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Published July 6, 1998 Left, Kennetch Charlette, playing the role of Lone Man, and Michael Greyeyes, playing Wandering Spirit, take part in a scene from the movie Big Bear. See story...   Photo Credit: Norman Moyah Control of local sawmill granted to tribal council by Sabrina Whyatt $1 million donation for Aboriginal space by Sabrina Whyatt Contributions to tourism industryrecognized by Paul Sinkewicz Big Bear: rain or shine - the show must go on by Pamela Green Returning home to Indian Country by Denis Okanee Angus Arts festival to promote Aboriginal talent by Sabrina Whyatt Author aims to educate about AIDS by Pamela Green Here is a full list of additional stories featured in the July, 1998 issue of Saskatchewan Sage. If you are not receiving your own copy of Saskatchewan Sage, then you have missed all this information. Click here for Saskatchewan Sage subscription information. Diabetes sufferers need ongoing treatment Northern mines lead in Aboriginal involvement Forestry management an issue To dads they grow up quickly Guide includes Native history Funding received for family violence programs Controversy continues over Métis hunting rights Planning for northern development gets underway Control of local sawmill granted to tribal council By Sabrina Whyatt Sage Writer MEADOW LAKE Members of The Meadow Lake Tribal Council anticipate an increase in local employment since obtaining full control of the NorSask Sawmill, said Richard Gladue, council chief. The council previously held a 40 per cent equity position in the mill, but recently reached an agreement to acquire the remaining shares, 40 per cent held by an employee group and 20 per cent owned by Millar Western Pulp Mill. "This is a major step in turning our 20 year development plan into reality," said Gladue. "Ownership of the business enterprises such as the NorSask Sawmill will generate new revenues that will help create new economic activity and jobs." Some feel local control of NorSask will be more effective in assuring future economic stability. "Completing this deal is a huge step for us," said the council's chief executive officer Ray Ahenakew, who will chair NorSask's board of directors. "For years we worked on creating jobs for our people but found the most effective way to ensure long-term jobs for MLTC citizens was by holding equity in local enterprises. We've done that with this purchase," he said. NorSask will continue to operate under the leadership of general manager Allan Brander, said Ahenakew. The mill was originally constructed in 1971 by Parsons and Whittemore of New York. The provincial government took it over in 1986 and two years later sold it to a partnership of employees, the Tribal Council, and Crown Investments Corporation, who sold its stake to Millar Western which operates a nearby pulp mill. The NorSask operation will be held by a resource development corporation, which is wholly owned subsidiary of the Meadow Lake council which works on behalf of nine First Nations in northern Saskatchewan. The facility employs 142 people and has been active in logging the region's forests, including reclamation of burnt timber after forest fires. Portable mills used in harvesting burnt timber accounted for roughly 40 per cent of NorSask's total production in 1997. The sawmill will continue to hold its 50 per cent stake in Mistik Management, the company that manages the forest management license agreement on behalf of NorSask and Millar Western. NorSask is a major economic catalyst for the northwest part of the province and one of Saskatchewan's largest companies with sales exceeding $50 million annually. It was named Saskatchewan's Exporter of the Year in the 1994 ABEX Awards sponsered by the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce. $1 million donation for Aboriginal space By Sabrina Whyatt Sage Writer SASKATOON Aboriginal students attending the University of Saskatchewan have a reason to celebrate. Nova Corporation recently donated $1 million that will go towards a designated space on campus for Aboriginal students. "This space will serve to unite Aboriginal students on campus," said Roy Saddleback, member of Indigenous Students' Council. "It will be for our spiritual and cultural needs as Aboriginal students. It will also provide peer support." He said the details won't be decided until the fall, but because Elders play such an important role in the lives of Aboriginal youth, there is a strong possibility of inviting Elders to the space to provide spiritual counselling. Officials at the university are very pleased a prominent business is contributing to Aboriginal youth education. "The University of Saskatchewan is absolutely delighted with Nova's gift dedicated to Aboriginal student space and services on campus. We share a mutual interest in responding to Aboriginal needs, and Nova's generosity helps us to realize an Aboriginal student priority for a space where Aboriginal students can feel comfortable to carry on their traditional practices, and draw on essential services and community support," said University President