Nova teaches culture

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The folks over at the Nova Gas Transmission Service Centre in Edmonton's west-end put on a week-long tribute to Aboriginal people from June 15 to 19. The activities took place to compliment the provincial Native Awareness Week and the Canada-wide National Aboriginal Day.

Each day at lunch hour, Nova staff were treated to exhibits, dances, foods, and the culture of Canada's Aboriginal people.

The Metis, Inuit, and First Nations people were highlighted throughout the week. There was a tipi raising, round dances, smudge ceremonies and feasts which educated and informed many of the non-Aboriginal employees of Nova.

There was even a little game held one afternoon where employees guessed what food they were eating. Two of the items were moose nose and moose tongue.

The wrap-up day featured a feast and a humorous speech by Congress of Aboriginal People Vice President Sam Sinclair.

He said events like this help people to better understand each other and can make people more productive in the workplace.

"If you know more and feel good working with your fellow man, you'll always work better," said Sinclair.

Winston Crier, with Nova's Aboriginal relations department said the events were put on to inform the company's employees about the culture and lifestyles of the 70 Aboriginal employees working for Nova.