinking. He talks about his parents telling him they were worried about his drinking. He began to black out, but did not worry about it because he says he was young and did not pay attention.

49’ 55” After Justa left Dawson Creek, he returned to Tachie. Two weeks after he was home, Teddy was shot. They talk about the circumstances surrounding his death.

56’ 08” Moran asks Justa about his memories of Tachie when he started as a maintenance man in the 1970s. He says the roads were rough or hardly there. He talks about his job shovelling snow or pulling vehicles out of the mud. They talk about the Tachie community in the early 1970s. Justa talks about building the community up.

1: 08’00” Justa talks about his wedding to Theresa. Very few people attended the wedding. It took a long time for Justa’s family to recognize her as part of the family.

1: 12’ 54” Moran asks Justa about life in Tachie. Justa tells her things were done collectively, there was no division within in the community. He wishes the old way of life was still a part of the community. He talks about the love of ‘potlatch’ in the community. He talks about how the old way of life disappeared once the road was built.

1: 19’ 50” Moran asks Justa what he is working on. Justa says he is wrapping up the treaty process, budget proposals, and a couple other issues. He talks about Kemano II. He is serious about leaving his position because he has been neglecting his family. They continue to talk about the Kemano II Project.

1: 29’ 09” End of tape.

Item is a audio interview recorded by Bridget Moran with Justa Monk.

Audiocassette Summary

00’02” Justa is talking about the store in Tachie.

02’ 13” Moran asks Justa to clarify his different positions when working for the band, and when he served in those positions. He talks about the years he was band manager and tribal chief, and talks about these positions. He discusses the stress of the positions because of lack of funding.

16’ 29” Moran asks Justa about the different programs, such as water systems and education. Justa discusses getting the water system into Tachie. He discusses the details of trying to get the water system, particularly trying to get funding and getting the proper contractors. He talks about the stress of the position and how it affected his mind.

39’ 04” Justa talks about the differences between being a band manager and a tribal chief. He tells her there were no politics involved in being a band manager.

41’ 30” Moran asks Justa to draw her a map of Tachie and Sunnyside for the book, so she knows where everything can be found. Justa draws her a detailed map that includes the lake and the river.

52’ 34” Moran asks Justa about his week as a band manager and tribal chief, starting from Monday to Friday. He talks about his meetings involving contracts, social assistance, education, and other funding concerns. He reads from his diary to Moran.

1:02’ 55” Moran asks Justa about when Tachie received a telephone system. Justa talks about how he actually regrets getting a telephone and television system because of the loss of community.

1:08’ 55” Justa returns to talking about Kemano II.

1:14’ 59” Moran’s voice is muffled and incomprehensible.

1:16’ 35” Moran asks Justa for photographs for the book. Moran wants a subtitle for the book, so asks Justa for something in Carrier. Moran tells Justa that the CBC has asked why she is writing a book about him. They discuss the general details of the book.

1:26’ 17” End of tape.

File consists of one 5.25" floppy disk, containing the following files:

• “Justa 20”- Transcript of interview with Justa Monk
• “Justa 21”- Transcript of interview with Justa Monk
• “Justa 22”- Transcript of interview with Justa Monk
• “Justa 23”- Transcript of interview with Justa Monk

Reel-to-reel audio recording consists of individual taped interviews conducted by Bridget Moran with a number of early Fort George residents recalling the early years of white settlement in Prince George c.1910-c.1915. Interviews were conducted with the following individuals: reel to reel recording of individual taped interviews and interview introductions by Bridget Moran with the following interviewees: Arnold Davis [former Sherriff for Prince George]; J.A.F. Campbell [PG land surveyor]; Alec Moffat; Claude Foot; Captain George Henry [sternboat captain]; Nellie Law [desk clerk at Alexandra and Prince George Hotel from 1918- 1952], John McInnis [former MLA for Fort George]; Georgina [McInnis] Williams; and Peter Wilson, [former Barrister and Solicitor and former Prosecutor for the City since its incorporation in 1915.] These interviews were incorporated into the publication: Bridget Moran, Prince George Remembered…from Bridget Moran, Marsh Publishing, Prince George, 1996.

Summary

Notes: Recording consists of individual taped interviews conducted by Bridget Moran and commentary by Moran that introduces each audio segment. Recording is exact copy of the written transcript later produced as the publication, Prince George Remembered…From Bridget Moran, Prince George: Marsh Publishing, 1996. In the publication foreword, Moran notes that she recorded the interviews on reels, then re-copied them on cassette tapes, and for the book project based on the recordings she did the edits and provided the introductory remarks for each interviewee’s audio segment.

