Hélène Blacksmith est née en territoire, ses parents sont de la Nation Crie. Dès l’âge de 9 ans, elle commence à chasser le lièvre et à poser des collets. Lorsque sa mère accompagne son père à la chasse, c’est Hélène qui reste à la tente pour s’occuper de ses frères. Le caribou est encore présent dans leur secteur de chasse près de la rivière Ashuapmushuan du temps de sa jeunesse. Jusqu’à ses vingt ans, elle est en forêt avec sa famille à vivre de la chasse. Hélène apprend de sa mère à confectionner des mocassins, des mitaines et à lacer des raquettes.
HÉLÈNE BLACKSMITH – NAPANE (1920?- 2002)
Hélène Blacksmith was born in the backwoods, her parents were from the Cree Nation. She began setting snares to catch hare when she was 9 years old. When her mother accompanied her father on hunting expeditions, it was Hélène who stayed at the campsite to take care of her brothers. When she was young there were still caribou in their hunting territory near the Ashuapmushuan River. Until she was twenty, she lived in the forest with her family and hunting was their livelihood. Her mother taught her how to make moccasins and mittens and how to lace snowshoes.