Top News - April - 2004 Published April 12, 2004 Posh gala event honors achievers in high style Runner is the first Albertan to win Longboat award Aglukark takes home Juno for her Big Feeling This is only a partial listing of the stories featured in the April 2004 issue of Alberta Sweetgrass. If you are not receiving your own copy of Sweetgrass, then you have missed out on a lot. Click here for Alberta Sweetgrass subscription information. Posh gala event honors achievers in high style Debora Steel, Sweetgrass Writer, Calgary The National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation set up shop in Calgary April 4 to pay tribute to 14 accomplished members of the Native community in Canada. The foundation's annual achievement awards gala was a lavish affair, bringing together a who's who of the Aboriginal elite and the corporate connected. Playing host to the foundation's guests were legendary Tennessee singer Rita Coolidge and musician/actor Tom Jackson, a veteran of six of the 11 award shows the foundation has held. "I'm always excited about doing the work, but there is a different kind of connection that happens in this community that is unlike other awards shows," said Jackson during a question and answer session with media at the dress rehearsal April 3. "It's not the kind of award that you get because you are the best singer in the limelight (for example). This award comes from the ground up and it maintains that integrity, and I think that's the most exciting thing about this process." Jackson was also pleased that he was hosting the event that would honor his North of 60 co-star Tina Keeper. Keeper received the 2004 National Aboriginal Achievement Award in the arts and culture category. Coolidge was invited to co-host after her performance at last year's gala in Ottawa, the 10th anniversary award show. She said that Canada is head and shoulders above the rest in the way it includes Aboriginal people when giving recognition for achievement. "I can only speak for a U.S. citizen and watching Canada, the fact that Canada has had categories for Native music in the Juno awards for many years and then this event celebrates the achievements of people from all walks of life. You know, it has gone on for many years, and we are still struggling to get that together in the Native community in the United States. It feels like there is such a community here," said Coolidge, who described the gala as very elegant, adding that she had never worked harder on a show. The well-heeled audience was treated to the duo's medley of Coolidge's hits from days gone by, The Way You Do The Things you Do and Higher and Higher among them. Stunningly beautiful in a red gown for her performance of the 1930's Harold Arlen classic I've Got The World On A String was the stunningly talented Andrea Menard, whose performance kicked off the evening. Menard later appeared in a sultry gold number for her rendition of the Gershwin hit I've Got A Crush On You, playing at the end of the song with a coy comment to award winner Basil Johnston ("Hey Baz, do you like jazz?") and to lifetime achievement award winner Andrew Delisle ("I will, if you will," she said with a wink.) For the "whisper-to-a-scream" crowd was a performance by Juno award winner and alternative rock artist Holly McNarland, who appeared with her band to sing Do You Get High. At the heart of the evening were the award winners, and here the foundation struck a fine balance this year between honoring their achievements and thanking corporate Canada and government for its financial support to do so. Video presentations that highlighted the lives of the award winners came in bunches of four throughout the evening and between musical performances, leaving the video histories of the lifetime achiever and the youth achiever until the end of the show. A small complaint from observers, and this was no different than the complaints lodged in years past, is that there was no time between one video history and the next to properly acknowledge with applause the individual award winner. However, near the end of the show, each of the award winners was brought centre stage to receive their award. While the show's script did not allow for speeches from the recipients, with the notable exception of the lifetime achiever, one recipient (Chief Clarence Louie of the Osoyoos Indian Band in British Columbia) upon receiving his award couldn't contain his enthusiasm. He raised his fist into the air and yelled "Okanagan." Lifetime achiever Andrew Delisle, former chief of the Mohawks of Kahnawake, came before the audience with a wampum belt draped across his arm. Flanked by current Kahnawake Grand Chief Joe Norton and national chief of the Assembly of First Nations Phil Fontaine, Delisle explained that the two rows of the wampum belt spoke about two nations travelling separately but in the same direction, and respect for that teaching would bring peace and prosperity to Canada and Native nations. He received a standing ovation for his message. The gala ended on a musical high with the song Time to Say Goodbye performed by soprano Mavis Callihoo, baritone Carey Newman, and coloratura soprano Minda Forcia. Forcia floated above the stage in a 10-foot-long white dress. She emerged from the centre of a water-encased-in-plastic sculpture, which was inspired by artist Susan Point, said the show's executive producer John Kim Bell. In his message to the audience in the gala program, Bell explained the set as a series of discs and circles, angles and planes. "They are tilted and juxtaposed to each other representing the journeys that one takes on the road to self-improvement and growth. As depicted in art and music, beauty is created through tension." The 2004 award recipients are Pearl Calahasen-Public Service; Andrew T. Delisle, Sr.-Lifetime Achievement; Kristinn Frederickson-Youth; Osuitok Ipeelee-Arts and Culture; Basil Johnston-Heritage and Spirituality; Tina Keeper-Arts and Culture; Clarence Louie-Business and Community Development; Susan Point-Arts and Culture; Suzanne Rochon-Burnett-Media and Communications; Muriel Stanley Venne-Law and Justice; Dr. Carl Urion-Education; Dr. Stanley Vollant-Medicine; Sheila Watt-Cloutier-Environment; Dr. Lee Wilson-Science and Technology. Top

