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Neither rain, nor snow, nor peer pressure will keep Alayna Tootoosis from school.

The 18-year-old graduated from Chief Poundmaker school with a perfect attendance record. She hasn't missed a single day in 14 years. She's attended the school on Poundmaker reserve outside Cut Knife since nursery school.

Tootoosis is captain of the school's basketball team and also plays baseball, volleyball, soccer and "whatever comes up."

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A discussion about Louis Riel and his rightful place in Canadian history was one of the highlights of a three-day conference in Saskatoon in June.

The Indigenous Bar Association of Canada and the University of Saskatchewan's Indigenous Peoples' Justice Initiative jointly sponsored The Metis People in the 21st Century conference from June 18 to 20.

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Thirty-three years and going strong, this year's Back to Batoche Days, July 24-27, was again a success, giving Metis people from across North America a change to get together and celebrate a shared history and culture.

Batoche has been a well-known gathering place for generations and the annual Metis festival continues that tradition. Senator Nora Cummings, Metis Nation of Saskatchewan Senate chair, has only missed one year since the event began in 1970.

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A new 50-cent coin was officially unveiled at Batoche this summer, commemorating the Metis festival held on the site each year.

The sterling silver Back to Batoche coin is part of a 13-coin series created by the Royal Canadian Mint to celebrate the culture and traditions of Canada's regional festivals.

The coin was created by Metis artist David Hannan, who also created the Metis poster used by Indian and Northern Affairs Canada to celebrate National Aboriginal Day each year.

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It took almost 100 years, but members of Kahkewistahaw First Nation have finally been compensated for the land taken from them.

On June 25, Kahkewistahaw members celebrated settlement of their land claim, which will see the First Nation receive $94.6 million over five years in compensation for the damages and losses suffered due to an improper surrender of reserve lands in 1907.

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Aboriginal people from across the country involved in science and technology will get a chance to gather in Saskatoon next month to celebrate their successes, share their experiences, and discuss ways to mesh science and technology with traditional knowledge.

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First Nations athletes from across the province converged on Flying Dust First Nation from July 6 to 10 to take part in the 2003 Saskatchewan First Nation Summer Games, but in the end it was the team representing the Prince Albert Grand Council (PAGC) that emerged victorious.

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Harry Michael sees the process of healing as a life-long journey. And it's a journey he will soon be helping others to begin.

Michael is executive director of the Willow Cree Healing Lodge, located on Beardy's and Okemasis First Nation. The lodge, a 40-bed minimum-security facility for male Aboriginal offenders, had it's official opening June 25, although the first residents won't be arriving until September.

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Camosun College presented Distinguished Alumni Awards to outstanding former graduates at this year's June convocation.

Two of the three recipients were Aboriginal: Chief Sophie Pierre and the late artist and activist Art Thompson.

Chief Sophie Pierre graduated from the college's business administration program in 1978 and has been chief of the Ktunaxa Nation since 1982. In 2002, she received a National Aboriginal Achievement Award for public service and in 1994 she was appointed to the Order of British Columbia.

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Xats'ull Heritage Village is located on a sunny shelf above the mighty Fraser River deep in the heart of the Cariboo, 37 km north of Williams Lake on Highway 97. Xats'ull, (pronounced hats'ull) is the Secwepemc or Shuswap word meaning "on the cliff". It fittingly describes the area that has been occupied by the Secwepemc (Shuswap) Nation for generations.