George Ivany. A recent report, commissioned by the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations, projects that the Aboriginal population of Saskatchewan will increase dramatically between 1995 and 2045 from 13 to 32 per cent of the total provincial population. The university is acting to take a leadership role to address the educational and space needs related to the increase in the Aboriginal population in this province. "We, at Nova, think supporting Aboriginal education is very important for the quality of life on the prairies. A much larger proportion of the Aboriginal population must succeed in post secondary education so that they can be models and mentors to their friends and fellow citizens," said Ted Newall, Nova Corporation CEO. "The only way to get past high levels of Aboriginal unemployment is to find ways to keep them in high school and get them through university. This is one of the most important social objectives on the prairies." There are approximately 1,500 Aboriginal students currently enrolled at the university, said Saddleback, almost double the number in 1991. Contributions to tourism industry get recognized By Paul Sinkewicz Sage Writer PRINCE ALBERT Individuals and groups involved in the tourism industry were honored recently at the fourth Prince Albert Tourism Awards. Tourism in Prince Albert enjoyed a boost recently with the relocation of the Northern Lights Casino to its new location next to the Prince Albert Inn. The recent announcement of a First Nation cultural tourism attraction for the area starting as soon as fall of 1998 means the industry may also be on the cusp of even bigger and better things. Chief Leo Omani of the Wahpeton Dakota First Nation was one of the top winners at the awards. He was named Tourism Individual of the Year for his work in pushing for that First Nations cultural tourism project. Omani was instrumental in working with the City of Prince Albert and four other area bands to form a joint venture to begin studying the idea two years ago. "It is very heartwarming to accept this award on behalf of the membership of Wahpeton," he said. He gave credit to band councillor Bev Waditaka for her volunteerism within the community and drew attention to other economic successes of the band, including partnership in the Prince Albert Inn, a local medical clinic and the band's bison operation. Omani said since his people settled in the Prince Albert area in 1878, they have always been entrepreneurs in the city and area. "It's always been in our hearts - the entrepreneurial spirit of our parents and grandparents." Omani reminded the crowd of the potential the First Nations Cultural Tourism Centre has and the planned loop tours to local reserves. "There'll always be ignorant remarks, but the important thing is we'll always live and work close together," Omani said. "We might as well learn to love living together." The evening was capped off with the naming of the Northern Lights Casino as the Tourism Business of the Year. The casino was nominated for its work in training hundreds of young people to work in the industry, and for the excellent customer service it provides, according to Wanda Carter of Prince Albert Tourism. Cam Snyder, manager of the casino, said since moving to its new location, the casino has been attracting an average of 10 busloads of tourists a week. Roughly half of those tour groups are from Alberta, and another half from within Saskatchewan, he said. "Tourism drives this community," Snyder said. "Everyone in the province is after tourist dollars these days." Snyder said it's tough to quantify the effect the casino has on the local economy, but he said numerous businesses have told him that they've noticed a difference since the casino expanded recently. Snyder said the casino is in the process of doing a customer survey to better understand where the clients are coming from and how much new business is coming. He also noted that some of the money coming into Prince Albert through the casino finds its way back into the community in the form of sponsorships for sports and cultural events or donations to charity. Other award winners included: 1997 Tourism Volunteer Award - Marg and John Bodnarchuk; Tourism Organization Award - Jan Olesko and the executive of the Prince Albert Children's Festival; The Customer Service Award of Excellence (Business Employee Award) - Mike Weleski and Terry Pister; Customer Service Award of Excellence (Business Award) - McDonald's Restaurant; Customer Service Award of Excellence (Public Service Sector) - Gord Nelson, Dale Tolley, Aaron Vassle, Mark Ballantyne and Jason Hurd. Big Bear : Rain or shine, the show must go on By Pamela Green Sage Writer PASQUA FIRST NATION Grey skies, pounding rain and muddy roads might have dampened spirits, but had little effect on the determination of the film production crew of Big Bear, currently shooting on the Pasqua Reserve. Battling unpredictable elements that made the steep winding roads down into the Pasqua Valley almost impassible and a northeast wind that made filming conditions next to impossible, were challenges faced by