Wawatay Native Communications Society risks closure

Wawatay Native Communications Society is in financial trouble and has laid off most of its staff.

The organization runs a radio networkserving more than 50 isolated First Nations, a tri-lingual newspaper, and television production studios serving First Nations in northern Ontario.

The board of directors is holding emergency meetings in an attempt to save the nearly 40-year-old institution.

The president of Wawatay'sboard, MikeMetatawabin, said if a solution can't be found immediately, the network may shut down.Wawatay must find a new directionif it's going to survive andit will take the attention, support and cooperation of all the communities to save Wawatay, he added.

"It's like milking a cow, but now the cow is not producing any milk.But people are still kicking at it, saying, ''C'mon, we need more.' But nobody has fed the cow. Nobody has nourished the cow."

Wawatay's mandate is to promote, preserve and enhance the languages and cultures of the Nishnawbe Aski Nation.

It was created in 1974byelders who saw the need for cultural preservation as well as media adaptation.

John Cutfeet worked at Wawatay for many years. He told CBC News he is "very sad" to hear that staff are being laid off, adding that the organization is very important to remote communities across the north.

Cutfeet described it as a tool the communities have used to preserve their language andto be able to pass on beliefs and teachings. "It's more like a mirror that reflects back at you, saying to the people 'This is your life.'"

He said First Nations people have taken to Wawatay because it gives them an opportunity to participate in something they call their own.