Top News - January - 2002
Toronto celebrates Native culture at the
Canadian Aboriginal Festival held Nov. 23 to 25.
The international powwow held in the SkyDome
attracted drummers and dancers from across Turtle Island.
Photo: Bert CrowfootOntario now in AMMSA family
Hometown Ronnie Douglas Blues Band wins again
Festival explores the best of Native media
THE ENTIRE CONTENTS OF WINDSPEAKER ONTARIO JANUARY ISSUE
ARE ONLINE IN THE ARCHIVES - ACCESS IS RESTRICTED TO SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.
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Bert Crowfoot
Publisher
Welcome to our premiere issue of Windspeaker Ontario, a publication for and about the Aboriginal people of Ontario.
Windspeaker Ontario is published by the Aboriginal Multi-Media Society (AMMSA), which also publishes, Windspeaker, Alberta Sweetgrass, Saskatchewan Sage, B.C. Raven's Eye and Buffalo Spirit.
We have often been asked when AMMSA would produce a publication for Ontario, like it has for other provinces. We have listened to our readers and this month we launch our latest addition to the AMMSA family of publications.
Our mission has always been to bring people together, to share and to empower Aboriginal people through open and objective coverage of news and other important current events.
Windspeaker Ontario will profile Aboriginal people who are active and successful in the Aboriginal or non-Aboriginal communities. It will bring you information about the activities of the people, the celebrations they are taking part in, and how they are achieving their goals. It will focus on the positive aspects of the community as it grows and prospers.
AMMSA is financially and politically independent and always has been. Readers can be assured that there will be no political biases in the publication, not now, not ever. What you can expect is coverage about your community, your events and the news and information that is useful to you.
As mentioned earlier, the focus of Windspeaker Ontario is on the community events that are happening throughout the province. It will be published monthly and will start as an insert in Windpeaker for the first three months and will then spin off on its own after that. We hope to have a new name by then. We encourage you to consider entering our Name the Paper Contest.
Windspeaker Ontario will be distributed to all Aboriginal organizations, Métis and First Nation offices, individuals and corporations that have a strong interest in Aboriginal community affairs.
I hope that you enjoy your first issue of Windspeaker Ontario and please remember, this is your publication, so call us with story ideas or to let us know of the upcoming events in your community. We will endeavor to cover as much of the province each month as space allows.Hometown Ronnie Douglas Blues Band wins again
Abby Cote, Windspeaker Contributor, Mnjikaning (Rama)For the Ronnie Douglas Blues Band, winning the Canadian Aboriginal Music Award for Best Jazz or Blues Album for the second time- the first time was in 1999-was that much sweeter because they were the hometown boys.
"Winning here in our community with our families and friends in attendance was really great, because it gave them the opportunity to share it with us. After all, it's our families, friends, community and fans that put us here," said Ronnie Douglas.
"The award show is a wonderful thing for Aboriginal people across Canada. It's nice that we have a means to showcase our music, whether it's contemporary or traditional. This way we get some well-deserved attention. We won the Canadian Aboriginal Music Award for Best Jazz or Blues Album in 1999 for our first recording. It's great to be two for two," he said.
The band's release "Big Brother" contains 10 tracks of solid blues, including great keyboards, guitar and harp (harmonica).
No stranger to awards, the Ronnie Douglas Blues Band was the winner of the 1999 Toronto Blues Society new talent search and won the 1999 Maple Blues award. For Douglas, the music on "Big Brother" represents the combination of two key musical influences in his life-home and community.
"This recording is dedicated to two very special people: my father, Gordon R. Douglas who passed away on Jan. 28, 2000. I thank my father every day for his gift of music that he gave me. This release is also dedicated to my big brother, Larry M. Douglas, who I thank for his influence on my life and for providing me with inspiration. My brother showed me the ropes, so to speak, not by showing me the licks, but by exposing me to all kinds of good music," Douglas said.
From early on in his life, Douglas remembers being surrounded by local musicians. These musicians provided him with the groundwork and teaching that started him on his own musical career. Many of these musicians allowed Douglas to sit in with their groups when he was in his teens. These days making music is still a large part of community life in Mnjikaning, where the Ronnie Douglas Blues Band has a large, appreciative and very proud following.
"I love what I do, although having a family (his newest addition is only six months old) somewhat limits when and where I can play. The band and I also have regular day jobs, so right now I try to keep our performances close to home," he said.
Ronnie Douglas and the band have submitted their material to the Juno award committee and are waiting to hear if they have received a nomination in the Best Blues category for the upcoming awards in March. For more information on the band, to buy a CD or book a performance call (705)326-6308 or e-mail: rdouglas@bconnex.net.
Festival explores the best of Native media
Jamie Monastyrski, Windspeaker Contributor, TorontoWhether yours was a thirst for bloody horror films, a hunger for docu-dramas or a hankering for obscure experimental videos, the second annual ImagineNATIVE Media Arts Festival had something for everyone's taste. Add to the mix educational workshops and informative panels and even the savviest of film lover was kept salivating.