actors, film crew and acclaimed director Gil Cardinal. The gang was determined to stay on schedule and under budget. As unit publicist Sarah Gilbert from Montreal explained, nothing short of a tornado would stop a major film production of this size. "Time is money in film-making and because of tight booking and schedules for the actors and actresses, a huge cast, crew and different set locations throughout May, June and July, rescheduling would be a logistical nightmare." "The show must go on," said Cardinal. But not everyone was unhappy with the inclement weather. Tick, the set's camp dog, was more than happy to join the crew for a snack in the shelter of the tents and the Montreal contingent was clearly amazed by the fresh clean smell of untouched prairie saturated by rain water. Everyone involved, from the extras to the producers, were fully aware of that history was in the making, a two part, four hour television series about the visionary Plains Cree Chief, Big Bear, that would be chalking up a significant number of firsts in this country. Big Bear is the first ever joint film collaboration between Saskatchewan and Quebec, the first large budget production made from a totally Native perspective, by and for Aboriginal people, and the first major movie in Canada ever to be filmed on a reserve. "It's a film idea whose time has come for Native people living in this so-called renaissance period, when we are finally taking to film and screen to tell our own stories from a totally Native perspective," said actor Kennetch Charlette, who plays the character Lone Man. "The Cree are great story tellers. They love to tell a story and the time has come to take this oral tradition and put it on film, utilize the power of the film industry to help revitalize our own culture," he said. "Fifty years from now, people will be referring to this film as a real piece of history, a milestone that gave more Native people a real incentive to get into the movie making business, a movie that helped to give us a voice. And who better to capture the history and spirituality of the people, than the people themselves," added Charlette. Big Bear, the epic story of a powerful leader, is being brought to life on the Pasqua First Nation, located in the beautiful QuíAppelle Valley in Saskatchewan where the historic signing of Treaty 6 and the Battle of Frenchman's Butte will be recreated. Produced by Saskatchewan's Blue Hill Productions, Quebec's Tele-Action Productions and Kanata Productions, in association with CBC, the four hour mini-series, which will be aired on television in December. It is based on Saskatchewan born writer Rudy Wiebe's award winning novel, The Temptations of Big Bear. It tells the story of one of the most respected and misunderstood heroes in Canadian history. Big Bear was more preoccupied with how the Plains Cree would survive after the disappearance of the bison, than with waging war. He was a pacifist who wanted to negotiate with the federal government to ensure better and more comprehensive treaty packages for his people and, according to actor Gordon Tootoosis, he laid the real foundations for all First Nations organizations today. Branded a troublemaker after refusing to sign a treaty or accept a reserve, Big Bear, who had strained to hold his people together and keep their ancestral hunting and land rights intact, was found to be guilty by his association with Louis Riel. His tribe was eventually starved into signing Treaty 6 and he lost control over his young warriors, who killed nine settlers at Frog Lake and burned Fort Pitt before being forced to surrender at Loon Lake. The young warriors were hanged and Big Bear, convicted of treason, was sentenced to three years in the Stoney Penitentiary in Manitoba. Released after two years, he died a year later on Poundmaker Reserve near North Battleford The film, which has been eight years in the planning for producers Claudio Luca, Colin Nuale, Doug Cutknife and Dorothy Schreiber, is based on a contemporary screenplay. Keeping the whole production firmly rooted in the Native perspective has been the main thrust, heart and spiritual centre of the movie. "It's our story," said Doug Cutknife, of Blue Hills Productions, and a Plains Cree from the Battleford area in Saskatchewan. "We know what we're doing, we're not going to mess it up. It's not Hollywood, not just role playing, it's a part of ourselves." And the fact that it's being shot on a reserve adds a special sense to the production, as well as being a major economic initiative for the people in the Pasqua community. Big Bear is probably the biggest event in Saskatchewan this year, a major piece of work for the CBC and a very positive step forward for Saskatchewan people. Part of the beauty of being a Cree actor in an almost all Cree cast is that we have a very relaxed set," said Michael Greyeyes, who plays Wandering Spirit, leader of the Rattler Lodge. "It's a story about the Cree people and the fact that an unprecedented number of actors are Saskatchewan Cree is very important, something that Gil Cardinal was very aware of when he was casting. It's totally unique and