Old photos open window into the early days of CBC's Cree-language broadcasting - Action News
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Old photos open window into the early days of CBC's Cree-language broadcasting

CBC North's Cree-language programming celebrated 50 years of its radio service and 40 years of its television service in November.

CBC North Cree unit marked some milestone anniversaries in November

Cree Grand Chief Ted Moses, left, and Dianne Ottereyes Reid, right, pictured at a taping of CBC North's Cree-language television show, Maamuitaau in the mid-1980s. CBC North's Cree-language radio and television broadcasts celebrated 50th and 40th anniversaries respectively in November. (Maamuitaau/ CBC North)

A search into the archives of CBC and Radio-Canada has unearthed some photographs of the early days of Cree-language radio and television broadcasts out of Montreal.

The CBC North Cree unit celebrated the 50th and 40th anniversaries of its Cree-language radio and television broadcasts in November with a special event in the lobby of the new MaisonRadio-Canada in Montreal on Nov. 24, including a specialtaping of Eyou Dipaimoon.

The very first broadcasts of the Cree language began in November 1972, with short segments in its Inuktitut-language programs. A one-hourCree language noon hour radio show was added in 1975, and in1980a morning show was added to the service.

In 1982, aCree-language television show,Maamuitaau, was launched.

A studio taping of a Maamuitaau interview with Cree Grand Chief Ted Moses, standing right, in the mid-1980s. Romeo Saganash stands 2nd right and Dianne Ottereyes Reid stands 3rd right. (Maamuitaau/ CBC North)

"There was a perfect medium to connect my people with each other," said Dianne Ottereyes Reid, who started working for the radio service in the mid-1970s.

She went on to work with Maamuitaau and alsohelped create a network of Indigenous-language community radio stations across Quebec. In 1986, she began working withthe Cree Nation Government in various roles and helped found theAanischaaukamikw Cree Cultural Institute, an award-winning museum in the Cree community of Ouj-Bougoumou.

"Having studied communications, we knew that this is the base for a language to stay alive ... whether it's television or radio," she said.

Emma Saganash started working at CBC North radio in 1977 and hosted most of the radio shows at one time or another. She also hosted two weekend radio shows. One of the weekend shows brought news highlights of the week and another focused on Indigenous music and artist profiles.The weekend shows were cancelled in 1980 to make way for Winschgaoug, the radio morning show.

Maamuitaaubegan without Cree staff

A 1995 photo of some members of the CBC North Cree radio and television teams: Emma Saganash, front left, Diane Icebound, front right, Edna Voyageur, back left, and Arnold Cheechoo, back right. (CBC North)

In the late 1980s,Saganash started hosting Maamuitaauand then moved into management until her retirement in 2018.

Saganash remembers at the beginning, there wereno Creeinvolved in the production of Maamuitaau. It was delivered with puppets and was aimed at showing Cree peoplehow to live explaining basic lifestyle and hygiene information.

"At the beginning, I was so appalled by what I saw," said Saganash.By the time Saganash moved into the host's chair in thelate 1980s, more Creewere involved in production ofMaamuitaau and most of the CBC North Cree unit staff was Cree.

"We did so many stories both on radio and television. Important stories," she said, adding she remembers it was a challenge at times to ask difficult questions of leaders, because Cree culture didn't have a tradition of challenging leaders.

Emily Rondeau, left, and Matthew Iserhoff Sr., right. (CBC North/ Radio-Canada)
CBC North staff receive television training in an undated photo. Dianne Ottereyes Reid, left, Gloria Kitty, 2nd from left, and Edna Voyageur, second from right. (Maamuitaau/ CBC North)
An undated photo with Matthew Iserhoff Sr., top row 2nd from right, and Elijah Menarik, top row right, CBC North's Quebec director with unidentified visitors and staff. (CBC North)
Serge Gagn, standing, Gloria Kitty, bottom left, Edna Voyageur, 2nd left bottom, Dianne Ottereyes Reid, 2nd right bottom and an unnamed producer, right, in an undated photo. (CBC North)
Valrie Fortin, left, designer of the CBC North Quebec goose logo, along with employees Edna Voyageur, top right, Matthew Iserhoff Sr., middle left, Emily Rondeau, middle, Marie-Paul Rouleau, middle right, and Gaston Cooper, bottom right, in a 1992 photo. (CBC North Cree Unit)
Edna Neeposh, left, and Helen Atkinson, middle, in studio training for television. (CBC North Cree Unit)
Ted Moses and Dianne Ottereyes Reid in the studio. (CBC North Cree Unit)
Dianne Ottereyes Reid in a 1986 photo. (CBC North Cree Unit)
Helen Atkinson operating a studio camera. (CBC North Cree Unit)