Buffalo Narrows couple Darlene and Mervin Petit share their passion for land, hunting and fishing
CBC's road trip series Land of Living Stories explores inspiring stories of community spirit from across Saskatchewan. In our latest visit, CBC-Radio Canada hit the road to Buffalo Narrows. This is one story in a multi-part series from that community.
WARNING: This story contains details of abuse.
When Darlene Petit first moved back to Buffalo Narrows, Sask., she wouldn't eat or even touch a wild rabbit, though her husband Mervin often went out to set snares. When he would bring her onto his boat, she'd take a book and read while he fished.
But their relationship over the years has reconnected her to a life and culture she almost lost, when she was taken from her family in Buffalo Narrows as part of the Sixties Scoop.
"Mervin was a big, big influence in my life, teaching me my cultural background," the 62-year-old said, explaining how her husband showed her the joys of catching their own food, from rabbit to wild chickens to moose. Thanks to him, she reconnected with the traditions of her Métis and First Nations ancestors.
"I started fishing and learning how to catch fish, and now I can outfish anybody," she said, laughing.
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| Mervin Petit grew up fishing and hunting; within half an hour, he pulls up 30 fish in a net. It's a passion he's passed on to his wife, Darlene. (Campbell Stevenson/SRC) |
Now the pair can often be seen sitting quietly in their boat, watching the bears and deer in the distance, or setting a net and hauling up fish they share with others in the village.
It's a fight to keep these cultural traditions alive, as people are losing touch with ways of life that go back hundreds of years, said 61-year-old Mervin. That's why he's so keen to help anyone who's interested learn how to hunt, fish and prepare food.
"I want everybody to feel that, all the young people, all the older people that don't know this stuff, I want them all to understand this stuff and keep doing it," he says.
The pair say they don't need to rely on groceries, but instead eat the wild game and fish they catch themselves. It's a self-reliance they want to pass on to future generations.
"You're gonna need this more than ever in the coming years because of all the stuff that's going on now in the world; it's so expensive living," Mervin says.
Scooped from childhood
While Mervin's memories are deeply rooted in fishing and trapping, Darlene was taken from her family when she was three. She was relocated to Lebret, Sask, 780 kilometres south of Buffalo Narrows, and bounced from foster home to foster home.
It was a traumatizing time.
"I was bathed in hot Javex water and things like that," she said. "And then when you're in foster homes, you're abused by other children that are in the home."
Fortunately, her mother successfully fought to regain custody of her children, and Darlene was finally reunited with her family when she was 12.
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