See also the audiocassette summary for 2008.3.1.210.4 “History of Prince George”. The reel to reel recording is incomplete as it includes recorded interviews only for 61 minutes, not the full 80 minutes referred to in the audiocassette summary for 2008.3.1.210.4. The reel to reel recording continues only to the end of Claude Foot’s description of the bar at South Fort George [see transcript, Prince George Remembered… From Bridget Moran, p.25]

00’ 05”-5’00” Arnold Davis– talks about his family’s roots from Ireland and England and arriving in South Fort George in 1917;

5’10”-10’11” Claude Foot – talks about his family’s roots in New Zealand and memories of arriving in Quesnel in 1906, “very few white men”

10’12”-11’08” Alex Moffat – describes stage coach transportation throughout the Cariboo region

11’24”-12’33” George Henry describes working on the boats that plied the Fraser River with the BC Express Co.

13’17”-14’14” Nellie Law describes arriving in Quesnel from England in 1914 and later arriving in Prince George on the Fraser River in 1917. Law was the desk clerk at Alexandra and Prince George Hotel from 1918-1952.

14’45”-15’09” Peter Wilson describes arriving by work train to Prince George from McBride c.1915. Wilson was the Prosecutor for the City since its incorporation in 1915.

15’48”-20’02” Mr. John McInnis recalls arriving from Prince Edward Island in 1910 in Fort George due to the land prospecting for the town site. Describes 10 day horse & sleigh trip from Ashcroft to Fort George and briefly describes Indian Reserve in Fort George and recalls there were few white women in the town at that time.

20’25”-22’05” J.A. Campbell describes survey crew work he did at Fort George in 1908

22’16”-25’36” Captain George Henry recalls cruising down the Fraser River with a gas-powered boat c.1910 and losing crew overboard in the Fraser Canyon

25’47”-33’20” Peter Wilson recalls experiences as practicing lawyer and due to lack of assize court in Fort George until 1919 travelling to Clinton for court cases. Also describes difficulty of boat traveling to Peace River country to hear court cases there.

33’29”-39’24” Nellie Law recalls working first as a maid and then as a desk clerk with the Alexandra Hotel in 1919 and later the Prince George Hotel in 1923 – describes hotel guests; visit of Duke & Duchess of Devonshire; manual work performed including bouncing; stoking furnace in winter for heating.

39’45”-53’48” Alex Moffat – describes old Cariboo Road highway freighting and stage coach line at Barkerville and the ‘stopping places’ [roadhouses] on the Cariboo Road highway which his parents operated. Also describes Cataline’s pack train. Describes luxurious conditions on the BX sternwheeler boats.

56’10”-59’06” Claude Foot recounts a dance in Quesnel; card games and gambling at Barkerville 59’40”-1:00’58” Claude Foot recalls South Fort George and the ‘longest bar at South Fort George End of recording

End of recording

File consists of recorded audio interviews:

• Interview: Mary John, [Tape] 1 & 2, c.1986-1987
• Interview: Mary John, [Tape] 3 & 4, c.1986-1987
• Interview: Mary John, [Tape] 5 & 6, c.1986-1987
• Interview: Mary John, [Tape] 7 & 8, c.1986-1987
• Interview: Mary John 9 & 10 [#908 March 1985 CBC?], March 1985 [?] or c.1986-1987 [?]
• Interview: Mary John, August 1987
• Interview: Mary John - Cheslatta, 6 July 1993
• Interview: Mary John Potlatch, Terrace, B.C., 9 September 1991

Audio recording consists of an interview conducted by Bridget Moran with Mary John.

Audiocassette Summary
Scope and Content: Recording starts referring to this as a continuation of previous discussion. Mary John talks about fishing and refers to tools in Carrier language.

0’01” She talks about having her children and the use of midwives – and laying of hands by the mid- wives as a healing ritual. There were no doctors in area where Mary had all her children. Recalls in 1946 going to Vanderhoof to see a doctor for one of the more difficult births. Talks about use of mid-wives at Pinchi Lake mines when they [her husband and her worked at] cutting wood for the mines there

8’00” Mary John recalls coming to Fort George – living in tent camp near the tracks. Her Husband worked for a man named Koop

9’00” Mary talks about her children going to Lejac, the Indian residential school “they were lonely and we were lonely….there was silence….everyone [kids] were gone” She recalls that the dids didn’t come home for Christmas – left in September and came back in June. Talks about transport of the kids “big truck” came to get them in the fall to bring them to Lejac.

