Rez91 hosts retire after 17 years

“It’s definitely been the passion for radio,” Anita says. “After doing this for so many years … we just loved it.”

Vince says they had to start up a not-for-profit provincial corporation governed by a board of directors made up of Wasauksing citizens — Wasauksing Communications Group Inc. — to get Rez91 on the air. The radio station’s mission was to give Wasauksing a progressive presence and a voice that reached out to the neighbouring communities and the many visitors to the area.

“It was a lot of hoops to jump through,” Vince says. “We had to deal with Industry Canada and the CRTC (Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission).”

Vince says one of the first highlights of running Rez 91 was the Rez Stock concert they held in Wasauksing in 2004 featuring popular Indigenous musicians.

“We had George Leach, Derek Miller, Wolfpack and a number of other artists that took part,” Vince says. “And then later on we initiated the storyteller movement. In the beginning, it was a friend of ours that was looking for a place to play so we called it the Storyteller Benefit, which by partnering with Muskrat Magazine evolved into the [Gchi Dewin Indigenous] Storyteller Festival.”

The Gchi Dewin Indigenous Storyteller Festival has since been held five times during the Christmas season.

“We had Josephine Mandamin a year ago along with Autumn Peltier,” Vince says.

“It’s gained quite an audience,” Anita says. “It’s been very successful and it’s something that is going to be continuing on for a number of years to come.”

Anita says another highlight of running Rez91 was the responses from listeners to their music selections.

“They said it was like sitting around the kitchen table with you guys,” Anita says. “We played lots of B-sides — music that they hadn’t heard in a long time and wouldn’t hear unless you owned the album.”

Anita says the listeners also enjoyed the stories that were presented on Rez91.

“We tried to focus on the good-time stories and the local stories,” Anita says. “Just recognizing and acknowledging the achievements of individuals in our First Nations.”

Anita adds that some people volunteered at Rez91 by putting together their own radio shows.

“We have Maurice Switzer (former editor of the Anishinabek News) and he has a program called Nimkii Tales,” Anita says. “We’ve had many volunteers and people who have supported and participated in Rez91.”

The Chechocks are the recipients of this year’s Debwewin Citation for excellence in First Nations storytelling. They will be presented with the Debwewin Citation at the Anishinabek Nation 7th Generation Charity’s Anishinabek Evening of Excellence in August.