Runner is the first Albertan to win Longboat award Sam Laskaris, Sweetgrass Writer, Toronto One is a talented lacrosse player who has made his mark on the world scene. The other is a teenaged track star who has shone nationally and is hoping for glory outside of Canada some day. Both share one thing in common. They were named the 2003 winners of the Tom Longboat Award. Delby Powless and Deanna Sullivan were presented with their awards as the country's top Native athletes during the 31st annual Canadian Sports Awards. The event was staged March 23 in Toronto. The awards are named in honor of Tom Longboat, a Native man from Six Nations, Ont. and one of the best runners the world had ever seen. Powless won his award in large part because of his superb play at the inaugural world indoor (box) lacrosse championships, held at various southern Ontario locations last spring. He led the Iroquois Nationals entry to the silver medal at the six-team world tournament. His efforts earned him a spot on the tourney's all-star team. Powless, a 23-year-old who is also currently the captain of the New Jersey-based Rutgers University men's field lacrosse team, was thrilled to win the Tom Longboat Award for several reasons. "It means a lot to me considering it represents my Native background," Powless said. Previous winners of the award include Powless' great uncle Ross Powless, as well as Ross' son Gaylord, Delby's cousin. Both Ross and Gaylord died in recent years. "Because both of them had won it before, it means a lot to my family to win this award," Powless added. Another reason he was excited to win is because he also calls Six Nations home. "It's something you learn about in school," Powless said of Longboat's career. "You learn about how he won the Boston Marathon and that he represented Canada in the Olympics." Since he is on an athletic scholarship at Rutgers, despite the fact he is one of the better players in the world, Powless was not allowed to play professionally in the National Lacrosse League in recent years. Various pro clubs have expressed interest in his services, but he would have been forced to give up his athletic scholarship had he played even one NLL game. As he is in his final year of college eligibility, Powless is now hoping to toil in the pro league starting with the 2004-05 season, which begins this December. He'll undoubtedly be an early pick in the NLL draft held later this year. As for Sullivan, she estimates she's about 10 years away from reaching the peak in her sport. The 15-year-old resident of St. Albert, Alta. excels in sprint events on the track. She specializes in 200-metre and 400-metre races though she also occasionally enters 100-metre events. "I think it's great to be recognized for your outstanding accomplishments," said Sullivan, who is a Grade 10 student at St. Albert high school. Sullivan is hoping to eventually turn pro and make some money from running. "In track and field you don't reach your peak until you're about twenty-five-ish," she said. Sullivan, a member of the Fox Lake Cree Nation, became the youngest person ever to win the Tom Longboat Award. The annual award was first handed out in 1951, but there were some years when winners were not declared. And the swift-footed teen also became the first Alberta resident to win the award. Sullivan has been competing in track for the past six years. Prior to that, she placed second in her category at a cross-country running meet at her school. That result convinced the Sullivan family that perhaps it was time to get Deanna into running. "My dad saw an ad in the local paper," she said, explaining how she was introduced to track. That ad stated the St. Albert Track and Field Club was seeking new members. Sullivan signed up and has been with the club ever since. One of Sullivan's most memorable competitions was the 2002 North American Indigenous Games in Winnipeg. She won four gold medals-in the 100 metre, 200 metre, 400 metre and long jump competitions-in the bantam girls (14-15) category. She's also participated in the Royal Canadian Legion's national track and field championships in each of the past two summers. She won a bronze medal in the girls 14-15 division in her 400-metre race at last year's meet in Waterloo, Ont. And she just missed out on another medal, placing fourth in her 200-metre race. Though she didn't qualify for the finals, Sullivan took part in the Canadian junior nationals in Saskatoon last summer, competing in both the 200-metre and 400-metre races. That event primarily featured 18- and 19-year-old athletes, but Sullivan was allowed to take part since she had met the time standards required to compete at that meet. Deanna Sullivan is hoping to garner an athletic scholarship from an American university. "I'm kind of more interested in the States because there's a lot more