Mary discusses her own school life at Lejac in 1922 at age 7 – recalls her initial thoughts about going to school; being delivered to the school; remembers talking to her parents once on the telephone from Lejac and being very homesick. Describes where the “Mission School” was located; recalls there were about 40 kids there. Talks about the teachers who were nuns and recalls various students at Lejac; notes she was there until 1927. She left school and a Mountie was sent after her to bring her to Lejac but her mother needed her to stay to look after the other children

20’00” Recalls an “Indian doctor” who came to town from “down south” who was not trusted by the local people who was ‘taking sickness’ out of people and ‘charging for it’ – caused a scandal – “singing hymns” heard he was from the Kootenays. [religious zealot?] they were afraid the Missionaries would punish the children for going to him.

21’00” Mary talks about being punished at Lejac – recalls running outside doors before whistle blew, and the sisters would whip them with a dry willow; says she wasn’t strapped but recalls seeing many strapped

22’00” Mary notes that spoke Carrier as first language and then in Fort St. James took a year to learn a little bit of English. She wasn’t aloud to speak her language at Lejac – she now feels ‘quite bitter’ about that and especially now most parents don’t speak Carrier or teach it to their children at home now

27’00” Mary notes there was no option to send her own kids to public school in Vanderhoof as they had to go to residential school

29’00” Mary John recalls one nice Scottish woman who she worked for in Vanderhoof c.1927

32’00” Mary John talks about where her kids went to school. She continues to talks about where native kids now go to school including at the Price George College

33’00” Mary John discusses her educational experiences at Lejac –

34’00” She recalls that the quality of the food at Lejac– it wasn’t good; too much porridge; not much meat; her job was to clean the dishes of the nun’s dinner tables so she would eat the remainder off their plates. Remembers occasionally getting fish smoked from a community resident and enjoying this

36’00” Discusses the church services at Lejac; singing lessons

38’00” Discusses outings from the school on the weekends including Robinson Point

41’00” Talks about picking roots as her job; recalls that the boys and girls were separated at the school; noted you would be spanked if you talked to a boy at the school; sexual interest shown between the girls and boys

44’00” Bridget asks about the girls experiences with menstruation – Bridget recalls a conversation ‘years ago’ when Bridget brought out a girl from India and that girls in India had to be separated when menstruating; Mary John notes that native girls also had to be isolated; it was considered an unclean time. It was the native belief that if a girl/woman had handled the meat/food for preparation during menstruating, it was considered bad luck for the hunters so the girls/woman were isolated from the community during that time of month.

51’00” Mary John herself did not believe in this custom. So there was a sense of relief when menopause came

End of that session Then tape starts again
51’05” Bridget notes it must have been difficult to talk to boys after boy-girl separation at Lejac; notes she was too shy to talk to boys

54’00” Bridget asks her to talk about her (Mary John’s) ancestors
Her Mother was Angele Quaw; her grandmother was known as ‘Six Mile Mary’

58’00” Bridget refers to a tape that she did many years ago with Granny Seymour and that Mary John may be able to make out some of the recording; Mary John notes that her mother was born in 1900; had Mary when she was only 13 with older man

61’00” Mary John talks about her biological father; had difficult relationship with him; he didn’t want a relationship as father-daughter

64’00” Mary talks about her mother’s marriage to Johnnie Paul at age 17; and they moved to Stoney Creek; they had 6 children; her mother died in 1934 in child birth.

68’00” Mary’s mother’s husband had died a month before she did; Johnnie Paul and James Antoine died at the same time from drinking bad home brew

71’00” Talks about taking care of her siblings after her mother’s death from childbirth

72’00” Talks about Johnnie Paul being a trapper and having a trap line at Stoney Creek

74’00” They discuss Mary John’s mother and grandmother genealogy; Quaw family of Fort George

78’00” Bridget asks her what her early memories would have been of Stoney Creek; Mary recalls tending to her mother during the flu epidemic. Recalls people being buried in blankets; too many people and no time to build coffins. Recalls Father Cocola and Lejac again.

