Dokis forecaster passes on

DOKIS FN – Gord Restoule Sr. was regarded as a wealth of what he would call common sense, but what scientists now refer to as Traditional Environmental Knowledge.
When he passed into the Spirit World on March 14, 2013, his obituary described the 75-year-old as “a fisherman guide and a hunter guide for years … (who) enjoyed photography, loved telling jokes and making everyone laugh.”
Longtime friend Mike Adams posted his tribute to Gord on the website of the Upper French River Cottagers Association.
“Gord was a cousin of Leonard Dokis and was a respected elder who contributed mightily to the betterment of Dokis First Nation. He was owner and operator (with his wife Jackie) of Wajashk Cottages in Dokis for many years, and he hosted disabled children and representatives from the Shriners Hospital at his camp. He was a past Conservation Officer for Dokis and someone who appreciated nature and its preservation, and was a past member of the Dokis Band Council. Gord was quick with a joke, but equally quick in helping others in need and was a tremendous husband, father, and grandfather.”
But thousands of residents of the French River – Lake Nipissing watershed knew about “the Native weatherman”, a reputation fondly recalled by Mike Adams.
“He was known throughout the Lake Nipissing and North Bay region as he was often quoted by the North Bay Nugget for his weather forecasting prowess.”
Gord’s facility for using natural observation to forecast weather was legendary. His fame inevitable spread to the Internet, where the following two accounts were posted in 2010.
“First Nations people knew that observing nature revealed signs of what to expect. Gord Restoule, 73, of the Dokis First Nation near Sudbury, Ont., learned the skills from his elders.  He’s retired from publicly prognosticating but says via e-mail that knowing your local environment, especially the behaviour of birds, animals and plants, can reveal clues about the weather, even in the city. A frenzy at bird feeders means bad weather is likely on the way. If pine trees are loaded with cones, expect a long, hard winter.”
“Gordon Restoule has lived on the Dokis First Nation Reservation on the French River near Sudbury, Ontario, for 73 years. His father and grandfather taught him how to watch the animals and the skies and use his observations to predict the weather. For most of his life, his interpretations have been nearly 90 percent accurate. Now Restoule claims that climate change is interfering with nature and the traditional habits of some animals. As a result, some proverbs have become unreliable. For example, years ago, if Restoule heard owls in a swamp at night, he was reasonably confident that rain was coming (“A screeching owl indicates cold or storm”). Now, he hears them so frequently that he claims that they don’t signify anything. Also, at one time deer would head for cover among low-branched trees such as hemlocks and pines during a cold spell or in advance of a storm. Now, Restoule says, deer gather under hardwood trees with higher canopies, such as oak, which do not provide as much protection. He attributes this change to warmer winters.”