Roberta Mamakwa came back to Sioux Lookout a silver medalist.
Mamakwa, a Wunnumin Lake member who attends Queen Elizabeth District Secondary School, was a member of the Ontario North team which rolled through the preliminary games and into the final of the National Aboriginal Hockey Championship in Ottawa May 2-8.
Unfortunately for Mamakwa and her teammates, the goals dried up in the final and they dropped a 2-1 decision to Manitoba.
Winning a medal was a highlight of the tournament, Mamakwa said.
Also topping her list was making new friends and learning from her coaches and teammates.
Playing against the top girls in the country proved challenging for the 17-year-old.
“It was harder (than I thought it would be,)” said Mamakwa, who scored a goal during the tournament.
“I knew it was going to be hard before the tournament happened.”
On the boys side, Eastern Door North defeated Ontario North 10-7 to earn the bronze medal.
When I was a boy growing up in my home community of Attawapiskat on the James Bay coast, I was deathly afraid of looking at the full moon.




When I was a boy growing up in my home community of Attawapiskat on the James Bay coast, I was deathly afraid of looking at the full moon.
I grew up...
I’m happy to see the ongoing support and assistance in our northern remote communities to help our people cope with so many lifelong and generational issues...