Elders' Biographies
Francis Benuen (Mishta-Pinashue)
The son of Peue Benjamin and Maniaten Katshinak (Meminutatshish), Mishta-Pinashue was born on September 10, 1930. He married Aniss, daughter of Mashkapesh and Atamanisseshiss, in Nutak in 1949 and had 7 children with her.
"In the old days, life for me was very hard, living on the land. It wasn't as easy as it is today. It was totally different. Food was very scarce. There was no store-bought food in the country as people only had what they could get from hunting - seals, small game, and caribou. The only White people's food we ate was cornmeal that we mixed with flour to make bannock. Otherwise, it was just country food back then. Families would sometimes be in the country two to three months at a time hunting and fishing."
"I want the young people to know what all the objects in the museum are used for. I would like the young people to remember the old ways. They should try to learn the traditional skills like making snowshoes that the old people used to make. They should also learn the survival skills for living in the country. Don't let the old culture die, keep it alive. Innu language is important as well. Today, the young people don't speak the old language. They speak slang."
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