Max Deranger

July 7 1963 – October 31, 2019

This week, we will be gathered to remember, the life of our baby brother Maxi, who was taken too soon from us. 

We have no control over how short or how long our life will be, and if love could hold us here, Maxi would still be with us. Because he was truly loved by all who are here today.  He touched each and every one of us. He created a lasting impression in our hearts, of what it means to be a man, human, a nephew, a brother, a cousin. Max never married and didn't have any children.

Maxi’s passing into the spirit world got me thinking about our purpose in this life.  Every one of us has a purpose and this is our unique and special gift. I am confident that Max lived his true purpose, with integrity, with authenticity, and with grace.  which is evident in the way he lived. He was a helper, caregiver, teacher, and always a solid and dependable friend.

Max was born in Uranium City; Saskatchewan July 7, 1963. He was the youngest of the 19 children who were born to Mama and Baba.  Max lived a full life.  He was a confident, self-assured man. To the people in Fort Chipewyan, he was known as “Bushman” for his love of being on the land. 

One evening, as a child he was looking at the full moon and argued with his niece Beatrice and brother Chris – it’s a moon, no it’s a plate and Max said ‘no, it’s a ball.’
As a child he got his nickname A-A-WaWa from his grandfather Chris Adam because he was how he asked for bannock and water. When he was little, our family tried to break him of the habit of sucking his thumb. They put pepper on it, and then salt, but nothing could deter him from sucking his thumb.
 
He enjoyed working with his hands and built tree houses.  Many kids climbed up and fell off.  He played alone mainly with his collection of army men and cars.  He would be seen on the floor attentively lining them up on the floor.  And, he enjoyed building model planes. Max was very imaginative, and creative.

In high school, he joined the wrestling team, and excelled.  He enjoyed teaching the boys in the family since they were children how to wrestle, punch and kick, and the importance of the mental as well as the physical aspect of fighting. How to work out, how to maintain a proper diet. And how to build muscle and strength. He said the three most important things in fighting are ‘speed, flexibility and endurance and to also come up with your own fighting style that is unique and be confident in your style to win.’ A true champion is the one that can come back from a loss and learn and win again. That is a true champion. Max most definitely was a true champion.

Max was resilient. Although he went through a lot, it all made him stronger. He lost his front teeth one evening when the car he was in rolled and he went through the windshield. He went through the lake ice a few years ago with his friend Charlie Cardinal and they had to hurry to shore to gather wood, build a fire and dry off. While hitching across Canada Max witnessed and helped many people during his travels and was first on the scene for numerous car wrecks on the highways. He told us about the people he helped save. He was proud of the fact that he was able to help many people.

He traveled across Canada as a youth after volunteering to join the Federal program called Katimavik. Their mission was to develop diverse youth and engage them while forming them into capable contributors and leaders.  He was proud of his experience traveling across Canada in the program.

He was brought into our lives to teach us, make us strong and prepare us for hard times; always telling us to stock up on dry goods and outdoor gear. Right until his passing, he continued to give advice on how to be the best person we can be. He mentioned the night before he passed, that we have to work harder to get along, and to support each other. In particular, within our family, we should not be divided, we must get along, put aside our petty grievances, and love and honour each other. We would do well to observe his wise words.

Max worked for Syncrude in 1988-1990 in the wash bay washing all the big heavy equipment, which he enjoyed. Max also worked for Clearwater Welding and became good friends with the owner Doug Golosky and family. When Baba became sick Max put his life on hold for 4 years to honor his father’s last wish to die at home. Max honored this and took care of Baba until he passed away in 1993.

Max then moved to BC to attend the University of British Columbia for 3 years, studying anthropology which is the study of Human behavior and societies in the past and present. He was proud of his lineage and heritage, and his connection to the land and his language resulted in a major project for anthropology he produced a report on Mama and Baba and their connection to the land.  Max enjoyed the outdoors and spent many summers working as a professional landscaper in Vancouver working for some of the local millionaires that he befriended in the mid 90’s.

He was good-natured, kind and gentle.  He enjoyed sharing his knowledge.


In his later years he moved back to Fort McMurray and then finally Fort Chipewyan. Even with his heart condition worsening he continued his love of hard work doing what he enjoyed, landscaping with his good friend Charles Wilson. Max always wanted his own permanent home in Fort Chip but at the same time he was always a nomadic restless spirit who travelled and befriended everyone and left a lasting impression on their lives.