84’00” Mary recalls going to their family hunting grounds at Cluculz Lake in September to hunt; use tents to stay in while hunting; stayed there about a month to hunt/snare animals. Recalls having a shack at Wedgewood in the winter where her step-father worked for the logging contractor.

89’00” begins to talk about memories of Wedgewood

End of tape

Audio recording consists of an interview conducted by Bridget Moran with Mary John.

Audiocassette Summary

Context: Recording is the continuation of earlier sessions by Bridget and Mary John talking about her life – appears to continue on from the other tape sessions numbered to #8 [Accession # 2008.3.1.211.4]

Side 1: “Mary John #9”
0’05” Bridget interviews Mary John and asks about Mary John’s grandmother who lived at the reserve at Fort George. Mary notes that her grandmother was sent back to Fort George and then to Stoney Creek after husband died. Her Grandmother remarried; she died in the 1950s. Mary talks about her grandmother’s marriage with Za (Jean) Paul – that was not an arranged marriage; her Grandmother “she had a hard life”

4’00” – 7’30” Mary Johns’ mother married Johnny Paul – not arranged; Mary notes that she was born in Fort George. Mary lived with her Grandmother Ann on reserve in Fort George. Mary then talks about her sister Bella – who married Mike Ketlo (sp?) and their children. She died of tuberculosis in the 1950s.

7’40” Bridget asks about the Mission School in Fort St. James – near the church “that is on Mission land” Which is where the village originally started. They talk about the church’s history briefly.

9’00”-14’00” Bridget asks Mary about her schooling at Lejac – Mary says they had reading, writing, arithmetic, penmanship and history. There was no science taught. Mary then describes the routine at Lejac. Doing chores and then breakfast at about 7:30 and then did cleaning chores in the dormitories. Then they attended their classes; then lunch, then played outside and then came back for sewing or embroidery, knitting and then back in classes until 4:00pm. Mary describes recreation – swimming, playing in the field, chores – pulling roots/stumps etc. Bridget talks about Joanne (Fiske?) thesis on the distinction between native boys and native girls’ activities and education at the residential school and that it enabled them to go to work in the hospitals and offices but that the farming education that was taught to the boys didn’t help them as there was no agriculture on the reserves. Mary notes she was ‘teachers pet’ as she had music lessons for singing. Mary notes she didn’t do anything in the kitchen but took mail to the post office and looking after the office for the Mother Superior. She feels she learned ‘the basics’ [but] then they ‘kicked you out at 16’

15’00” Bridget asks about the differences in disciplining methods of children – she notes that it is not part of Indian culture to spank children. She notes it is part of her husband’s sisters to discipline her children – not her or her husband’s duty

17’00” Mary talks about the residents at Stoney Creek who objected to school at Lejac because of harsh disciplinary methods used with their children

18’00” Mary talks briefly about the food at Lejac and speaks briefly to another unidentified woman [Sabrina?] in the room about food preparation [canning?]

19’50” Bridget asks about the Stoney Creek residents who wanted to have a school at the village in the 1950s and wanted their children to go to school there.

20’00” Mary speaks briefly about Father Coccola and that he did the negotiation about the move of the people from the reserve at Fort George to Shelley and about some compensation acquired by the residents. Bridget notes he ‘did not do a favour to the Indians’ – Mary notes that they were forced to leave ‘very illegal’

22’00” Mary speaks again about Father Coccola who could be ‘a very strict man’ but who took care of the people when they were sick and dying

23’00” Mary talks about another priest (unidentified) that she really liked who gave her a job c.1935 when she and her husband cleared land for Lejac and the priest treated them really well. She thinks he was from the Yukon as he had gold nuggets

25’00” Mary talks about her children going to Lejac in the 1950’s

26’00” Bridget talks about a social worker who came to Stoney Creek in c.1955 and Bridget was asked to come out by the Indian Agent to investigate what was the issue. This social worker was scared of being on the reserve; Mary thinks this woman had marital problems and drank a lot

28’00” Mary talks about the Day school operating c.1951 for a short time and the kids were bussed back and forth; other kids ‘orphans’ went to Lejac (lived there)

Tape is poor after this; noise with squeals and recording is faster

29’00” Mary talks about her children (Helen and the boys) not liking Lejac. She notes that one of the boys didn’t like it ‘but didn’t complain’ about it. She notes that ‘no one would talk about it’ “the whole village would be silent” when they left; and the children would be crying.

