Paul-Henry Dallaire

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Title: Princess Maggie of Kamiskotia
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May I add of which my great grand mother Marguerite Raymond 1865 -1935. She was a Cherokee Indian from North Dakota. somewhere.? I am personally of Cherokee Ancestry myself and a member of OMFRC- PAINTED FEATHER WOODLAND MÉTIS COMMUNITY. Now we can go back to the Louis Riel rebellion of Manitoba. She (Marguerite Raymond Nee St. Jean (Indian) who married my great grandfather, Mike (Michel) Levert I'm told in the State of New York somewhere (Probably Hogansburg N.Y.) She died in Timmins in 1935 and was buried in the Timmins cemetery somewhere. The info where she is buried is lost. The song is about another Maggie who is not my grandmother. It's about an Indian Princess who was born in Nighthawk Center near Timmins, the daughter of a full blooded Chippewa Indian Chief (Buffalo) She was a Huntress,trapper and the wife of Billy Leclair of Kamiskotia. I recall my father Willy (the map) Dallaire a prospector also telling me that Princess Maggie could skin a Beaver faster than you could smoke a cigarette. In her older years she's run away from the Old age home where she was living and make her way the her cabin on Kamiskotia lake. They knew where she would be. During the plague she buried a husband and two children on an Island there on Kamiskotia lake. She was a well known character in our town and her picture was often in the local paper . To-day there's not even a grave marker to mark her burial spot. Shame on you Timmins. Shania Twain and or the town should take it upon themselves to erect a proper monument to commemorate her passing through and gracing this part of Northern Ontario. (No glory in this town) Maggie Leclair / Nee Buffalo Born 1881 died 1963 82 years old At the time of the great Porcupine fire she was 30 yrs old Buried in the Timmins cemetery I believe with her husband Bill Leclair of Kamiskotia and I will confirm that. As was Tommy Jack, a prospector who, so used to his bush life and staking claims that he would brush the flies off his face even in the winter when there were no flies.ha.ha. For more on Princess Maggie go to Roger Gagnon "Joe Gannon" at the Timmins Times "A memory of Maggie Leclair" ( great story) Piano: Ted Gerow: (The 5 Man Electrical Band) Drums: Buddy McCann, Ottawa Harmonica Terry McCann , Ottawa Steel guitar: Dan Loyer Lead guitar:Dan Loyer Vocals: Nancy Swan Vocals:Debbie Nelson Bass Dean Lavoy Princess Maggie of Kamiskotia There was naught but rocks and forests In our little country town And that hard rock gold miner Worked the earth without a frown Maggie was hard yet gentle And the will and strength she showed Thant she could not be beaten down By winds and winter snows Her face was beaten by the weather And her back was bent and sore from packin Moose and children By the old Mattagami shores Beside Kamiskotia mountain She'd stop and rest a while And drink tea from a cup of birch For she had walked many weary miles Over her fields of what and corn She's sight a flock of Geese Flying in military form So high so wild so free She represented her culture well For a proud woman was she Like chief Dan George the Indian She'll go down in history The springtime sun has melted All around as you can see Except that packed down snowshoe trail Left by Maggie and me The years have been so many Since the day you were my bride To-day the snow falls Maggie Covering all the countryside Very soon eternal spring Will bring back the honey Bees And the waters of the river Will dance for you and me Chorus: Just a simple song for Maggie My life my dream come true Indian blood flows in her veins And she speaks the parlez vous We've trecked across this country In the rain through woodland green Watched the Northern Lights at midnight When the clouds had blown away And when the night time brought us home Sleeping neath the Jackpine tree We'd bathe our feet in the mornin dew Just you Maggie and me And now the great of spirits Have taken her away May the ghost of Maggie roam these valleys In Canada's great domain And when her search is over May she find not ill remains ( Oil spills ) Of a land that once was Indian And is the white man still to blame Musicians were: Dan Loyer: steel.lead guitar Ted Gerow: Piano (Five Man Electrical Band) Buddy M'cCann: Drums Terry McCann: Harp Vocals/Nancy Swan Recorded at Ambiance Recording Studio/Rideau St.. Ottawa On. Canada (Now out of operation) Words & Music Paul Henry Dallaire Paul Henry Pub. SOCAN / Society of Authors,Composers and music Publishers of Canada U.S.Rep: ASCAP