On June 5, Poisoning Paradise: A Native View of the Swan Hills Waste Treatment Centre opened to mixed reviews at Edmonton's Princess Theatre. Written, produced and directed by Barb Allard and Kelly Reinhardt of Dragonfly Productions, the 42-minute documentary presents the struggle of Grand Chief Jim Badger of the Lesser Slave Lake Indian Regional Council with the government process for intervention into the development process. Canada's largest hazardous waste incinerator, Swan Hills was built at the highest point in Alberta east of the Rocky Mountains. The Swan Hills have been traditional hunting, trapping and gathering territory for thousands of years, as well as being a spiritual centre for vision quests. Poisoning Paradise includes footage of Badger, as well as interviews with Russell Willier, Gerald Giroux and Harvey Giroux, and explores the idea of integrating an Elders council familiar with the area into the decision-making process.
Canada has declared June 21 - the first day of summer - to be National Aboriginal Day. "Indians, Metis and Inuit have made unparalleled contributions to the development of this country," said DIAND Minister Ron Irwin. "To recognize these contributions, the Canadian government has designated June 21 . . . so that all Canadians may share and experience the cultures of Indians, Inuit and Metis in Canada. [It] also supports global initiatives to commemorate the International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples." The federal interlocutor for Metis and non-status Indians, Anne McClellan, said: "Canadians from all walks of life have much to gain from a greater understanding of the heritages of Indians, Inuit and Metis." Although it will not be a statutory holiday, there will be ceremonies across Alberta and Canada.
The C.M. Russell Museum in Browning, Montana; Idaho's Sun Valley Center for the Arts & Humanities; and Calgary's Glenbow Museum have joined forces to display works by First Nations artists in Old and New Masterpieces at the Glenbow from June 8 to July 14. The exhibit combines historical with contemporary works, and the contemporary items are available for sale daily at the museum. Showcasing Native art from the Northern Plains and Plateau regions, Old and New Masterpieces celebrates the continuity of traditional Native art forms, such as bead work, quill work and jewelry. Techniques used in creating the 20 antiquities in the exhibition by guest curator Paul Raczka are the same techniques used by the contemporary artists from Canada and the United States whose works are included in the sale.
Mawami, an outdoor theatre performance featuring the stories, song and dance of First Nations people, will bring the foothills alive around Millarville for four nights in July. Director and producer Dale Auger explains that the performance will take place in a natural setting on the While Moose Ranch, about eight km southwest of the tiny town. "We are emphasizing the 'adventure' aspect of this event in that the audience can expect something totally different from traditional indoor theatre," he said. "They should be prepared for a short walk through natural range to the dinner site, where they will enjoy Native cuisine in the casual setting of a Native encampment, and to the performance site, where bench seating will provide spectacular views of the sights, sounds and pageantry involved." Tickets are available through TicketMaster in Calgary at 777-0000.
Aboriginal writers Joanne Arnott and Rita Joe appeared May 30 at the University of Calgary to read from their works. Arnott, whose most recent book is Breasting the Waves: On Writing and Healing, spoke from the perspective of a writer and storyteller who has found her strength and pride as a Metis woman. Rita Joe, whose Song of Rita Joe: Autobiography of a Mi'kmaq Poet includes poems about her reclaiming of her Aboriginal heritage, writes about old age, her lifelong spiritual quest and the promise of renewed hope and healing. The reading was sponsored by the First Nations Student's Association, the Women of Colour Collective and Ragweed Press, and supported by the Canada Council.
After 26 years with Native Counselling Services of Alberta, executive
director Chester Cunningham has retired. His leadership in providing an
atmosphere in which Native Counselling Services could grow into the strong
organization it is today will be missed, according to the board of directors
of the organization. Returning from Australia to take the reins as the new
executive director is Allen Benson, who replaced Cunningham effective March
1.
Caption: Plains artifacts from Calgary's Glenbow Museum's collections which
will be on display in their exhibition Old and New Masterpieces until July
14.
Tansi! By the time you read this, the powwow and rodeo circuits will be
going full tilt.
