Thursday, February 16, 2017

Moses (Amik) Beaver and Stuart McLean



Warrior - Moses Beaver - 2004



 Today's a very sad day hearing about the deaths of such gifted, talented artists and story tellers, Moses Beaver and Stuart McLean. I couldn't possibly mention one without the other.

 Like Moses Beaver's beautiful painting "Warrior",  I believe both of these individuals were warriors in the real sense. They fought the good fight, and it's all that can be expected of those who love life and who give back to others through our art.

The death of Moses Beaver I believe was preventable, but the lack of mental health services afforded to Indigenous people once again, has resulted in tragedy.

Moses Amik Beaver, shown in 2010 with students at Holy Family Catholic School in New Hamburg, Ont., died Monday in the Thunder Bay jail. He was 59.  (Peter Lee / Waterloo Region Recors


I'd never heard of Moses Beaver until today, when his death was announced on the news. Adding to this the death of his beautiful sister Mary, as a result of a car accident, when she was on her way with the family to retrieve her brother's body. My prayers go out to their family, and I carry them in my heart.


Stuart McLean, who for so many years on the Vinyl Cafe, I'd been listening to for more than twenty years I think, enjoying his many moments filled with humour, humility and love of humanity. I've heard every episode, numerous repeats and then some. He was a big part of my Sundays.

 I remember listening to a Morning Side program, before the Vinyl Cafe, when Stuart worked with Peter Gzowski, another of my very favourite radio personalities. This very funny episode was in 1986, when they both went into a complete laughing jag over Stuart's  Sleeping Cricket.

Stuart McLean - 1948-2017

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