30’00”-33’00” Bridget asks Mary to discuss her wedding in more detail – Bridget notes that she already has on tape about the wedding night itself but asks for more information about the wedding day. Mary begins to talk about the wedding; there was a Mass, the guests and there was a band….

Tape is unintelligible after this; recording is broken up with interference and then there is no recording End of side 1

Side 2 “Mary John #10”
This side of the cassette has no recording

Audio recording consists of an interview conducted by Bridget Moran with Mary John.

Audiocassette Summary

00’05” Bridget is interviewing Mary John who discusses a potlatch held at Stoney Creek that Bridget attended. Bridget asks about the talking stick and she asks Mary John to explain its significance. Mary explains there had been a naming ceremony about a year ago and that a woman named Maisie had changed clans from her mother to her father’s clan. Mary notes while this is unusual, her father’s only son had died and therefore requested that the daughter changed clans. At this ‘September potlatch’ therefore this woman had to change tables at the potlatch.

04’00” Mary explains the context of the September Potlatch. She notes that Maisie had hosted this potlatch to pay back for the gifts that had been provided for her from a year ago when she received a new name. They then discuss the amount of money that the host gave to the guests and the amount of money that is normally provided – there is no particular amount ‘whatever you wish’ Mary notes she had provided Maisie with a gift last year of $100 but that Maisie gave her back $200 – that is not required – there is no required amount

07’30” Mary explains that at a potlatch you are expected to bring a case or few bags of food

08’00” Mary discusses the type of food provided at a potlatch; it is traditional food not western food; Bridget notes there was caribou provided there. Mary explains that the host of a potlatch asks people to hunt for moose and deer meat in order to prepare for the food to be served. Bridget then talks about the food that was served and Mary notes it included also fish and beaver.

11’00” Bridget asks Mary to talk about the gifts given to her daughter Flo at the potlatch in exchange for a loan she provided to another woman whose husband had died a year before. Bridget notes it was a ‘touching’ moment.

12’00” Mary talks about the Priest ‘Father Brian’ who was at the potlatch. Four clans collected money and gave it to the priest for his work [missionary work?]

15’07” Mary explains the situation of Geraldine Thomas –that at the potlatch she was not seated before; that is she was not initiated before and so she was seated at the potlatch

15’57” Tape stops momentarily

16’09” Mary continues to talk about Geraldine and the potlatch events; the significance of the tapping of the talking stick; then she was seated and guests give her gifts. Then Mary talks about Ernie and her late daughter Helen who also wanted to cross their clan but that Mary ‘did not let her go’

20’00” Mary talks about the feelings of a child who gives up their clan and that it is like ‘giving up one of your children’ as Celina noted to Bridget at the event.

21’00” Mary talks about her son Ernie who crossed over to his father’s clan and that he was gifted at the potlatch

22’00” Bridget then notes that at this potlatch that the Frog Clan became host of the Grouse clan at this potlatch. Mary explains that the clan then had debts to pay at this potlatch.

26’00” Mary talks about the death of Stoney Creek members; she is unsure when there will be another potlatch in Stoney Creek.

28’00” Bridget notes that she did not understand the ceremony as it was in Carrier language; however Bridget notes it is a pity the white world doesn’t see potlatches as they are ‘so touching’

31’00” Mary explains that each clan takes care of the deceased family members and takes care of putting up the headstone

32’00” Tape ends abruptly

File consists of an annotated transcript of interviews between Bridget Moran and Justa Monk.

File consists of:

• Flower enclosure card from Dianne, Joan, Harold & Rosalie to Bridget Moran on the occasion of her 75th birthday
• Card from Corey Van't Haaff to Bridget Moran expressing sadness at Bridget's board resignation
• Thank you card from Judy Warren to Bridget Moran for gift of Stoney Creek Woman
• Letter from Randy LaBonte of B.C. Principal's & Vice-Principal's Association to Bridget Moran re: thanks for conference participation (March 18, 1997)
• Card of thanks from The Employment Readiness Program to Bridget Moran for talk at Mother's Day Tea
• 75th birthday, birthday card to Bridget Moran from Carol, Bill, Logan and Matley (?)
• Card from Shelagh Armour-Godbolt to Bridget Moran re: thanks for copy of A Little Rebellion (Oct.8, 1993)
• Flower enclosure thank you card to Bridget Moran from students of Women's History at UNBC for her talk
• Letter to Bridget Moran from Marg Lund , UBC School of Social Work re: Bridget's visit
• Letter from Rosalie Goldstein to Bridget Moran re: appreciation for talk (Jan.12, 1998)
• Prince George Regional Correctional Centre Special Request form for a visit with Bridget Moran (Jan. 16, 1997)
• Letter from Patty Freeman to Bridget Moran re: writing (Jan.14, 1997)
• Letter from Maureen Maloney, Deputy Minister to Bridget Moran (of the LSS Board of Directors) re: gratitude to Bridget for continuing to sit as Board member (Feb. 19, 1997)
• Birthday card to Bridget Moran from Kathy and ?
• Letter from Donna Creamore to Bridget Moran re: writing (April 20, 1998)
• Card of thanks from Star Weiss Fuco and class to Bridget Moran for her visit (Feb.27, 1996)
• Card and Letter of thanks from Bruce Northey to Bridget Moran for participation in Social Work 200 forums at UNBC (April 1996)
• Letter from Theresa Healy of UNBC to Bridget Moran re: participation in classroom panel presentation (Feb.22, 1996)
• Christmas card from David, CEO of Legal Services Society to Bridget Moran
• Letter from Mary-Ellen Kelm, UNBC, to Bridget Moran re: thanks for participation in orientation of history students (Sept.30, 1996)
• Letter from Jon Swainger, UNBC, to Bridget Moran re: visiting of classes (Oct.1, 1996)
• Thank you card from Glen Mikkelsen of the Fraser-Fort George Regional Museum to Bridget Moran re: speakers series (Oct.10, 1996)
• Thank you card from Prince George Native Friendship Centre to Bridget Moran re: visit
• Letter from Star Weiss Fuoco to Bridget Moran re: invitation to speak; includes 5 photographs of a 1995 reading. Photographs consists of a class photo; an unidentified female student standing at the front of the class next to a seated Bridget Moran, reading an excerpt from Stoney Creek Woman; Bridget Moran reading from Stoney Creek Woman; an unidentified woman standing next to a seated Bridget Moran, holding up a copy of Judgement at Stoney Creek; an unidentified woman seated next to Bridget Moran as Bridget autographs a copy of Stoney Creek Woman
• Letter from Judy Cooper of the Fraser-Fort George Regional Museum to Bridget Moran re: thanks for book donation and Record of Gift form (March 11, 1997)
• Letter of thanks to Bridget Moran from Blackburn Junior Secondary School re: her time in judging first Literary Contest at the school (March 12, 1997)
• Letter from Beverly Field to Bridget Moran re: Vanderhoof memories (1996)
• Thank you card from unidentified group to Bridget Moran re: gift of knitted sweater
• Thank you card from students at Hazelton School to Bridget Moran re: Justa
• Postcard from Bev Dow to Bridget Moran re: visit to Telkwa School. (July 30, 1995)
• Letter from Star Weiss Fuoco on behalf of Aboriginal Women's Training Program, Cowichan Campus, Malaspina University-College, Duncan, BC to Bridget Moran re: thank you for visit; includes 4 photographs (Feb.5, 1995): posed class photo including Bridget Moran; student gathered around a seated Bridget Moran as she autographs books; two students, Charlene and Joanne Smith, present a gift to Bridget Moran; students and Bridget Moran sit in a circle for group discussion
• Letter from Daniel Birkenbach to Bridget Moran re: interview questions (Feb.25, 1996)
• Letters of confirmation flight itinerary for Northern Lights College conference "Networks 1996" (1996)
• Letter from Star Weiss Fuoco on behalf of Aboriginal Women's Training Program, Cowichan Campus, Malaspina University-College to Bridget Moran re: thank you for visit and travel honorarium (March 4, 1996)
• Card of thanks from Bert Bowes Junior Secondary School to Bridget Moran re: author's talk
• Advertisement for Prince George Art Gallery show "Len Norris: A Retrospective" featuring Bridget Moran's name in a political cartoon
• Letter from Patricia Freeman to Bridget Moran re: writing (Nov.26, 1996)
• Thank you card and letters (from students?) re: visit by Bridget Moran
• Thank you card from Joylene (?) Butler to Bridget Moran re: her attendance at "Hillbilly Library Nite"
• Thank you note from Soki (?) to Bridget Moran for her talk to new Social Workers.
• Letter from June Moulton to Bridget Moran re: personal update and writing; includes funeral program and copies of newspaper articles (March 9, 1996)
• Letter from June Moulton to Bridget Moran re: personal update and writing (Aug.12, 1995); includes advertisements for "Swan Creek" and Highway Book Shop.