brings in a whole different take on the cultural perspective." "The fact that he has the same perspective makes for a smoother path. You're not butting heads, and, in a weird way, it's not about cultural issues at all. We can just concentrate on making a great film, get down to acting," said Greyeyes. Gordon Tootoosis, the only actor who was ever considered for the role of Big Bear, expressed how pleased he was to be working with such an excellent cast. "We're really turning the tables around on the old Westerns," said Tootoosis. "The Cree characters are all speaking Cree in this movie, which is heard as English for the audience and all the other characters are speaking Jabberwocky [a meaningless gibberish] which really reverses the situation and shows how it must have been for our people back in the days of Big Bear, when all the treaty negotiations and linguistic misunderstandings took place in English." Tootoosis, co-starring with actress Tantoo Cardinal, who plays one of Big Bear's three wives, said the role of Big Bear was extremely challenging, and one that he had a very personal connection with. The actor, who grew up on Poundmaker Reserve where Big Bear died, remembers a childhood steeped in Cree lore and fascinating stories about his hero. He said the impact of the film for Aboriginal people would be nothing but positive, especially for those involved in the film industry. The profile of this great visionary would certainly be raised in the general public awareness and in the Canadian education system. Big Bear is a Native hero with a stature equal to Sitting Bull or Louis Riel who up until now has been relatively unknown in the main stream. "Many of the issues he dealt with are still the same and it's a privilege to do this film about a man who was so truly a visionary leader, so kind and intelligent, with an uncanny foresight to really see what was happening to his culture and way of life, a man who wanted to negotiate a better deal for all the people, not just his own band," said Tootoosis. "The power of Big Bear is with us today as we make this film, and wherever he is, I hope he approves of what we're doing. I hope he likes it too, I'm sure he's with us." Arts festival to promote Aboriginal talent By Sabrina Whyatt Sage Writer PEEPEEKISIS FIRST NATION Members of Peepeekisis First Nation are hosting an arts and crafts trade fair promoting Aboriginal artists. It will be held in Regina. Co-ordinators are optimistic the event, entitled Follow Your Dream Arts Festival, will become an annual occurrence. They are cautiously avoiding mistakes of previous shows held in Toronto and Vancouver by recognizing which ideas worked and which failed. They've agreed it's imperative to focus on building the event first by making it affordable for artists and audiences alike. "The event is totally sponsored, so we don't need to make a profit. If we do make a profit, it will go toward hiring a co-ordinator for next year. We're only charging a $5 admission fee for each person, and we've lowered prices for artists to attend compared to the other two shows," said Les Goforth, member of Peepeekisis First Nation. Goforth said there is an incredible amount of artistic talent within Aboriginal communities, but a lack of business skills that can be easily obtained through knowledge. This is why a business conference will take place where marketing professionals will discuss self promotion, selling venues and how to protect artists' work. "Many of these artistic talents don't seem to be involved in post-secondary education, but they should. They often lack marketing techniques, copyright information, trade show tips and international sales opportunities. We want to create some kind of exposure to First Nations out there who have these talents," he said. Initially, the plan was to promote local artists, but it was decided to include talent from all over North America, said co-ordinator Dick Byrd. "We felt it was wrong and discriminating not to include everyone, so we changed the rules and expanded the event." Byrd said there are still openings for artists, whose work will have to first meet criteria determined by a three-panel art jury. He said there has been a tremendous amount of support for the trade fair, and is confident it will be a success. It's expected to attract anywhere from 3,000 to 4,000 people each day. Eugene McNabb, an artist displaying his work at the show, is very excited about the exhibition. "I think it's something great. A lot of Native artists need that outlet to pursue their work. I think it's a start of a good thing." McNabb said his work portrays a lot of realism and cultural history, but believes the fair will display a wide variety of art. The trade fair will take place at the Regina Inn on Aug. 7 and 8, with a conference on Aug. 6. Artists wishing to get involved or receive additional information can call (306)585-8450. Author aims to educate about AIDS By Pamela Green Sage Writer SASKATOON There are more than 28 million people in the world with HIV and AIDS, with one-half of all new infections occurring in young people under the age of 25. These are