the bones were hung in a bundle from the pole about six feet above the ground. The Cree did this every time they killed a bear so it would return to life to come back to be killed again. If more than one bear was killed in a winter, a long column of painted and decorated skulls hung from the pole. Sometimes before placing the skull on the pole a hunter would place the skull in his lodge over where he slept to help him dream more bear dreams. Out of respect for the bear the hunter sometimes would put the hide away for one year before using it. The skin under the bears chin was given special attention. A successful bears hunters wife would decorate it with beads, quills, and little tassels of cloth to give to her husband as a hunting charm (Rockwell 39). The Grand council of the Crees provides information over the Internet on the culture, values, political, cultural, social, economic past and current events. The political voice of the James Bay Crees who live in the province of Quebec, Canada is the Grand Council of the Crees (GCCEI). Recently eight Cree communities lands and traditional way of life were threatened in 1971 by the construction of the James Bay hydroelectric development project It has been contested because of Native rights, mercury pollution, loss of wildlife habitat, and other form of cultural and environmental disruption. In the 1960s a major Canadian pulp and Paper Company constructed a mill and hired 1000 woodcutters and 300 mill workers. The impacts of this and large mining companies moving in for copper and other base metals were profound, especially with all the clear cutting of forests. It was hard for the Cree because of this destruction to be able to trap and hunt like they used to. To find jobs to help them survive a skill that was necessary but few held were to be able to speak French (GCCEI). The Cree nation is comprised of nine communities having a total population of well over 12,000 Eeyou (Cree People). A ...
