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I lived through magical times

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Her grandparents were farmers. Her father was a lumberjack who was away a lot, sometimes as far away as Michigan to find work, but Ginette Recollet Tobodo says her dad always made it home for special occasions, especially Christmas time. Home was Wiikwemkoong First Nation Unceded Territory on Manitoulin Island.

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Ginette was born in 1953, the second child of Lawrence and Catherine Recollet. She had a brother, Dan who was one year older, and a younger brother, Glen who was born when Ginette was six years old.

The family lived on Wikwemikonsing Road and Ginette’s grandparents lived not too far away in Kaboni on the reserve. Ginette’s grandparents were a big part of her growing up, she says.

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“My first Christmas memory was my brother and I getting all bundled up by my parents in a horse and buggy, with bells on the horses, which made it so magical. Just our faces peeked out from heavy blankets and a bear rug on top of us to keep us warm on the cold December night. The stars were so clear, and it was so beautiful as we headed to church for Christmas Eve.

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“After church it was on to grandma and grandpa’s house for a feast. Grandma always had stockings for us that she had knitted and in the stocking was always fruit for the children. We would stay the night. Christmas Day we would go back home and lo and behold, Santa had come and brought us gifts.”

This magical Christmas horse and buggy ride must have been in the late 1950s because Ginette says she wasn’t in school yet and must have been younger than six.

She was raised on the Wiikwemkoong Reserve, but doesn’t remember being taught Native traditional practices. As she would later learn, the people did not talk about Native traditions in many families, it was just not done at that time. Her family, like many, celebrated Christmas with decorated trees, good food, and presents from Santa and attending church.

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“Going to church for Christmas was very important to my family,” says Ginette. “We even had our own special Recollet family pew in the church, which made me feel pretty special.”

Although Ginette’s Indigenous traditions were not part of her childhood, her own family with husband Dan, daughter Lisa and son Craig are a mix of many traditions, she says. She makes perogies, cabbage rolls and meat pies.

“I guess some Polish, Ukraine and French-Canadian traditions have worked their way into our family Christmas here in Espanola,” she says.

Ginette and her daughter Lisa love decorating for Christmas. They begin right after Remembrance Day putting up two Christmas trees, one upstairs and one downstairs.

“Family is everything and we are very close, even though our son doesn’t live in Espanola now. We are very private in our time together, nothing but laughter when we get together. Our son says all his stress is gone the moment he gets on the bridge coming into town.”

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As Ginette explains her whole family is gone, but her memories are strong. Her mom died in 1994 and her dad in 2003. When her parents were still alive, Ginette and her family always spent Christmas with her parents down on the reserve.

Tragically, Ginette’s brother Dan lost his young life in a car accident in 1973. Her younger brother Glen passed away in 2012. Her memories of her childhood were sometimes of difficult times, but the love they had for each other got them through the tough times, she says.

When she was just 16, Ginette came to Espanola and met Danny Tobodo and she said it was love at first sight. Two years later, in 1972 they married.

After 47 years of marriage, Danny and Ginette are looking forward to celebrating another Christmas with family.

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