Elders' Biographies
Matinen (Poker) Rich
The daughter of Tshimish Poker and Mani Rich, Matinen was born in 1929. She married Napien (Mitshituaunapeu) Rich in Davis Inlet in 1958. Altogether, she had six children of whom four were born in the country.
"We spent a lot of time in the country. We did a lot of work together, setting up tents, cutting wood, picking boughs, drying meat, smoking and drying fish, tanning hides, hunting, and moving our camp. We had small children to look after and feed."
"We traded furs at the Hudson's Bay Company post. There was no money back then, but furs were traded for food. The young men hunted for the Tshishennuat (Elders) and traded furs for them, too, at the Hudson's Bay Company. They would pick up groceries for them. We mostly got tea, flour, butter, sugar, baking powder, biscuits, and cookies for children."
"When there were no caribou, we would go fishing with hooks. We would put our fish hooks through the ice in the winter. The caribou were scarce back then, not like today. We have a lot of caribou today. When people were starving, they would only eat berries. People used to mix berries with fish. It's healthy. We would hunt porcupine, partridges, and rabbits when caribou were scarce."
"Today I still make moccasins and mitts and knit things as well. I participate in meetings. I talk to young people. I have many grandchildren and great grand children."
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