He was really proud of his home in Fort Chipewyan. Anyone who entered his home could see pride he had. It was spotless, and he had on his walls souvenirs from Mama and Baba, with feathers next to them. He had posters of past warriors, like Geronimo, Black Elk, etc. He had humility, and would not have considered that he too was a. warrior. But in my eye he was a modern-day warrior. Strong, focused. A leader.

Mad Max was no longer restlessness. He was at peace with himself. He was content and in his last days he was a very happy man because his life was fulfilled, and he knew he did not have long to be with us. To the family he did everything he said he was going to do but I’m sure he wanted to do more. Max began his journey into the Spirit world the morning of October 31, 2019. 

I will miss him Dearly   

Max + Andrew

Ronnie, Mary, Liz, Max 

Alinker

My initial impression of the Alinker is that it is Magic!

Over a year ago I had a stroke during surgery. The affects were minor. Fortunately, my time using a wheelchair was short-lived, only about a month. And, luckily, I had no speech impairments. I soon regained my mobility.


However, in the Spring of this year, I twisted my knee and injured my meniscus. It was a setback and I reluctantly had to temporarily rely on using a walker. But I found the walker to be an inadequate aid. It was not a sturdy design and was useless on snow-covered sidewalks; not to mention that to use it, the user is slightly leaning forward with a lot of weight resting on their palms. For me, it was challenging going down an incline,  because I had to bend my knee, which was still inflamed.    When I had a few days of meetings at a hotel. Over the course of those days I actually had developed hard calluses on  of my palms.


One day, I got an email with a link to the innovative It is described as a walking bicycle, actually a tricycle but without pedals. It looked amazing, and I had to have it. Mind you, I have only had mine for a few days, but I already can tell it is a game changer. The benefits far exceed the obvious, being more physically active, and the opportunity for more social interaction.

That said, the biggest impact I noticed was within myself. It is a major paradigm shift, a most phenomenal feeling. And it happened instantaneously, as soon as I sat on the Alinker. I instantly had a big grin. Is this what magic feels like? It was magic. You don't get that reaction from using any other aid, not a wheelchair, not a cane, and not a walker. What I felt was joy. Pure elation! Because of the independence it would give me. To have freedom, and to be mobile on my own two legs and feeling secure because of its sturdy design.


Freedom from stares, people wondering what happened to me? And further, I am no longer invisible, no longer just a disabled lady in a wheelchair or bent over a walker. Moreover, I actually see people eye to eye when we talk. When I am talking to someone, they are not looking down on me figuratively or literally. Because it puts us eye to eye, with nothing between us. It puts us on the same level in more ways than one. What a powerful emotional shift! If it can make this much of an impression on me, what is happening in others?


I imagine that when someone first sees the person on an Alinker, their first impression: “What is that cool thing you are riding on? What is it? It is not a bike. But it kind of looks like one!” They are attracted to its elegant design, then they notice the user, they don’t see the person as having a mobility challenge or being different. They see a human on a pretty cool and very different bike.


For me, this is everything, because you will begin a conversation not because of having to explain what challenge put you in a wheelchair or bending over a walker, but instead you are explaining what this innovative, brilliantly designed bike is. It draws your attention away from
any prejudices a stranger might have towards people with mobility challenges. But the real value is how it frees and inspires the user and engages people.


I can't help but think of adolescents, a phase in life when a person’s self-confidence is largely tied to what others think of them. And how just getting on this bike can impact a physically challenged adolescent to feel instant self-esteem and self-worth. If they only feel a fraction of what I am feeling, it will propel them to do extraordinary things in their life. It has that power. It is priceless. It is magical. It is genius.

It will change the world one person at a time, which was the original intent of the designer, it is changing mine. The power of the Alinker is its potential, and it is limitless. I think that even when my knee completely heals, I will still occasionally use my Alinker when I want to feel super human, while giving my legs a rest. It’s that good.


You can order it here: https://ca.thealinker.com/

Indigenous Healing, by Rupert Ross

 Indigenous Healing, by Rupert Ross  

 Indigenous Healing, by Rupert Ross - A Review by Angelina

I saw that a package had arrived on the counter.  I touched the package and observed it was soft and about the size of a paperback. I thought that it might contain a book.   I was curious but, since it was not addressed to me, I set it aside. A couple of days later I noticed the package was opened and next to it was Indigenous Healing, exploring Traditional paths.

