Becky Cook is a Nehinaw from Misipawistik Cree Nation. Her father was a fisherman on Lake Winnipeg and every fall her whole family would accompany him to the fall fishing camp at MacBeth Point. Her parents also took the family to ceremony, fast camps and culture camps where they learned about their culture and found a sense of belonging. Becky was always interested in the natural world and how it works which eventually led to her receiving her B.Sc. in Geology and Geophysics from the University of Manitoba in 2006. She spent four years working in the Oil and Gas sector in Calgary before she began work on her Ph. D which she received in 2015 from the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom. She is currently working with Elders and knowledge holders in Manitoba to develop an inclusive model for education based on traditional education methods, and to deliver land-based programming for youth in her home community of Misipawistik Cree Nation.
How did you get involved with LWIC?
Heidi Cook had designated me to be apart of LWIC, and I have been with LWIC since 2016. I helped organize land-based youth camps in Grand Rapids.
What does Water mean to you?
I grew up by the lake. My dad was a fisherman and I spent a lot of time by the lake and my connection is strong.
What is your favorite water activity?
Just being out on the boat and camping on the lake. Basically everything, like fishing, canoeing, and picking medicines in the water.