Billed as the nerviest of film festivals by the Toronto media, the best in Aboriginal media arts met from Nov. 21 to 24 to explore film, video, radio, multimedia and television.
One of the highlights this year included the screening of Atanarjuat, The Fast Runner, a film that won the Camera d'or for Best First Feature Film at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year. It is also Canada's official entry for the Academy Awards in the Best Foreign Film Category.
"We are proud that we screened this film at this year's festival," said festival producer Richard Hunter. "This year's festival was a huge success."
The opening night screening of Atanarjuat, The Fast Runner was a gala event with SkyTracker lights beaming into the sky from the red carpeted entrance of a grand theatre. In attendance was Governor General Adrienne Clarkson, along with film industry representatives, sponsors and Aboriginal multimedia artists from around the world.
Clarkson made a small speech before the film applauding the organizers and the Aboriginal artists who had come to participate in the event. She said it was a perfect opportunity for all talented artists to show the world their art and to promote Aboriginal culture.
Other films showcased at ImagineNATIVE were from as far away as New Zealand, Mexico and Nunavut, making the film festival a truly international event. With films exploring the politics in Chiapas, contemporary life in Canada's newest territory and one man's journey into the culture of the New Zealand Aboriginal, many viewers got a first-time glimpse into other worlds.
Cynthia Lickers, executive director and founder of the festival, said she was pleased with the film lineup this year and the inspirational quality of the films.
"I was astounded by the quality of films this year. The energy and excitement around them was contagious."
And that's the way the organizers like it. For Aboriginal multi-media artists in Canada, a Native-centred festival is what they need. There aren't too many film festivals out there that are accepting Native-flavored films or taking chances on emerging directors with experimental shorts, said Lickers.
Most of the larger mainstream film festivals like Toronto or Sundance will only accept films that are spit-shined to a polish and have some buzz behind them. On the flip side, the smaller film festivals will accept new and obscure films, but their audience isn't as large and influential. Because of that many industry insiders aren't as likely to sit through hours of film to find that one gem to promote.
But that's what is different about ImagineNATIVE, said Hunter, who believes that it is still the neighborhood, grassroots Native-friendly festival, but it has the influence and contacts that make it one of the most important film festivals of the year for Aboriginal artists.
"The films were amazing. We are a big success, because we had films from all over the world. We attract some of the larger, more established artists, but we also like to give the young, first-time directors a chance," said Hunter.
"It's a prime opportunity for the film-makers to meet some amazing contacts."
Nevertheless, like all great festivals, there are time and programming restraints, said Lickers, so many films did not make the final cut. Many films were turned down not necessarily because of quality issues, but because of time restraints.
"It has to be open to everyone. We had a lot of up-and-coming directors there, but we had to turn down a lot of work too," said Lickers.
One fact remains, Hunter emphasizes. Whether your film is viewed or not, the artist always leaves the festival with bundles of business cards, contacts and information that coming to it is always worth the trip.
For instance, new directors had the opportunity to pick up some tips and hints from some heavy-weight industry insiders at the workshops.
One of the more popular workshops was one of the more important ones-How to get a film accepted to a film festival. According to Lickers they had a lot of response to this workshop since there are hundreds of Native film-makers out there with a film in hand but no means or experience on how to publicize or get it viewed.
The esteemed panel included industry insiders and festival programmers from the likes of Sundance and the Toronto International Festival. They discussed, debated and described the ins and outs of festivals and the importance of proposals and presentations.
Another popular workshop was entitled: Learn the big pitch. Again insiders and film professionals offered their insights and experience into what makes one pitch successful and another a dog. Interested individuals learned how to organize their visions and scattered anecdotes into one solid creative plot until worthy of a pitch session. Most importantly, the workshop provided information on how to find funds to produce that next critically acclaimed masterpiece.
Once the pitch is perfected, another workshop was offered whereby producers and/or directors had five minutes to pitch their ideas to a panel, including Steve Martin from the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network, Damion Mercer from Alliance Atlantis, Robin Smith from Lions Gate and Heather Rae from Winter Films LA.
Also included in the list of workshops and panels were Radio Waves in your Direction; Animation; Indigenous TV from around the World; and Buffy Sainte-Marie's Cradleboard Teaching Project, among others.
After pages of notes were taken, reels of film viewed and reels of film exposed, popcorn spilled and business card booklets filled there was the final award dinner and gala held in the Atrium at CBC headquarters on Front Street in Toronto.
Newly elected chief of the Six Nations and chair of the ImagineNATIVE Festival Roberta Jamieson opened the gala. Actors Jennifer Podemski and Darrel Dennis were co-hosts. Sister to Jennifer and wife to Darrel, Tamara Podemski provided the evening's main musical performance singing songs from her new CD Winter Moon.