A book by Rupert Ross!  I was so excited, because I am familiar with his writing, and I find his writings to be thoughtful. Well organized, and authentic.  I have also had several long discussions with him about his work as a prosecutor and the impact this has had on him emotionally, and I knew without reservation it would be a well-written book. This is certainly a way different response than one I originally had after being offered his first his first book to read, over 20 years ago, Dancingwith a Ghost. Back then, I didn't know Rupert.  He is an exceptional kind hearted man, and I am proud to consider him my friend.

I am certain that writing a book as a non-Indigenous person on Indigenous spirituality and culture has its burdens. Not only do you have to be exceptionally meticulous that any white privilege bias does not seep through, you must also acknowledge that your knowledge does not come from any experience as an indigenous person, which could be a shortfall.  But what happens when most of your experiences comes from prosecuting Indigenous peoples? That certainly could give one a negative view of those peoples.  You don’t exactly encounter them in the best circumstances.

Indeed, it goes without saying it is the dysfunction and chaos of remote Indigenous communities that have led people to be in front of him in court as a prosecutor.  As a prosecutor he was astounded by the level of violence he saw, but rather than writing off the indigenous communities he served, and the people in them, he wanted to understand why the communities were producing so much tragedy.  He also wanted to do what he could to help.  Ross is fortunate that he encountered numerous Indigenous people, both men and women who were willing to teach him, and he was open to learning from them.  

His books are not disingenuous.   Not only does he understand the complexities of these traumas, he also understands how loss of traditional knowledge and the history of residential schools, is a huge part of this dysfunction.  To get to this understanding you not only have to be a compassionate human, but you also need to also be a skillful and empathic listener, which he obviously is.  This is very apparent from the observations in his books.  And that is why I got so excited to see a new book by him and could not wait to get started on reading it.

Rupert does not have a single prejudiced bone in his body, not even after 26 years as a prosecutor seeing the worst that humans can do to each other.

I quickly devoured the first half of the book.  It does not disappoint.  Reading the book was like I was visiting with an old friend, talking about other old friends, because he cites a lot of the same people I know from my own work on indigenous healing.  He has a way of describing the layers and nuances and revealing the underlying foundation of indigenous knowledge expertly, especially for a non-indigenous person, I might add. Someone once described his writing as revealing to themselves who she was as an indigenous woman. Indeed, his writing does give one pause to say: “Aha!”, “That is me”, or “that is my belief!  He writes authoritatively, and you don't get any feeling that he is being disingenuous or flippant in his observations.   His respect for indigenous spirituality and knowledge is unmistakable.

 

Ross cleverly begins this book by describing the Indigenous worldview, our spiritual connection to the land and all living things on it.   He further explains peripherally about the medicine wheel, And the significance it has, and draws a correlation with it and Indigenous cultural relevance to everyday life. For me, that was an excellent place to start, because it sets the foundation on how you would view the rest of the book.  By acknowledging and giving prominence to the Indigenous worldview, one is able to understand the chaos and dysfunction that led to disempowerment of Indigenous peoples, and this understanding allows for a greater appreciation of Indigenous peoples, as well as genuine respect for the culture.    

I had to take the second part of the book more gradually, because of the way in which he described the trauma experienced by former residential school “survivors”.  This really hit home, not because I had experienced any abuse when I was in residential school, but because I can empathize with the children who did.  I had to take many breaks because my eyes would burn from tears that were difficult to hold back.  And I could not continue reading, because it bought up thoughts about close family members who experienced similar trauma while in the very same residential school, some of whom are no longer with us.   

Finally, Ross brings it full-circle back to identifying how our Indigenous worldview is integral for the success in some healing modalities in Indigenous communities. In other words, to acknowledge our cultural place in time and space is the best way towards healing. And we must embrace it. We must embrace the teachings of our ancestors.  That is where our power lies. 

Who should read this book?  If you are an Indigenous person or even know an Indigenous person, or if you are a student or a lawyer or other professional and you work for and with Indigenous communities, this is definitely a book that I highly recommend you read. 

You’re welcome!