interest in track and field down there," Sullivan said. Tammy Martin and Dave Canadian were selected as the female and male Native coaches of the year and were presented their awards at the Toronto banquet as well. Martin, a member of the Cayuga First Nation, has coached fastball for the past eight years. In 2003 she led her squad to a silver medal at the Ontario championships, the first time an all-Aboriginal team won a medal at the provincials. As for Canadian, he's been a wrestling coach for almost 20 years. During recent years, he's been coaching the community team from the Kahnawake Mohawk Territory. His teams have won an impressive 15 consecutive Greater Montreal Athletic Association Championships. Over the years Canadian has also coached at the Canada Games. Four of his athletes have won North American Indigenous Games championships. Top Aglukark takes home Juno for her Big Feeling Jennifer Chung and Yvonne Irene Gladue, Sweetgrass Writer, Edmonton It was a great night for Susan Aglukark on April 3. The Inuit singer won best Aboriginal recording of the year at the Juno celebration held in Edmonton April 2 to 4. Aglukark's album Big Feeling was selected from a stellar group of nominees in the category-Sandy Scofield's Ketwam, Burnt's Burnt Project 1-The Avenue, Eagle & Hawk's Mother Earth and Whitefish Jrs.' In Honour of Percy Dreaver. "It is very exciting... It's just been a great day all around," said Aglukark, who accepted her award at the non-televised gala the night before the main nationally televised event that celebrates achievement in music. This year's Juno Awards telecast was hosted by singer Alanis Morissette. In her acceptance speech, the delighted Aglukark thanked the Aboriginal community for its continued support of her work. The singer/songwriter described her Juno-winning record as "the awakening of a passionate woman through different relationships in time." Backstage, Aglukark had high praise for emerging young Aboriginal artists. She said they are all quickly making a name for themselves in the mainstream music scene and in the last couple of years, they have "gotten bold." The soft-spoken Aglukark, who was born in Churchill, Man., also revealed that she has been writing material for another album since Big Feeling was completed last year. Aglukark's previous albums include 1999's Unsung Heroes and 1995's This Child, from which the single O Siem found its way to the Canadian top 40 charts. The Juno gala was hosted by Steven Page and Ed Robinson of the Barenaked Ladies. JUNO gala guests took in rousing performances by Doc Walker, Buck 65 and the trio Shaye. Other winners included Sarah McLachlan's Afterglow for pop album of the year, Shania Twain's Up! for country album of the year, Choclair's Flagrant for rap album of the year, 50 cent's Get Rich or Die Tryin' for international album of the year. In the afternoon on April 3, the Juno's Aboriginal advisory committee, in conjunction with the National Aboriginal Recording Industry Association, paid tribute to the five Juno nominees in the Aboriginal Recording of the Year category and celebrated the 10th year the Junos have been recognizing achievement in this area. The nominees gathered at Telus Centre at the University of Alberta to participate in a mini concert of sorts. Whitefish Jrs. from Big River First Nation, Sask. stood in formation as they performed with hand drums, and it was easy to hear why they are considered among the finest cultural performers in the country. "It is an honor to be nominated and it is great to be here in Edmonton, said lead singer Harvey Dreaver, who was excitedly anticipating performing with Nelly Furtado during her performance at the JUNO telecast the next night. Aglukark told Alberta Sweetgrass that the JUNOs are an affirmation that her hard work is well worth the effort. "It is always a good feeling to be amongst your people and your peers, because music is all about coming together and celebrating, so I just wish everyone all the best," she said just hours before her win. Elaine Bomberry, the creator, founder and co-chair of the Aboriginal Recording of the Year celebration, said the annual event is the only one of its kind that's she's seen where the camaraderie of nominees in the same category is so apparent. "We honor them through prayers by our Elders, an honor song and a gift. The other categories do not do this because it is so competitive. Before an event like this you do not normally see nominees getting together, laughing and hanging out together. For example, when the Whitefish Jrs. did that honor song and one of the members from the group Burnt was holding Susan Aglukark's hand as they participated in the round dance, even though they were both competing for the same award later that day, that did not matter," she said when Sweetgrass reached her after the JUNO festivities. "One of the highlights was having Susan Aglukark present an award at the telecast edition of the JUNOs, which was just phenomenal because there hasn't been an Aboriginal performer or a presenter at the JUNOs for nine years, said Bomberry. "This is what we are always wanting to see at the JUNOs every year, and to also see the Whitefish Jrs. perform there was just great. We sure are hoping that we are breaking through slowly, but surely, and part of our next challenge and our next step is to split the Aboriginal award category into different categories, because the five musical groups were so different, but yet they were all put into one category. That is our ultimate goal next," she said. Top