In Attawapiskat - Real life on the rez

 By Louise Bernice Halfe · Photography by Larry Towell

 
   This morning, I sit in the warmth of the living room darkness and nurse a cup of coffee, watching the ribbons of dawn take ownership of the day. Bright bands of pink, orange, pale yellows, and blues slide out of the horizon, while above the tinted hills to the west the dark sky moves off to sleep. In between these opposite heavens, the off-white separation waits to be filled by the approaching day. I am struggling to find the words to describe Larry Towell’s photographs of Attawapiskat First Nation in northern Ontario. I have witnessed these states of disillusionment at other reserves, where overcrowding is far too common. Where almost half of our homes require major repairs. I also know not all is lost: like digging for silver, gold, or amethyst in the earth’s depths, we can uncover the gems of triumph. Larry Towell’s photographs draw me in, and bring back memories of family, of belonging, and of survival...Read more, photos: http://thewalrus.ca/in-attawapiskat/