5
ONE-STOP SH
COMMITTED TO THE PEOPLE
chief tammy cook-searson advocates for the vibrant
lac la ronge indian band
The Lac La Ronge indian
band comprises nearly
11,000 members, making
it one of the largest First
nation bands in canada.
and since 2005, chief
tammy cook-searson
has led the community
with grace, passion and
unrelenting drive. she’s
been named community
leader of the year by the
saskatchewan chamber
of commerce. but she’s
also a mother, wife and
avid marathon runner.
Describe a typical day.
i start early every morn-
ing and help get my
family ready for the day.
i usually have a meeting
or community event.
then i touch base with
the band office. there
are lots of community
events to coordinate:
We actually comprise six
separate communities,
spread over a large
distance, so there’s a lot
of travel involved. We
are close even though
we’re quite widespread
geographically.
What do you like most
about winter?
the challenge the season
brings: i like running
on skidoo trails and
over the ice. they’re
packed hard in cold
weather, making them
easier to run on. once
i’m in full-force training
mode for marathons,
the temperature doesn’t
matter. i even run in
–40 c conditions. i dress
accordingly and know
what to wear to stay
warm.
What are some of the
highlights of the season
in the band?
each community hosts
weekend-long King and
Queen trapper events.
they’re based around
activities you do in the
bush, but transformed
into fun competitions—
things like snowshoe
racing, a tea boiling
race, bannock making
and log throwing. some
events are judged, like
the buckskin parade
and rope winding.
everything takes a lot
of skill, but they’re also
fun to participate in
or watch.
OP
in business for more than 40
years, Robertson Trading Post
offers everything you need for
a great northern adventure
groceries: The store
isn’t just for tourists; it’s
a modern-day grocery
store selling everything
from dry goods to meat
and fresh produce.
outdoor gear:
Robertson is one of
the last stops before
civilization ends and
the boreal forest takes
over. Pick up last-minute
supplies, like warm
gloves and mitts, ice
fishing rods and winter
camping accessories.
Fur-trading post:
Dozens of animal and
fish mounts, as well
as antlers and horns,
line the shop walls. In
the back corner, the
fur trade is still alive
with ermine, lynx and
wolverine pelts available
for purchase.
Museum: Not everything
in the store is for sale,
but you can admire the
impressive display of
beaded moccasins and
buckskin jackets.
CAA saskatchewan
winter 2018
45