statistics that most people don't want to think about. But for author Darlene Meeds who worked as an environmental health office and spent years watching kids sick and dying in the streets of Vancouver, thinking about helping people cope with AIDS just wasn't enough. With a life-long dream of becoming a writer and wanting to reach out and make a difference, prevention through education became her focus. Meeds is the author of The Journey Home, which tells the story of Danny, a young First Nation's man dying of AIDS. He wants to come home, back to his Kokum and younger brother, to make the most of the time they have left together. There's no surprise ending when you're dying of AIDS. Danny has made some bad choices. He is a man with a drug abuse problem who shared dirty needles and had unprotected sex to help support his drug habit. He could have become infected either way . The Journey Home is the story of a family's tragedy and how one man dealt with that tragedy by promising his grandmother's Creator that he would use the last few months of his life to make a difference to his younger brother Nathan. Danny is someone given a second chance to make things right by sharing the special ways of his culture before he dies. And above all, making sure that Nathan would never do drugs. Part of her goal in writing this book, explained Meeds, was to send out this message. It's a gentle way of saying,, 'Hey, it's everywhere - even a kid can get it.' The Journey Home is a sensitive and evocative book that gives the straight goods, a real eye opener that is both believable and accessible. The colorful ink and pencil drawings by Cree artist Gary Natomagan really hit home. The drawings show us what Meeds calls the importance of love and family and how someone dying of AIDS would need all the love and support he could get from his family and friends. "When I was writing the story, I was looking for an artist with the right feeling for the Native culture, someone who could capture the soul in the eyes of his people and animals, and the pictures that he has created for this book are some amazingly sensitive portraits," said Meeds. Returning home to Indian Country By Denis Okanee Angus Sage Columnist This is a picture of my daughter Nadia. I called it "Returning Home." Nadia was raised by her grandparents Gladys and the late Dan Pelletier at Gordon First Nation in southern Saskatchewan. This is the territory of Treaty 4. This picture was taken four years ago, just after we returned home to live at the Thunderchild First Nation. We live in the Treaty 6 territory. Nadia spent part of the summer with us. It was the summer of 1994. It was a time of reunion. We have been home for a little more than four years now. It's been an interesting four years. I was not raised on the reserve as a kid. I have child welfare to thank for that. Sometimes it's hard not to be bitter about the experience of being taken away from my extended family. It's taken a lot of work to fit back in to the community after being taken away. I guess my bitterness comes from the fact that child welfare isn't around when you're all grown up and trying to return home. I am very grateful to Nadia's grandparents. There was a time when I was not able to be a good parent to my oldest daughter. Her grandparents stepped in and raised that girl. Since I have confronted my addictions, I have also tried to rebuild the relationship with my daughter. It's really hard for me to admit that I did not always do so well by my oldest girl. But that's a part of the promises I have made to myself about how I am going to live now. I have to admit that I talk this column out every month. It's my wife who actually sits in front of the computer typing my words. Every now and again, she pokes me and makes me be a little more honest than I want to be. Every column I write, I try to find something that I can share with the people who read Saskatchewan Sage. I try to write a message about something I have had to really struggle to learn. Maybe by sharing these lessons I might make it easier for someone else. As the years go by I see my children progressing through school, sometimes with a lot of struggle. Well, that's hard on a dad in some ways. I am really proud of their accomplishments and that so far they are sticking with school. But its hard to believe that the oldest ones are almost grown up. I guess first babies always have a special place in their dad's hearts. It's more than that though. Two of my children now have more education than I had when I went back to school as an adult. When my wife and I were talking at my son's Grade 8 graduation just a few weeks ago, we realized that many of the graduates had more education than their parents had the opportunity to earn. In one way, this is very sad. Just think of all the contributions that our communities have been robbed of. Yet, it gives me great hope at the same time. There really is a revolution happening in "Indian Country." I believe this revolution is based on the idea of "returning home." It is about our culture, our traditions, and the responsibilities we have to our extended families.