Did you know that another recognition was bestowed Canada's Aboriginal population
with June 21 being declared National Aboriginal Awareness Day? Well, it
has! Speaking of the 21st, that's when the Edmonton friendship centre is
hosting a Summer Solstice Round Dance and it seems like the word's really
getting around. Should be a super turn-out.
At the same time, June 21 to 23, the Bigstone Cree at Wabasca-Desmarais
are hosting their very first powwow and I understand it's going to be a
biggee! It appears that this powwow scene is really movin' in on those northern
Alberta bush bunnies, eh?
Bigstone is also right proud of the expansion they are experiencing in health
services. Their manager Francis Gladue informs us that the transfer process
"started just a little over a year ago" for them when they began
assuming certain roles from Medical Services. They began with dental services
(once a week) including orthodontist service, which is probably the first
on any reserve in northern Alberta. They even set up their own pharmacy,
on-reserve and out of their health-services office building. The ribbon
cutting for that building was attended by Medical Services assistant regional
director Len Albrecht. Gladue says that they plan to develop their own transportation
services for the disabled, something like the Disabled Adult Transportation
Services in cities and large towns.
That whole northwestern area of the province is really getting with it.
Paddle Prairie Metis Settlement is constructing 21 new homes this year.
By the way, their local bull rider, Derek Martineau, is faring not too badly
after a bull tossed him around at the Stavely Rodeo in early May. His jaw
is still wired shut, but he's coming along fine and was spared the tragedy
of major injury in such bad spots as the spinal column. Yeah, tough life
for our rodeo guys.
I'm sure Glenn Risdale will have his chuckwagon going lickety-split at Ponoka,
the Calgary Stampede, etc., over the summer. So will a few other great wagon
drivers, like Ray Mitsuing and Edgar Baptiste, who both hail from Saskatchewan.
Paddle hopes they can get their own local rodeo off the ground this year.
Last year, coordinator Gary Houle was so darn busy, he couldn't pull it
off. We'll keep our fingers crossed.
Keeping to the northwest, did you hear the news about author and film maker
Maria Campbell? Apparently, she's moving up to the Lubicon area soon, and
will be there for about a year. We'll keep you posted about that one. I
believe she is planning to work at another full-length novel. Sure hope
so.
Gettin' back to a bit of the powwow scene, the Awasis Powwow at Edmonton's
Prince Charles Elementary School is set for June 14, 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.,
with Francis Bad Eagle's drummers and singers. Native liaison Darlene Olson
says that they already have about 60 dancers confirmed, including their
very own Metis square-dance group which will dance up a storm to the fiddling
magic of Calvin Volrath. Murray Whitstone will perform and delight folks
with his hoops again. There will be a raffle to raise extra cash to help
offset some of the school's costs. And the powwow is going to be held on
the west side of the school this time around. Traditionally, it has always
been on the east side.
See you on the circuit, OK?
ST. ALBERT - One of the most successful promotional animals has, er, had
offspring. Sober Bear, the mascot of National Addictions Awareness Week,
has a cub who will act as the mascot for younger people.
In a "Name the Bear Cub Contest," nationally advertised and with
1,103 entries from children between the ages of six and 12, GUS (for Growing
Up Sober) was chosen. The winner of the contest - who oddly sent in the
fifth entry opened - was Tyler Jacques of Listiguj, Que. Not only did he
get to name a permanent and prominent symbol of a national movement, but
the young Mohawk boy got a lot of good prizes, too, including a trip to
Edmonton and Edmonton's West Edmonton Mall for him and his mother, Lisa.
"The contest was geared to children and youth promoting National Addictions
Awareness Week," said Brenda Sayese, project coordinator of the Nechi
Institute's health promotions division.
In the capital city for the weekend of May 16 to 18, Tyler and his mother,
accompanied by Tyler's grandmother, who came from New Brunswick, spent some
time with an aunt in Spruce Grove, and spent a lot more time making use
of donated prizes by the many sponsors of the contest.
They won a complete West Edmonton Mall entertainment package for two, donated
by the mall. The air travel was arranged and paid for by Wallace Travel;
they stayed at the Mayfield Inn; they ate at McDonald's for the weekend;
they received $300 from Trendsetters Ltd., the Pro-Ad Agency Ltd. and Nechi;
they took in some Olympic qualifying soccer compliments of Pro-Ad; and they
received souvenirs from Promotional Cap and from Alberta Monogram and Embroidery
Ltd.
