Alphonse Beaver: 100 years and going strong

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The Bigstone Cree Nation in Demarais celebrated Alphonse Beaver's birthday on April 8. More than 400 relatives and friends attended. Beaver, who turned 100 years young on April 3, sat among the crowd of well- wishers. Guests included provincial MLA Mike Cardinal, members of the federal and provincial governments and representatives from Alberta Energy. Six generations of family members were in attendance. Families of Augers, Beavers, Cardinals, Gladues, Yellowknees, Gamblers and others made up the list coming from Calling Lake, Wabasca, Trout Lake, Chipewyan Lake, Fort Smith N.W.T., Slave Lak;; Edmonton, Fort McMurray, and Ontario and British Columbia

A trapper by trade, Beaver still manages many trapping duties and, according to his family, was still out trapping before Christmas.

"We want to thank everyone who is here today to celebrate our grandfather's birthday celebration," said Chief Mel Beaver of the Bigstone Cree Nation. "I'm so grateful to see all of the Elders here today. I appreciate everyone for coming here today to celebrate with us in this very special occasion," he said.

The celebration included family speeches, a dinner of moose, caribou and buffalo meat. Activities included a gift opening, a round dance, karaoke and jam session, entertainment by Chucky Beaver and brothers, and a sober dance with the Brian Young band.

Alphonse Beaver, who is quite mobile for his age, claims he gets his energy from being an early riser. Beaver, who stayed at the party until l0:30 in the evening, managed to dance a waltz before heading home.

Morris Sawchuk, assistant chief fire arms officer for Alberta, presented Beaver with a gun and a plaque.

"Alphonse, what is your secret for getting to be 100 years young?" he said. "When chief and council invited Alberta Energy to come to your party, we were trying to imagine what 100 years meant," said Sawchuk.

"What is 100 years? It is 1,200 months; 36,500 days; 876,000 hours; 53 million minutes; or 300-some odd billion seconds. It is a lot of time. Time in 1900 when trains, planes and automobiles did not even exist. The first Olympic games did not take place until Alphonse was 40 years old.

"I cannot even imagine what the world was like for Alphonse in the last 100 years. The first aircraft did not lift off of the ground until 1903. The first car was not invented until 1908. The cost for a new car back then was $800 and a litre of milk was two cents," he said.

"You have six generations that look up to you. You are a respected Elder to all generations. You give them wisdom, guidance and direction," said Sawchuk. "We wish you all the best, Alphonse Beaver. You remind us of a Duracell battery. You just keep on going and going. May your batteries never run out," he said.

What does one give to someone who is 100 years young ?

Among the many gifts that were presented to Beaver from family, friends and guests, was a $15,000 education bursury, presented in Beaver's name to the Big Stone Cree Nation . The bursary will be presented annually by Alphonse or a family member to a student from the Bigstone Cree Nation.

Members of the family described Alphonse Beaver as a quiet and gentle person. They told of Beaver's hunting prowess, including a time when Beaver used five shells to kill four moose.

Beaver, who was on a hunt, carried five shells to go hunting. The first day he got three moose with three shells. Another moose presented itself, and he shot, but only wounded it. He went out the next morning and used the other shell to finish the moose off.

"I challenge anyone in this room to beat that," quipped grandson Chucky Beaver.

"It is nice talking to the old man because he takes you back in time," said Chucky Beaver. "He knows all the old people. All the original Cree names of the areas around here. He is a living example of what Elders are suppose to be. He remembers a lot. He remembers things right from the time he was four years old. I think that his memory isa lot sharper han some young people," he said.

Beaver and his wife Marylouise, were married in 1924 and had seven children. During their marriage they lost a daughter and two sons. His four surviving sons, Joseph, Henry, Florisse and Francis, attended their father's birthday party. He was married for 61 years before he lost his wife in 1985.

A deeply religious man, Beaver kneels and prays at the beginning and end of every day. He also makes sure he does not work on Sundays. While hunting and trapping, he made sure his family did not hunt on Sunday.

Beaver still makes hand drums, carves axe handles, canoe paddles, and is in the process of making a boat.

"I'd like the young people to live a good life. I'd like to thank the people who came here today," said Alphonse Beaver. "I'd like to thank God for my being able to see my birthday celebration of 100 years and I'd like to thank everyone who is here today," he said.