Parenting with Verna Cachene

Air Date: April 22, 2022

Summary

Host, Darla Ponace discusses traditional Saulteaux parenting with Elder, Verna Cachene.

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HOST & PRODUCER
Darla Ponace

Episode Guest

Verna Cachene is an Anishnabe woman from Yellow Quill First Nation. She was the first born of Martha and Robert Cachene who also had eight more children. Verna lived in Kinistin Reserve with her maternal grandparents until she was six, at which time she went to Muskowekwan Indian Residential school. Up to this point Verna only spoke Nakawemowin and she learned English as a second language. Verna lived a traditional life with her grandparents. Her daily life with her grandmother included chores as soon as she was old enough, such as fetching water, setting snares, chopping wood, tending the fire, making meals, gathering medicines, picking berries, drying meat, fleshing, drying and tanning hides and tending to the garden. She shadowed her grandmother and learned everything through her. Verna recalls a time when she only knew people by her relationship to them and not by their names. Verna also remembers a way of life which included feasts, traditional practices and ceremonies. After the first year of school ended, Verna lived with her parents during the holidays in Nut Lake reserve. When she turned nine, her parents left the reserve permanently to work for various farmers. They finally settled in Wynyard where her father found full time long term employment. Verna graduated in 1973 and had a son in December of that year. She attended the University of Regina in 1974. She quit her studies after securing employment and returned to University as a part time student. Verna became a mother for the second time to a daughter in 1980. She continued her career with the Department of Indian Affairs until 2012 when she retired. She also worked for Kinistin and Yellow Quill First Nations and was a band councillor for Yellow Quill for a three year term.

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