Entries from across the country were in by Feb. 2, and the selection was
made and announced by Feb. 28. Judges included Stacey Harrison from Poundmaker's
Adolescent Treatment Centre, Heather Jacobs from Ben Calf Robe School, Judy
Mitchell from Pro-Ad, Jeff Pesaruk from Trendsetters and Normie Trottier
from Nechi.
It is expected that young GUS will assume the duties of Sober Bear, especially
when they have to do with young people. Sources say that he's already on
the job.
CALGARY - In a complicated world, Doug Vivier had a simple system: be enthusiastic
and friendly, know what's going on and help people out whenever possible.
That mix of people and political skills made Vivier one of the most respected
leaders in Calgary's Aboriginal community.
Over the past 13 years, his influence, warmth and knack for putting a good
word in the right ear helped many local Aboriginal groups. Manitoba-born
Vivier especially supported the Calgary Friendship Centre, the Native Women's
Shelter and the Canadian Council of Native Business.
As vice-president of the Metis Nation of Alberta, Zone 3, Vivier together
with the association staff also promoted various Metis initiatives. Education
programs included the Alberta Vocational College/Metis Basic Education Alternative
Delivery program and a proposed AVC-MNA literacy project.
In May, it was Vivier who carried the Metis flag during a joint Calgary
public and Catholic graduation ceremony held at the University of Calgary
to honor Grade 9 and Grade 12 Aboriginal students.
Vivier, a past president of Local 87, also championed a proposed Metis foster-care
program and the youth and Elder group.
"He made a great contribution to the Metis nation, liaisoning not only
with Aboriginal but also non-Aboriginal organizations," said Gloria
Contois, president of Local 87. Contois also valued Vivier's personal encouragement.
"When I started the local, I was more shy," she said. "But
with Doug's help, I became more outspoken."
Shelley Fraser, a Local 87 board member, said that it was Vivier who encouraged
her to diligently promote Broken Trust, her recently published autobiography
about surviving sexual abuse.
"He encouraged me to go out and promote the book to the various agencies
in our Aboriginal community and to step forward with it," said Fraser.
As chairman of the Calgary Aboriginal Urban Affairs Committee, a subcommittee
of Calgary's city council, Vivier also endorsed and promoted many Aboriginal
projects. Over the past year, for instance, Vivier led the committee into
a watchdog role as Alberta Family and Social Services began re-structuring
child welfare into regional boards.
"He was quite concerned about Aboriginal representation on the regional
council," said Harry Huish, a lifetime committee member. About one-half
of all child welfare cases involve Aboriginal children.
Doreen L'Hirondelle of the Calgary Board of Education appreciated Vivier's
endorsement this spring of a proposed city-wide Aboriginal education policy.
"I did receive a good letter [from the committee]," she said.
"At city hall, he was known to many for his activities as a member
of the Calgary Aboriginal Urban Affairs Committee," said Norm Bilodeau,
a committee resource person who works for Calgary Social Services. Convincing
Mayor Al Duerr and city council to include a question about Aboriginal ancestry
on this year's civic census was an accomplishment that Vivier and the rest
of the committee were particularly proud of.
"We would like to know exactly how many First Nations people are living
in the Calgary area," explained Vivier, prior to the April count. That
information could help fulfill one of the now-deceased committee chairman's
major goals - adequate community and social services for local Aboriginal
people.
Vivier, 52, died at the Bow Valley Centre on May 30, after suffering a heart
attack.
"We lost a great leader," said Fraser. "I don't know who
is going to be able to replace that."
"He is going to be remembered in this community for a long time,"
added Bilodeau.
A joint AVC-Local 87 post-secondary bursary in honor of Vivier has already
received approval and the Doug Vivier Memorial Award will annually honor
outstanding volunteers.
Public services were held at Chapel of the Bells on Wednesday, June 5. The
eulogy was given by Metis Nation of Alberta representative Ralph Goetz.
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