Donald MacLeod speaks of early Mistissini as a place shaped by water, effort, and tradition. He recalls hunters setting out in wooden canoes at dawn, paddling long distances across lakes and rivers toward their hunting lands. The rhythm of paddles against the water marked the beginning of seasonal journeys passed down through generations. Supplies were carefully packed, and every route was known by memory and story. For MacLeod, these travels were more than transportation—they were moments of teaching, endurance, and connection to the land, where patience, respect, and skill guided hunters safely to their camps and livelihoods.