Item is a audio interview recorded by Bridget Moran with Justa Monk.

Audiocassette Summary

00’ 01” Justa is talking about the Kemano II Project, which he states is a political issue, not an environmental one. He says the Project is a public issue now, not just a First Nations issue.

06’ 52” Moran asks Justa about when he was elected to tribal chief. He talks about the nominations process.

09’ 52” End of tape.

Item is a audio interview recorded by Bridget Moran with Justa Monk.

Audiocassette Summary

00’ 04” Moran is talking about book signings for Justa’s book.

00’ 27” Justa and Moran talk about board members for the Kemano II Project. They continue to talk about the Kemano II Project. Justa says the amount of pressure he is putting on the government, combined with public support, hopefully means Kemano II will be stopped. They continue to discuss the details and the politics surrounding the Project.

10’ 26” Moran asks Justa whether he was surprised or not when he lost the position of tribal chief at the last Assembly. He tells her he was not surprised. He talks about the first time he resigned from the position due to stress. He says the band knew he was tired, so did not want the position any longer. In a letter he wrote, he stated it was time for some new blood.

21’ 11” Moran asks Justa about his new position. He talks about being a contractor to Northwood Pulp and Timber where he liaisons between First Nations people and the company on employment concerns and tree sales. He talks about his position in more detail.

28’ 46” Moran asks Justa about how he feels about his life now. He tells her he feels good about what he has accomplished, but he needs a rest. He talks about his accomplishments throughout his career. He tells Moran he has no regrets about anything.

37’ 55” Moran asks Justa about his health issues and how he is feeling now.

38’ 57” End of tape.

Item is a audio interview recorded by Bridget Moran with Justa Monk.

Audiocassette Summary

00’ 10” Moran is asking Justa about how he is feeling because he had a major heart attack. He talks about recovering from his attack in a week.

02’ 15” Moran asks Justa about what he thinks about the Gustafson Lake situation. He says he predicted it because the government has not been serious enough in negotiations for land claims. He does not believe in militant reactions and wants peaceful negotiations.

04’ 54” Moran asks Justa about what helped him get out of the ‘trench’ he was in after murdering his brother. He was able to carry on partly because he was forgiven by his family and the elders. He says the elders were the people who convinced him to plan for his future. He took their advice seriously, hence why he took on leadership roles.

07’ 15” Justa talks about taking a group of students to meet Gino (?), a hockey player. He says he wants to make things better for the young people because of alcohol and drugs, so believed the trip helped the students he took on the trip.

13’ 34” End of tape.

File consists of one 5.25" floppy disk, containing the following files:

• “Justa” Transcript of interview with Justa Monk
• “Justa 2”- Transcript of interview with Justa Monk
• “Justa 3”- Transcript of interview with Justa Monk
• “Justa 4”- Transcript of interview with Justa Monk
• “Justa 5”- Transcript of interview with Justa Monk
• “Justa 6”- Transcript of interview with Justa Monk
• “Justa 7”- Transcript of interview with Justa Monk
• “Justa 8”- Transcript of interview with Justa Monk
• “Justa 9”- Transcript of interview with Justa Monk
• “Lejac”- Transcript of interview with Justa Monk

File consists of a videocassette (VHS) recording of Mary John at Metlakatla in May 1994, originally filmed on a handheld camcorder on Video 8 cassette. Bridget noted in a later 1994 interview with Bob Harkins that this road trip was conducted for them to attend the basic education class at Metlakatla; this recording has also been reformatted on DVD.

Videocassette Summary

Context: Video-recording conducted by Bridget Moran with Mary John on their road trip to Metlakatla to visit the Elders Group there.

Highlights Include:
0’:05” Bridget Moran records on videotape Mary John in New Hazelton at the road side

1’00” Bridget Moran records on videotape Mary John in front of the totem poles in K’san ‘Old Hazelton’ and note they are heading by car to Prince Rupert

2’00”At Metlakatla Mary is shown eating fried dried seaweed in a hall in Metlakatla with a group of people

7’:35” Mary discusses working in the hospital and financially having a hard time as her husband was out of a job due to change in logging practices. He had a difficult time being at home and Mary sometimes had to walk to work to Vanderhoof, a distance 9+ miles from Stoney Creek. Talks about a time of having to walk to work on the ice and put bales of hay in her boots to walk on the ice

10’:35” Talks about the difficulties of working in the white world

11’:15” Talks about the time that her son made his First Communion; priest offered to buy lunch for all the children; Mary remembers having him ask if she and her son could come into the restaurant as normally they were not allowed to go to the restaurants

14’30” Sandra explains how they had decided to invite Mary to Metlakatla; she had read the Stoney Creek Woman book and wondered if Mary was still alive; she called the Band office in Vanderhoof and was connected with Mary’s niece who asks if she would come to Metlakatla. And then decided to invite Bridget as well.

18’37” Mary talks about the origin of certain Carrier place names for the various lakes in the Stoney Creek area and notes that many white people could not pronounce the names and so they became an anglicized version of native name. Explains the origin of the Bednesti Lake name

21’:55” Mary John explains about how liquor first coming into the territory and talks about how some of the men went on the train to join the war. She sings and drums a song called ‘Passenger Song’ and then explains the song

25’:43” Mary performs the ‘Four Winds’ song

26’:37” Mary talks about how the dancing had died out at Stoney Creek and c.1960 it was recommended that the dancing come back with a pageant to celebrate the 100th anniversary of missionaries arriving in their territory. The celebration was recorded on film. Talks about how dancing has been revived and now is taught to the children

30’30” Talks about the costumes made for the dancing. Talks about a moose hide she made for Eddie John

31’30” Bridget notes that Mary is now making a vest for Justa Monk who Bridget notes she has written a book about;

32:45” Bridget refers to the opening of UNBC and the coming of the Queen to open the University and how some native people in Prince George were against her opening UNBC

34’:40” Talks about the role of the Indian Agent historically

35’00” Talks about the role of policing in the native community and how to improve it

36’53” Bridget is recording Mary John outdoors at Lejac where they are looking at ruins of the old buildings. Mary points out the old Post Office building; Mary then shows the ruins of the old school and talks about segregation of the boys and girls at the school; she shows the play room of the old school; visits a cemetery and shows where Father Coccola is buried; then shows the buildings at Lejac old school buildings

Video temporarily stops

42’45” Shows Mary John back at her house in Stoney Creek

42’50” Bridget asks what is the most common question asked by people – of what do you want for your people – Mary states ‘hang on to culture and get an education”

43’40” Mary states that conditions have improved slightly [compared to 1976 at the time of Coreen Thomas’ inquest] but not to the level that she would like to see – as there are still alcohol, drug and unemployment problems

44’32” Mary notes that the preservation of the language has been ‘really good’ that the Elders are teaching other adults about their culture so that they can teach children; she notes that many Elders can speak Carrier really well – compared to the group noting at Metlakatla that not as many can speak their language.
46’00” Mary states there are many students at the [Yinka Dene] Language Institute; about 15-20 students

47’:24” Mary notes that ‘Potlatches are very important to our culture’ and that the Elders managed to save it

48’01” Mary refers to their road trip back from Metlakatla and their stop at Lejac. She talks about Lejac and how it is now destroyed – it would be better to preserve it and show what had happened there – Bridget compares it to the concentration camps in Germany and the preservation of those buildings to show the horrors of what went on there

49’13” Mary says she doesn’t dwell on the memories of LeJac – she had been there 72 years ago

50’00” Mary talks about the start up of the Potlatch House and the set up of a learning centre and the need to have it create work for the young people – Bridget notes that the potlatch house is now the centre of village activity

52’15” Bridget and Mary John reminisce about ’our’ book – and Bridget notes it was a ‘labour of love’ Mary notes that the book has made a difference – to treat First Nations people more like people – to show [others] [the impact] of racism

54’00” Bridget asks Mary to show the button blanket that Mary was given in Metlakatla and Bridget refers to the button blanket she was given as well. [The blanket is designed as a traditional Northwest Coast Button Blank; on the back of the blanket it is embroidered with beadwork in a circular pattern with the inscription ‘Keep the Circle Strong’ Bridget notes that the Elders there had a wonderful dinner for us as well.

54’58” Bridget videotapes Mary outside by the lake and she shows the outside of the log house which is the Potlatch House at Stoney Creek. She then shows the interior of the building which has photos of Elders on the wall.

Videotape ends